Question about keeping a gratitude journal

dveikus

Sat, Jan 16 2021, 9:38 pm

I am thinking about starting a gratitude journal. My question is, if I write down the good things in my life, is there a danger of ayin hara chv"sh? On the one hand, if it's only for me to see and I am writing it for a good reason (gratitude) I would think not, but part of me is afraid to put anything good in writing. What do you think?

yiddishmom

Sat, Jan 16 2021, 10:17 pm

I am no rebbetzin or posek, but I don't see how this can be ayin hara. AY is when others see and their jealousy can cause harm (this is my understanding).

I think a gratitude journal is a phenomenal idea. I did it when I was in high school. It got me in to the mode of recognizing all the good Hashem does for me.

Tip: write down the *seemingly bad* things and try to find the good in it as well. Because we know that it's all for the good.

Good luck!

amother

Cerulean

Sat, Jan 16 2021, 10:19 pm

I was told that ayin hara can only happen if you believe in it.

PinkFridge

Sun, Jan 17 2021, 6:08 am

I thought the idea of a gratitude journal was to note all the things we should be grateful for. Yes, our beautiful homes/spouses/jobs/families etc. but all the happy things that happen in a day.
Found a parking spot.
Enough milk to get us through coffee and breakfast
Time to go shopping.
Quick line at the store.
Sky is actually blue today.

And remembering Who we're thanking.

yiddishmom

Sun, Jan 17 2021, 9:01 am

PinkFridge wrote:

Yes, the big, the small. The exciting, and the mundane.

amother

Scarlet

Sun, Jan 17 2021, 9:21 am

My husband bought one for me when I was going though a particularly rough time. All I can say is that it helped.

imasinger

Sun, Jan 17 2021, 9:23 am

I thought ayin hara was from other people hearing about your good fortune if you broadcast it and getting jealous. Not about a private journal.

We're supposed to thank Hashem for what's good, that's why it's part of the shmoneh esrei.

thunderstorm

Sun, Jan 17 2021, 9:27 am

It’s a form of saying Thank You to Hashem. I always write “Thank You HaShem for....” I don’t see how that would be an ayin harah. When you daven and thank HaShem for giving you your neshama back in the morning and all the brachos that you say in birchas hashachar it’s not an ayin harah. It’s you thanking HaShem and you expressing your gratitude to Him.

PinkFridge

Sun, Jan 17 2021, 10:36 am

A few lessons I've learned about gratitude:
That's why we're called Yehudim.
We are to thank Hashem before asking Him for things. It's natural to want to give more to people who appreciate what they've been given.
A teacher recently said that when we get to Modim we should be thankful for something. Try for something different than the last Modim.

dveikus

Sun, Jan 17 2021, 12:46 pm

Thank you all for the helpful replies. I think I will give it a try and ignore my fear of ayin hara, since it seems not to apply in this case. Thank you.

PinkFridge

Sun, Jan 17 2021, 12:53 pm

dveikus wrote:

Thank you all for the helpful replies. I think I will give it a try and ignore my fear of ayin hara, since it seems not to apply in this case. Thank you.

I think you'll see tremendous bracha from this. Hatzlacha and enjoy!

amother

Rose

Sun, Jan 17 2021, 1:27 pm

dveikus wrote:

No. Just do it. Anyway an ayin hara only has power if you believe in it so don’t— in general.