Counting the day's blessings: five thank-yous out loud

Our brain holds on to what went wrong more than to what went well. At the end of an ordinary day, we remember the unpleasant remark, not the baker's smile. This quest invites you to an exercise in rebalancing: at the end of the day, list aloud five blessings you received, even tiny ones.

What it looks like in your day

Choose the moment. In the evening, before bed, or while tidying the kitchen, or on the way home. A habit attaches itself to an action.

Say it aloud. Speaking the words gives them weight. Whisper if you have to, but say them. Not in your head: with your voice.

Count to five. "One: the smell of bread this morning. Two: my sister's message. Three: the bus that arrived on time. Four: good news at the office. Five: a heated home." Counting gives a framework: you can't stop at two.

Look for the small things. Don't limit yourself to big events. Blessings are often tiny: a light, a gesture, a memory, a warm cup, some music, a thank-you received.

Thank God. Finish with a word: "Thank you, Lord, for all of this." Gratitude takes on meaning when it has someone to go to.

Do it with others. As a couple, as a family, with children: each person gives one blessing. The little ones often find the loveliest ones.

On hard days, you will struggle to find five. Those are exactly the days when the exercise is most useful. Look for even smaller things: a breath, a bed, a light.

If you are in a hurry, three blessings in thirty seconds. If you are shy, you can say them without being heard.

What the Bible says

Psalm 103 is a song sung to oneself:

“A Psalm of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

"Forget not all his benefits": the verb is one of memory. The psalmist lists: forgiveness, healing, redemption, kindness, renewal. His benefits are counted one by one. The book of Deuteronomy warns against a specific danger:

“When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;”

When we have eaten and are full, we risk forgetting God. Gratitude is a protection against forgetting. And Psalm 116 asks a question that opens up reflection: "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?" (Psalms 116:12).

Pitfalls to avoid

Reciting the same list. Family, health, work: all true, but it no longer changes how you see things. Look for something new every evening.

Forcing a façade of gratitude. You can say: "Today was hard, but here are five things I received." No need to deny the difficulty.

Comparing yourself. "Thank you for not having it worse" turns gratitude into a judgment on others. Stay with what you have received.

Making it a chore. If the exercise becomes a burdensome obligation, vary the time, change the format, but keep the spirit.

Forgetting to share. If someone contributed to one of your blessings (a colleague, a friend), thank them too.

Tonight, count five blessings aloud, even tiny ones. Then say thank you to God.