My 2016 Miracle & Gratitude Jar

As 2016 concludes and a new year begins, I like to go inside and reflect. To take in the lessons and gifts that the year has brought me. One way I do that is through my Miracle & Gratitude Jar that I keep year round. It’s a simple mason jar, but it does the trick. The biggest thing about having one, is to periodically remember to capture the miracles and things I am grateful for, and to write them down and put them in the jar.

I take time to review all the miracles and things I am grateful for this past year

What I noticed this year was about 80% of my Miracles & Gratitudes have to do with people:

• The offer to help me with a task I’ve been putting off far too long – my yard
• New friends Chris and Ana
• Finding Briana & Peter Borten from The Dragontree Apothecary with all their supportive books and courses
• The pregnancy – birth – then growing Buddha Baby – my sweet granddaughter, Edie
• Hugs and kisses and LOTS of fun adventures with my granddaughter, Ava
• Talks with my daughter and seeing her often
• The amazing people in my online groups My Best Year and Decluttering & Simplifying Your Life
• Having new people come forward to help with the Portland Minimalist group (thank you Mickey and Whitney) and the Portland Pilgrims group (thank you Rachel and Jill)
• Many new connections through Women with Moxie, friends, and new people in my life
• My ongoing friendships with Penny, Kathy, Kimberly and Terry
• Mom’s thanksgiving trip to Portland and our side trip to Idaho to see my cousin, her family and my Aunt Jan
• What a great husband and dad my son-in-law, Ryan, is for his family
• Fun times with the Kilkenny’s on Whidbey Island for Sarah’s wedding and at family gatherings throughout the year

My daughter Myra, with Ryan, Ava and Edie

Sarah & Collin’s wedding

Chris & Ana who were April Airbnb guests and who now are dear friends

There also were events or accomplishments that hit the list:

• Being gifted the Whole Detox Cleanse in spring 2016. Doing a 5 week clean-eating challenge and ending up with a cholesterol of 148 (the best it’s been in 21 years)!
• Finishing and sharing The Pilgrim Project with 3 big groups live and as a gift online to anyone who wishes to view it
• Creating a new private website for My Best Year 2017 course
• My cat, Karma, surviving a big health challenge
• So many great Airbnb guests
• Improved health, as my frozen shoulder from 2015 “thawed”
• Completing the Master Recycling course
• Becoming debt-free as of 12/31/16

And yes, even some things I am extremely grateful for are actual things:

• My new MacBook Pro laptop that makes all my creative projects so much easier
• My new iPhone that takes amazing picture and will be like having a computer on my 2017 Camino
• The Doxie scanner I got for Christmas in 2015 allowing me to simplify my paperwork

What’s left of 2016 miracles & gratitudes

I like to take some time to reflect and allow all those miracles and good things that happened into my present awareness. I then burn the past years blessings to make way for the new. An empty jar signals opportunity to me!

An empty jar symbolizes lots of opportunities for 2017

Here’s wishing all of my Simple Up readers miracles and blessings in 2017!

Let me know some of your miracles and gratitudes from 2016 in the comments below. Thanks!