44 Days of Gratitude

How a Simple Experiment In Gratitude Changed My Life

Studies indicate that it takes just a little more than 2 months to form a habit; “66 days to be exact,” according to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. This is because habits are informed by repetitive behaviors. I was curious to find a fresh way to incorporate gratitude as a daily practice and so I embarked on 44 days of gratitude.

Gratitude journals are currently all the rage. Hype adverse, I opted to try 44 days of letters instead. Perfectionists everywhere will most likely gasp at this random number, but I like the number 4 and I bought a package of 50 postcards. And, if I am honest, 66 letters felt daunting.

The intention behind this purchase was to send friends, teachers, family, and even Instagram acquaintances letters. Life is short, so I thought it would be simply fantastic if these individuals could learn how much they impacted my life for the better.

With this idea in mind, I immediately scrolled through Amazon to find the perfect set of postcards. I bought the most interesting and educational postcards I could find — Amazing Animal Facts Postcards. Why not also enrich our minds while I am at it? So far I have already learned that the Chinese Softshell Turtle pees through its mouth. Fascinating stuff.

I didn’t have any set rules for this experiment other than to write a postcard to whomever came to mind each morning, every day for 44 days. I was surprised by the people that surfaced to my mind.

I thought about former roommates, neighbors, employers, family, acquaintances, and everyone in between. A week in, one postcard each day wasn’t enough and I found myself reaching out to people through other means. This is noteworthy because I am an introvert and don’t necessarily seek additional ways to fill my quiet time. I wondered: What is happening to me!?

Writing and sending postcards became part of my morning routine. Every day I would walk the postcard to the mailbox and wish it farewell. Three weeks into my gratitude experiment, the wildest thing happened: I received a few postcards in the mail neatly wedged between a wad of coupons. I was shocked. Receiving mail wasn’t the goal! Nevertheless, I was delighted by this sudden outpouring of love.

I definitely won’t lead you on. I went on a few trips during this experiment and while I brought the postcards with me, I doubled up on a few days of letter writing. Perhaps this derailed my habit forming; well, that and the fact that I only did it for 44 days. But it didn’t alter my takeaway. For me, wealth is measured in relationships and at the end of these 44 days, I felt like a figurative billionaire. There is always something to be grateful for and this experiment helped me focus on those things.

My 44 days may have ended, but I already bought another set of 50 postcards. This time I settled on Animalium Postcards (Welcome To The Museum). Why fix something that isn’t broken? And, to be frank, I think the word Animalium is what really drew me in.

If you have questions or want to get in touch I’d love to connect. You can reach me here: courtney@getkoya.com or Instagram.