Title: “Like Oprah Winfrey” Write a Gratitude Diary
Contents
The black girl who was born illegitimate was raised by her grandmother. She became a single mother at the age of 14 because of her uncle's sexual assault, and when her baby died two weeks after she was born, she ran away from home in shock and spent adolescence stained with drugs and alcohol. But now she stands tall as America's Most Admired Woman (Wall Street Journal, 1997). It is the story of Oprah Winfrey, the 'queen of the talk show' that makes viewers around the world laugh and cry. After a period of despair, she was able to recover from the 'thankful diary' that her biological father taught her.
Even now, she writes in her diary five things she is grateful for before going to bed. Daily gratitude became the energy that made Winfrey who she is today.
Professor Ui-yong Lee, who conducts this class, has been running the 'Oprah Winfrey's Gratitude Diary Writing Campaign' with his students for two years. He said, "I started this movement to help young people living in a dark and depressing environment where suicide is prevalent and negative events frequently occur so that they can see life more positively," he said. Over 1,000 students have participated in this movement during that time.
At the beginning of the semester, it is difficult to find things to be grateful for, but after a few weeks, you will find things to be grateful for in your daily life, and your thoughts will change positively. Yoon Yeo-jin (Business Administration class 07) said, "After writing a gratitude diary, the existence of 'I' has become special." He said, "I love myself, I love others, and I have a heart to be grateful for even the smallest things. "It's filled with positive things," he said. “In the past, I was in a hurry to view my own situation negatively, but after writing a gratitude diary, I realized that there are so many things to be thankful for,” said Hwan Lee (Business Administration class 05). will do it,” he said.
Now that the semester is over, most students are accepting Winfrey's diary writing as a precious habit in life. After writing the diary, a lot of negative views have been corrected, and there are a number of students who say they are grateful for their parents. “Thank you for ending the day with prayer,” “Thanks to my mother for coming out to meet me late at night,” and “I am so grateful to be able to hold my father’s hand.” The students’ gratitude continued endlessly.
In this way, 'thank you' is the key to recognizing other people as important beings. Gratitude diary can be applied at home, school, and church. It is desirable not only for newlyweds to start a new family life, but also for children to share a gratitude diary at home worship.
To write a gratitude diary, first take a small notebook that fits your heart and write down something to be grateful for anytime, anywhere. Whether you wake up in the morning or go to bed at night, whenever you look back on your day, find and write down the subject of gratitude. Rather than looking for a grand title of gratitude, do not miss the simple title of everyday life.
It is even more effective if you create a 'Winfrey Diary Writing Group' at a church or school to write together and regularly share and encourage gratitude. In particular, it is an effective way to educate students who are living a difficult life due to entrance exam problems.