30 Days of Gratitude and Service



Are you looking to be the best version of you?  Gratitude and Service are the two ingredients to improve happiness and purpose in life.  You don't need to be sick to get better.  Gather up a small group and take the 30 Days of Gratitude and Service (30 DGS) Challenge together.  Below I have outlined what posts to read, action items, and questions to help guide your weekly gatherings.  Meet in a small group once a week or take the challenge yourself...and begin to be changed from the inside out!


Reading Schedule (Blog)

Week 1 (click on each title to go to the blog post)
· Legacy

· Everything Changed

· Gratitude

· Seek to Serve

· Fear

Week 2
· Positive Thinking

· Creating Purpose Through Goal Setting

· Believe Part I


· Believe Part II

Week 3 
· Habits

· Mentorship


Week 4 
Action Items 
"Thankful Journal"

Week 1

Gratitude:
· For the next 30 days, write down daily what you are grateful for and why (create a “Thankful Journal”)

· Tell someone why you are grateful for them (in person, text, email, or social media)…write that person’s name down and why you are grateful for them in your “Thankful Journal” for each day.

Service:
· For the next 30 days, do at least one random act of kindness each day. Go above and beyond to serve, help, or make someone smile. (by acts, words, resources, quality time, etc.)

· Each 1 Reach 1 - Pick one person to pour into & spend extra quality time with (mentor). That person is:

Fear:
· The fear that I am going to attack is:

· The person I’m going to talk to about my fear is:

Week 2

Positive Thinking:
· Close your eyes and think of times when you achieved success and moments when you were very happy (write them down in your “Thankful Journal”)

· Store these times of joy in your “Positive Memory Bank.” Use these images when automatic negative thoughts appear

· Create a Mantra word (a word that encourages you to be your best):

Goal Setting:
· This year my goal is:

· In 3-5 years my goal is:

· My long term goal is (5-10 years):

Believe:
· Close your eyes and visualize yourself achieving these goals (do this each day for the rest of the 30 days)

Week 3

Habits:
· Remember, it takes on average 21-66 days to form a habit. The habit I will quit is:

· The ONE Thing I’m going to add to my daily/weekly routine (to help me achieve my goal) is:

Resilience:
· If you are holding onto a past mistake or error, it’s time to forgive yourself

· Forgive someone who as hurt you. Reach out to them and in your own way, let them know they are forgiven

· Move forward in a positive way through: GRACE, TRUST, FOCUS, & H.O.P.E. (Hold On, Pain Ends)…remember your Mantra!

Mentorship:
· Find someone you admire. Ask them to be your mentor & to meet with you regularly. That person is:

Week 4

Learning:
· The topic/area I want to learn more about is:

· The book I will read or audio book I will download and listen to is (see Project Rise blog for ideas):

Listening:
· I will make a conscious effort to engage others by asking more question, and listening more (I’ll put my cell phone away!)

· 2 people I will practice active listening skills with, Person 1:          Person 2:

Love:
I agree to Love Myself and Others each day…when in doubt, I will chose LOVE and kindness above all
Group Discussion Guide

Introduction Meeting:
  • Discuss your goals for this small group.
  • Check in: Are there any special intentions or specific areas people in your group are looking to focus on and improve?
  • Faith based groups read (SOLID GROUND, click here) and discuss during this gathering.
  • Share what's needed: Review how to access the Project Rise blog (click on the 30 Days of Gratitude and Service section at the top of the website and everyone needs a "Thankful Journal").
  • Steps to complete 30 DGS:
    • Step 1: read the appropriate blog posts each week
    • Step 2: complete the "Action Items" listed on the 30 DGS main page
    • Step 3: review the "Group Discussion" questions during your weekly gatherings
  • Create a 4 week plan for gathering dates and locations.
  • Start 30 Days of Gratitude and Service beginning the day after your first meeting!
Week 1
Legacy: 
  1. What are your core values (What are 2-4 things that you stand for and believe in most)?  
  2. How do you want people to remember you?
Gratitude:
  1. Self reflect...Do you view situations, your circumstance, and the world around you with a glass half empty or half full perspective? - Explain. 
  2. How can you improve your habits to feel more grateful for what you have?
Service:
  1. What do you do to serve your family and friends?...how can you improve?
  2. How can you improve serving others (non family and friends)?
  3. Who is the person or family that you selected to serve (Each 1 Reach 1)?
Fear: 
  1. Are you holding onto any baggage?  
  2. What is your biggest fear?
  3. What can you do (or are doing) to overcome this fear?
Week 2
Weekly update: Share with the group how things are going with your "Thankful Journal" (what are you grateful for?)  and what you have done to serve others the previous week.

Positive Thinking:
  1. How is your self talk?...is it more positive or negative?
  2. What do you do to get into a positive frame of mind? 
  3. Share with the group your "mantra" word or phrase and how you came up with it.
Goal Setting:

Everyone take 1-2 minutes to think about your goals...
  1. What is your goal for this year?
  2. What is your mid term goal (3-5 years)? 
  3. What is your long term goal (5 + years)?
Believe:
  1. What is your strongest skill?  
  2. How can you utilize this skill to achieve your goal(s)?
Week 3
Weekly update: Share with the group how things are going with your "Thankful Journal" (what are you grateful for?) and what you have done to serve others the previous week.

 Habits:
  1. What's the one habit you'd like to quit?
  2. What's the one habit you'd like to add to your daily/weekly routine?
Resilience:
  1. What have you had to overcome or need to overcome to be your best?
  2. Its time to forgive yourself and others for past mistakes...who do you need to forgive?
Don't Be Perfect
  1. What is the one project or task that you have not been able to follow through with that you want to pick back up?
Mentorship:
  1. Who do you admire and respect that you can request to be your mentor?
  2. Each 1 Reach 1...how is this going?  Fill the group in on how things are going with the person (people) you are pouring into, serving, and mentoring.
Week 4
Weekly update: Share with the group how things are going with your "Thankful Journal" (what are you grateful for?) and what you have done to serve others the previous week.

 Learning:
  1. What topic or area of interests would you like to explore deeper?
  2. Ask yourself this question: How can I make learning a daily priority? 
Listening:
  1. Are you a good listener?  What can you do to be more engaged with others?
  2. Self reflect on how you utilize your cell phone around loved ones and friends.  Check in with your spouse or significant other (single people, ask your best friend or closest family member) and get their feedback...are you using it too much?
Love:
  1. How is your self love (self-confidence and self-esteem)?  Does it need improvement?
  2. Are you prioritizing the "Love Triangle" in the right order? God, Self, then Others?  Explain.
Discover (Bonus):
  1. How is your lens on life?  How do you view others?  Are you wearing "Glasses that Compare" or "Glasses that Care?"
  2. How can you improve in discovering the beauty in others?








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