“Gratitude turns around negative thoughts, and it’s been proven to stimulate positive chemistry in our bodies. Performing an act of kindness, in our eyes, is putting gratitude into action,” says Julie Shields, the cofounder of Thank Forward, and a proponent for an emphasis on thankfulness.

It seems a silly thing for someone to have to be a proponent of: thankfulness. Still, the stature of our world is shrugging toward dissatisfaction and disapproval. In this day and age—and especially in 2020—we have to intentionally choose to be thankful—choose to be positive.

Since COVID-19 struck, I’ve written a number of pieces to this effect. We’ve talked about cultivating gratitude, about searching for silver linings, about diving into new hobbies and music. While I believe there is a strong connection between our attitudes and our respective actions, we still have to make the conscious effort to act, and that was what struck me about the Thank Forward project.

Recently cofounded by Shields and Mia Logan, Thank Forward is “a project of the heart,” Shields explains, rooted in focus groups about gratitude and how we as humans translate gratitude into kindness. According to Logan’s and Sheilds’s research, many people feel that acts of kindness should remain secret.

“[We heard answers ranging] from, ‘I’d be embarrassed to ask a friend to express gratitude—I would not want them to think I don’t find them grateful already,’ to ‘I don’t want to boast about the kind of things I’ve done. It’s a private thing,’” Sheilds told me. But, she also says, in the era of social media, it’s important to spark movements of kindness by sharing it with the world. “If we can share our stories, we can encourage others to do more acts of kindness,” she encourages, adding, “All are invited to ignite joy in others, and themselves, simply by performing an act of kindness.”

This collective commitment to spreading the literal good work has led to a library of gratitude and positivity, which Logan and Shields share on their website: thankforward.com/shared-stories. There are notes about a neighbor, unsolicited, stopping by to wash windows. And an animal shelter collecting blankets and “hugs” for their dogs. Some of the stories give you the warm fuzzies; some of them light a fire under you to get up and do something good in the world. Both are necessary.

We have the power to incite change; we just have to realize that it begins with us. For some, this introspection comes naturally—although, admittedly, for those of us for whom self study does happen easily, we just as readily slip into narcissism, despair, overwhelm, etc. So, whether we need a push or an edge, it’s useful to have a guide to look within. Enter Karen Loucks Rinedollar, a wearer of many hats, and most recently, the author of “The Virus Journal,” among others (available on Amazon).

“I have found that writing, especially during difficult times, is a cathartic activity. It helps me sort out things by writing them down,” Rinedollar told me. “I tend to be a kinetic learner—the actual act of putting pen to paper helps my brain remember things, work through obstacles and keep focus.”

During our distance learning at the end of last school year, I actually had my two daughters keep a “social distancing diary.” What began as a record of what I considered to be an historically profound movement became a centering practice of reflection. My girls learned to keep track of what was special and noteworthy, and to sort through what was disappointing and difficult. Even for my children, the experience was unique for each. In writing, we created the opportunity for them to be in their feelings, which can sometimes be hard to do as a child in a family, and as a member in a community.