Gratitude Journal

I know that I have been talking a lot about being thankful and grateful lately…  it is a new path that I am truly trying to stay on course with.  In such a hectic, busy, crazy world, I often lose sight of the little things to be thankful for on top of the big things. 

To help with this, I decided to keep a gratitude journal.  Every night before I go to bed, I challenge myself to fill the page with things that I am grateful for.  Some examples from yesterday are:

  • a creative mind
  • California Pizza Kitchen - tostada on whole wheat crust…
  • the love of my family
  • Febreeze and steam cleaners (Jake got sick…)
  • the smell of clean laundry
  • Christmas cookies
  • Gram’s afghan

While off-beat and all over the map, they were all just a few of the things that I was grateful for yesterday alone.  Everyday I have 25-30 things.  It is a great way to end your day before falling asleep - grateful for even the smallest of moments and tiniest of things.

As I start to plan for Christmas and the new year, I am trying to find a word to kick off 2008 with - I think that it will be “grateful.”  I am still deciding for sure, but what a way to look at the start of a new year - with grateful eyes, a grateful heart, and a grateful soul. 

This is my journal.  It started as this plain $2.59 thing from Target - cute craft paper… but I decided to break out some Heidi Grace and make it my own. 

journal plain.jpgjournal done.jpg

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28 Responses to “Gratitude Journal”

  1. Staci says:

    I love those target Craft paper office supplies.
    I think your journal is fab!

  2. Melanie #2096 says:

    Very good idea and beautiful project. I have a mental list but I should start writing things down so I don’t forget. I have one kid that can’t go anywhere in the car without getting car sick so I know what you mean about the Febreeze! LOL

  3. Vicki Bell says:

    Stephanie,
    I love the idea and when I saw your picture I just had to laugh. I have just this week covered a little notebook that I use to write down paper craft ideas. My book looks VERY similar to yours. HOW FUNNY!! So now, I MUST post a picture of mine in my gallery here.
    Thanks for the reminder of being grateful for the little things. As I look back those are sometimes the really important things in life and I try to not loose site of this.
    Ok - off to take a pic of my book and post it.

  4. NANCY says:

    GREAT IDEA!

  5. Jennifer Muller says:

    I LOVE your gratitude journal! I think that’s a great idea for me…I’m going to start one. I LOVE your journal…but I’m thinking that you’re going to have to alter the little pen so it matches your adorable journal!

  6. Deb L says:

    beautiful idea, and beautiful journal.

  7. Debbie Buckland fiskateer #352 says:

    fantastic idea! Hey maybe you can cover the pen too!

    Just love what you did with it.

  8. Carlee #2225 says:

    Very pretty…Thanks for the inspiration!

  9. Annie says:

    I love this idea. Thanks for the inspiration. I’m going to make one for every member of our immediate family for christmas.

  10. Lanita says:

    Stephenie, That is such a good idea! I have been so depressed lately that I feel maybe finding things that I am grateful for will make me feel better if only while I am writing them down. Thanks for your inspiration.

  11. Julie Overby says:

    Too cute!

  12. Suzanne says:

    I just have to express gratitude for your cookies too! Those little vanilla deals you sent me a couple of times are a total favorite of my family’s now!! Stephenie rocks and rolls!

  13. kim3timemom says:

    What a great idea. Great job on the Journal also. I did see those at Target.

  14. melita says:

    just adorable! and what a great reminder to remain thankful!

  15. Julisa #2051 says:

    Stephanie, I love your journal and your “thankful” plan. It helps us as people more than we know to be thankful for what we have. Thank you for reminding us and sharing your pretty journal.

  16. Cherie says:

    I love what you did to this note pad …… cool/sweet. P.S. we are greatful for you Stephaine!!!!!!

  17. Sylvia says:

    Way to make it your own Stephenie. Great job.

  18. Chell Scott says:

    what a great idea!

  19. Deborah says:

    Not a thing about it that isn’t great! Deborah

  20. Paula says:

    This is such a fabulous idea Stephenie. The other night we bought fish ‘n’ chips for tea and went down to the local park to eat them. We hadn’t done this for so long and it was just beautiful sitting there watching the ducks waddling along whilst we ate our tea. The girls had so much fun on the playground and didn’t want to leave. We need to take a step back every now and again to enjoy the little things instead of letting everything else get in the way IYKWIM.

  21. Janet Moore says:

    What a great idea. We all take so much for granted!!

  22. Tara says:

    Great job Stephenie!! It turned out very nice!

  23. connie melancon says:

    Great Job Stephanie. What a great idea. Some of us tend to complain about what we don’t have. This is a great way to remember all the things we are GRATEFUL for.

  24. Janet 2689 says:

    It’s a very positive act to write down what you are grateful for. Clears the brain for good dreams all night and starts the day on a good note.

  25. Wendy Jo says:

    Keeping a journal like this will definatley put you in a beautiful dreamland.

  26. janetrivs says:

    you are so clever, making a siomple journal your own! great journal, looks fab girl!

  27. suzi finer says:

    Throwing some snaps your way…fabulousa!

  28. RitaS says:

    beautiful journal and kudos to you for taking the time to write your thankful thoughts each night!

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