That was the promise that was made when I opened up this journal 1 year ago. At the time I was in a bit of a low place and so I bought this book with the hope that it would miraculously pick me up and magically “fix” my life.
To bring a little context – I was in the process of recovering from a back injury, which had ultimately caused me to leave a job I loved. I had just started temp work after leaving a job I hated, with no idea what direction to go in for my future career and I was struggling to face and deal with the problems in my marriage.
So it’s fair to say that I was in a pretty low place, and despite being someone who was typically a “glass half full” kinda girl, I had reached a point where I found this mentality quite difficult. I can’t exactly remember how I came about this specific journal (probably a Facebook ad of some kind – you know how it reads your mind!) but I liked the look of the CGD London Gratitude Journal and it seemed like a good place to start in trying to get a more positive outlook on life.
Surely it wasn’t going to be THAT easy?
I remember being quite excited when the journal arrived – I love a bit of stationary so it’s not that hard to get me excited – with the leather cover and the crisp, clean paper inside it immediately felt like it was going to be something special.
When reading the inside blurb – it talks a lot about how “your life will change” once you start the daily practice of gratitude. It explains the science behind why this will work and gives you an example of the sorts of things you can write in there. It does a great job of getting you motivated and whilst I was slightly pessimistic – I was ready to at least give it a go. How hard could it be right? All you have to do is write in these three categories:
- Today I am thankful for…
- Things that made me smile today…
- Three things I want to remember about today…
I took to it like a duck to water. Before I knew it – it had become a part of my bedtime ritual, the last thing I do before I go to sleep. The logic being that it was the best time to reflect on the day and that it would also help me settle into sleep with more positive thoughts (as night time is Alice’s favourite time to come out to play with her negative chatter).
It worked and I had found that I was starting to really look forward to that time each day. I also noticed that I was starting to pay more attention to positive things as they happened throughout the day – making sure to take a mental note to put it in my journal for that evening.
Putting it to the test
Little did I know when I started this journal that life wasn’t quite done handing out the “challenge” cards yet. With the separation from my husband, moving out of our flat (with all of the associated heartbreak and stress that those things entail) and then the “virus that shall not be named” – life had dealt a pretty tough hand that put me in what was the lowest and most difficult place I have ever been.
If I’m honest, I think it was habit and stubbornness that kept me writing in my gratitude journal throughout that time, particularly in the early stages of the breakup which was when I was at my lowest. I was on auto-pilot (which I think a lot of people who have experienced heartbreak can relate to) and it was something I knew I just “had” to do because it was good for me.
It was definitely NOT easy – there were days where I couldn’t face opening it because what could I possibly be grateful for? Lord knows there were days where I spent more time crying than anything else, and couldn’t get my head out of the fog. But (awesome Amy being all stubborn as she is) I knew that ultimately keeping up with the gratitude journal would be good for me. So, even when I didn’t want to, I forced myself to write something. It didn’t matter how little, but I told myself that every day – every box needed at least one point.
Look how far I’ve come
Of course, as we all know, time heals! You don’t even believe it at the time, and it feels like it’s never going to end…but it does. I can honestly say I’m in such a good place now, and whilst I know that there are many factors (and amazing people) involved in getting me here – writing in my gratitude journal each day has played a huge part in that journey.
After I finished the last page yesterday I decided to take a look back over the year. It was both emotional and heartwarming – just amazing to see how many positive memories I had collected over the year. Some ranged from the profound and grand such as my boudoir shoot to the simple little things such as a tasty meal, or getting a hug from a loved one.
At the start of this journey I used to latch on to these things for dear life – trying to make sure that I remember them for my journal entry – but now I don’t feel the need to do that. It sounds super corny, but you can literally find positives all around you – everywhere you look and in every situation. I’m now at a point where I never struggle to find a positive thing I am grateful for from the day – a lot of time its choosing which one!
I’ve also noticed that practising gratitude every day it has altered the way that I approach life (they do say at the start of the book that doing this every day with re-wire your brain). When something negative or challenging comes up in my life now – I always try to find a way to be grateful for it. For example, I had a twinge in my back last weekend because I had overdone it with the decorating and gym sessions. In the past, I (Alice) would have spiraled into the negativity pool thinking that I’ve gone back to how I was when I got my injury, how shitty is this, and how awful life now was as a result of this (I know – she’s a real drama queen).
But instead, I thought to myself – this is uncomfortable and inconvenient, however I’m really grateful as it’s a sign that I need to slow down and take it easy. I even wrote that as the thing I was thankful for in my evening journal entry. It’s totally re-framed my approach to life, my values and and how I deal with situations.
So in short, yes it HAS changed my life
It may not have been the “fix it” solution I was looking for – but in many ways, it was so much better.
Does it take away all of life’s challenges? NO
Does it mean that I won’t ever get upset, angry or worried? NO
Does fix all of your problems? NO
I’m not for one minute suggesting that by writing a few positive things each day that my life is now perfect…shit still happens! But what it does do is help remind you that even on those shitty days there is always something positive to be grateful for – you just have to look for it.
Whilst you’re looking for the positives, you may even find the tools you need (either from others or yourself) to help you tackle the bigger challenges your facing.
I love it and highly recommend that everyone takes the opportunity to practice gratitude daily. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a special journal – any notebook would do. You don’t even have to think of three things…maybe just start with one. Why not try it for a week and see how it makes you feel? I guarantee that it will bring more smiles to your face. 😊
I can’t wait to start on the next one – this one’s pink.🎀😜
Lets see what the next year of gratitude brings!
