Journal Prompt: Thankful List – Revisited

I hope this post finds everyone as healthy and safe as possible. I have been posting a bit more than usual (twice a week rather than once) with ideas I come up with to help myself though this time of telework and self-isolation.

I did this exercise back in 2011 and 2016 around Thanksgiving, but I thought with all that is currently going on in the world that I needed to start practicing gratitude more often and thought this would be a great way to jump start a daily gratitude practice.

If you wish to use my template, it is still available to download from the links at the end of this post.

I currently am using a stitched art journal, and decided to create this spread in it (shown below with the subpage sticking out).

I stopped and took photos along the way so I can show you how I work.

I started off using my own template (links below) and cutting it out, and used a glue stick to adhere it to a dyed coffee filter. I then glued it all to a piece of pink construction paper to make the color pop a bit, and cut it out. I had added a random page from an old 1700’s book to the middle of the spread, and I placed my template over it using a piece of pretty heart tape at the bottom.

I then decided to make a sub page using a window envelope that a bill came in on the far side of the spread. I put a vintage letter tab (with an H for Hope) on the back.

I added a recent vintage photobooth photo and a vintage Dennison label at the bottom,

I then wrote out the things I am grateful for – using silver stars to mark each.

Below is a full spread shot of it, where I also added a piece of paper I cut down to fit in the envelope subpage.

Under the subpage, I added a quote that I found a page on Shutterfly’s website that has a list of some great gratitude quotes (see my favorites below).

To finish up the spread, I added some text to the paper for the subpage. Below is the finished spread!

Google for your favorite quote, or visit Shutterfly’s website where I found the one I used in case you wish to incorporate any into your spread, below are some of my favorites:

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.” ― Melody Beattie

“If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.” — Rabbi Harold Kushner

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” – Anthony Robbins

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” – Cynthia Ozick

*“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.” – Mary Davis

Even if you do not want to create an art journal spread, I highly recommend that you start recording things you are thankful for regularly while we all navigate this uncertain time. There is always something there if you look for it!

If you are looking for more ways to structure your days while self-isolating, this article from Greater Good Magazine is a great place for more ideas.

Download: Thankful For Template (full size) | Thankful For Template (Travelers Notebook Size)