Dear friend,

Are you ready to embrace more positivity in your life? As we continue our journey through THIS IS MY YEAR, I want to introduce you to a powerful habit: gratitude journaling.

If you're already familiar with journaling, you know what a game-changer it can be. Personally, I find it not only a great way to express my thoughts but also a creative outlet where I doodle and sketch. I get many of my ideas on Pinterest but beware of that rabbit hole—I've fallen into it more times than I can count!

Now, let's talk about gratitude. Ever heard the saying, "You must've gotten up on the wrong side of the bed"? Some mornings, I wake up feeling a bit off, maybe because of a strange dream. Other days are good, and others just average. But I've found a way to start each day on the "right side of the bed": by practicing gratitude.

DO THIS…

I invite you to join me in this simple yet transformative practice. Every morning, take a moment to think of five things you're grateful for and write them down. There's something special about physically putting pen to paper—it solidifies the feeling of gratitude in our brains and allows us to revisit those moments when we need a pick-me-up.

THINK THIS…

As you start this journey, you might find yourself acknowledging big things like family, health, wealth and security. And those are absolutely worth celebrating. But I also encourage you to notice the tiny things—the ones we often take for granted, like our thumbs that help us pick things up, our toes that allow us to walk, or our noses that let us breathe and smell. It's these small details that remind us of the wonder in our everyday lives.

Gratitude journaling isn't just a morning routine for me; I carry it with me throughout the day. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or down, a few moments of gratitude bring me back to the present and remind me of how blessed I truly am.

A little personal activity I pair with journaling is a cup of tea. There is something healing about tea; both spiritually and physically. It's a key component of many cultures and I love to try different teas from different parts of the world. Right now I'm on a Chai kick and have been making traditional Indian chai from scratch with a little ginger kick.

My family is originally from Canada via Great Britain and tea is a huge part of any day. It's also the "magical uplifting solution" to just about any problem.

Sick? Tea.
Sad? Tea.
Chilled? Tea.
Bored? Tea.
Tired? Tea
Gossiping? Tea.
The list goes on...

But in all seriousness I find that a hot "cuppa" definitely creates a ritual as well as an uplifting moment that helps open up my ability to reflect.

So let's make gratitude a part of our journey for the rest of THIS IS MY YEAR. Are you in?

Happy journaling,

Liz