Say Thanks: How to Use Your Planner as a Gratitude Journal

The end of the year notably invites us in to take stock of the world around us and be grateful for where we are, what we have, and who we get to share it all with. While winter holidays have a way of stirring up gratefulness within us, acknowledging small moments of gratitude regularly can actually keep us happier and healthier all year long.

If you want to jumpstart a new ritual, add it to one that already exists. This is called habit stacking. The psychology is that it’s a lesser mental lift to integrate a new habit into something you already do, rather than cultivating a new habit from scratch. So, if your planner is already a trusted companion, it’s a great place to start stacking some habits. Here are a few ways to build gratitude into our favorite Golden Coil spreads.

Year at a Glance 3

If your vibe is short and sweet, try the Year at a Glance +Page as a gratitude list. It’s just enough space for a word or two, but you certainly don’t need to wax poetic to be thankful. If your Year at a Glance page is otherwise disposed, the two column lined list pages are excellent too!

Month At a Glance

Our Month at a Glance +Page is one of our most popular places for saying thanks. It’s just enough space to capture a sentence or two of what you’re grateful for each day. Try beginning or ending your day here with just a quick minute of gratitude.

Undated Monthly

I’m a visual person and the blank calendar spread is one of my favorites. There is something so satisfying about all of those boxes! Each month, I like to track something different. One month, I’ll use it as a garden journal. Another month, maybe it’ll be a space to illustrate the best things I’ve eaten. It’s also a perfect place for saying thanks. Who wouldn’t love seeing 42 tiny gratitude doodles?

Mood

Some days, I wake up a “cup-half-full” kind of gal. Some days, I’m a “cup completely empty and I just swallowed a shard of glass and now my larynx is bleeding” type. We can be both of these people. Odds are, we have been both of these people. Some days, it’s just hard to see the light. The annual layout of the mood +Page allows you to pluck out and capture the things you are most grateful for every month.

Still need some inspo?

Try these starters:

  • Think of acts of kindness you’ve received

  • Be thankful for you! What makes you special?

  • Think about silly things your kids have done.

  • Look around you. What is something you see that inspires gratitude?

  • Think of the last time someone made you laugh.

  • Search your memory bank. What’s a memory you’re thankful for?

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