During the pandemic, I was so stressed out and went to Headspace in the summer of 2020. Then one day I watched the Wake Up, a series of mini videos and on one of the videos, the girl did a gratitude journal during her social media hiatus challenge. So, I decided to try doing it myself as well. I scoured all over my apartment and found a three subject notebook that one of my siblings barely used and ripped out the pages that were written on for my gratitude journal.
With some additional help from the Fabulous app, I went on a gratitude challenge and started writing what I’m grateful for. As time went on, I started writing what I’m grateful for nearly every weeknight. Writing what I’m grateful for really relaxed my brain before bed. Doing gratitude journals gave me piece of sanity. Around this April, I ran out of space, so I decided to order another 3 subject notebook and this time I split it into gratitude, regrets and worries. Last night, I ran out of space in my gratitude section, so I found another unused notebook and turned it into another gratitude notebook.
As I wrote of what I’m grateful for weeknights, I went deeper and deeper into events that happened pre-pandemic and during the pandemic, like traveling, my graduations, and other moments. Of all the things I took for granted, the biggest things were traveling and my graduations. As I was writing, during the pandemic, I just realized that traveling gave me a sense of freedom. No masks, no need to keep your distance and little worries of getting sick. My 5th, 8th and 12th grade graduation took place pre-covid. For my Senior trips, I went to Adventureland, a laser tag place somewhere in upstate New York and Long Island City for my 12th grade senior trip and Six Flags Great Adventure. Out of all of them, Six Flags was the most significant of all time. So I learned to never take life’s moments for granted, because I never realized that I had something, until it was gone.
Good to here how you made a sad time for everyone in the world an opportunity to better yourself, wonderful!!
I know that COVID has been so hard on everyone. I can relate to your post so much. I am so glad you found a way to compensate for this horrible time. I think that it is an amazing idea and everyone should do something similar. I often find myself wanted to start a journal but I feel I will never have the time to do so. Have you always been good at expressing yourself? I think that time always brings out the best in people when we are given the opportunity.
Wow I like reading what you wrote so much. I even took a few notes when I was reading it. I liked how you took the time out to better yourself. You motivated me to start one of these notebooks also. I feel that it will help me grow as a person in so many aspects.
Hi Samantha, I know that these times of uncertainty have been very difficult on all of us but there is in fact so much to be grateful for. I love that you found a way to help you cope with the pandemic using your notebook. I wonder about the kinds of things you are grateful for. I am just grateful to even wake up in the morning and be able to walk and talk. Some aren’t so fortunate.