Last week Friday marked 3 years since I've been writing weekly entries into my grateful diary. To commemorate that, I thought I would have a flick through my grateful diaries, (started my second one in 2020!), and find a few entries to share with you. I truly recommend starting one after you've read this post if you want to, because I honestly think finding positive things to write about every week has helped with my mental health so much.
The first entry on May 22nd 2017 reads this: 'grateful that I took a walk to the post office despite anxiety'. Now at that point in my life, I lived in an area which I felt unsafe in, and my anxiety was pretty high all the time. Although it makes me a little sad, I absolutely love that this is my first ever entry because I've come such a long way with my anxiety since then. Wow.
The first thing I notice which is different to how I do my entries now is that I wrote one good thing a week between 22nd May and 19th June. After this point, I started documenting multiple events that I was grateful for per week.
On July 3rd 2017, I wrote: 'I tried out my first Jess Day inspired outfit and loved it. I've also seen Stephen twice in the last week.' Ah. The joys of being long distance and being grateful for every single second spent together. 2017 Esha would be happy to know that we've seen been sequestered into our flat together for coming up to 9 weeks now! Way longer than 2 days!
Here are a few of my Jess Day inspired outfits!
On July 31st, I was grateful that I 'finally had the confidence to decide that I want to go to my first gig and managed to get tickets to see my favourite band'. (Against the Current). I actually got to meet them and take a photo with them, which I'll never forget.
Whereas, on August 7th, I 'loved how tidy I got the snack cupboard to be'. They can't all be massive events, I guess!
Towards the end of 2017, there are many entries about how grateful I was to be 'submitting my teaching application to Reading', 'looking at houses there' (where I still live now), and how I'm 'SO HAPPY THE IRON HELPED!!', as I was recovering from a pretty bad case of anaemia which put me in hospital for a few hours one day. It's absolutely wild to look back at just how much was going on in my life at any one time, and to see it all documented right here in this book.
Fast forward to March 5th 2018 and I was grateful for my 'epiphany about my height where I realised that I fit a lot of talent and intelligence into my 5ft self and I don't need to be taller'. You go, girl.
On April 23rd, I was grateful that 'my dress for Kiera's wedding arrived', which is super adorable and the fact that I got I speak at my best friend's wedding is still a memory that I am still super grateful for to this day!
The rest of the 2018 entries are mostly a celebration of moving in with Stephen, being grateful when he started getting better (because he was also hospitalised around this point), starting my teaching degree, succeeding in it, and buying homeware for our new little house together. A LOT of life happened in 2018.
At the start of 2019, I was grateful for all of the times that I 'made it to work on time even though I woke up at the time I was meant to leave'. This still happens to me now and I am still grateful for it every single time. I don't know how I do it.
2020 saw me being grateful for finishing my degree, getting 'A JOB AT A SCHOOL I LOVE - YAY', and 'being the happiest I've ever been because we got ENGAGED.'
There's also a lot of entries which mention feeling 'super cute in my outfit/make up look', my lessons going well due to my teaching skills improving, and 'AS IF I GOT MY EARS PIERCED', highlighting that I got my second lobe piercing impulsively. I love reading that I clearly grew in confidence so much last year.
By having a flick through, I've laughed and cried at entries but mostly, I've seen how many times I mention that I'm grateful for fun times spent with my friends and my family - including Stephen's family, and that absolutely still stands today - especially now.
And to finish this off, here is something I wrote yesterday, since I always write my grateful diary entries on a Sunday as a nice way to end off the week: 'my calligraphy skills are getting better and I'm really proud of my mental health pieces'. As promised, a full calligraphy post IS coming next week but for now, here's another sneak peek at those pieces which I'm so proud of...
I hope some of my entries made you smile as much as they did for me.
Do you keep a gratitude journal? xo
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