© Katie Jeanne Wood
Art journal portrait painting
daily painting: 365 day art project
Day 285

Along with several art journals, electronic, and paper journals, I also keep a daily gratitude journal. I list anywhere from 3 to 100 things I’m grateful for each day. It’s really not that hard to do, doesn’t take a lot of time, and it helps me keep everything in perspective. Like everyone, I start to take things for granted, if I’m not careful. I never want to be that careless, so I try to write it all down.

Chewybacca says, “Neener, neener. I’m using your journals for a pillow, and you can’t stop me.”

Always topping the list are my family members, especially my husband, my son, daughter-in-law, 3 precious grand-babies, 2 step-kids, friends, kitties, and of course, my lil dog, Chewy. Without them, and all the love they freely, and selflessly give me, I would be nothing. 

Next comes my health, even though it’s not the easiest some days, living with 3 autoimmune diseases, I’m thankful every day to still be alive.

From there I branch out a bit by writing whatever comes to mind.. blue sky, yesterday’s rain, fluffy clouds, flowers, butterflies, fresh air to breathe, the ability to take deep breaths (someone is taking their last right now), fresh organic food from the market, Greg’s vegetable garden, the cucumber salad I ate for dinner, the bowl & the fork I used to eat it, the bottled water I drank, the dishwasher that keeps our dishes clean, the lovely warm weather, the 10 minute shower I took to cool off, central ac & heat, my car, and the freedom I have to go wherever I please, the city I live in, the safe streets I walk my dog, the mace I carry in my pocket – just in case, seeing my husband’s birthday gift sitting on the front porch after the tracking number said it went missing, electricity, running water, a toilet that flushes (because it didn’t this morning, and I almost panicked..until I threw on my plumbers hat and fixed it. whew!), comfort, lack of drama in my life, quiet, time spent alone, and with those I love, my art supplies, the books I’m reading, my back porch where I enjoy reading the most, my house and studio, the chair I’m sitting on, the internet, email that keeps me in touch with those far away, the 3 electronic devices I’m so addicted to, the clothes on my back, money in my pocket, incoming custom work, paintings & prints being purchased from my online shops, the sweet emails I receive about my work, my blog readers who take time out of their day to read my drivel..I could seriously go on and on. I’m so appreciative of it all. 

FACT: If Sweet Pea can be happy, and make the most of every day given the shitty hand she was dealt in life – she was born without eyes, for goodness sake, then I certainly can find happiness with all the riches I’ve been given, and so can you. 

If you don’t keep a gratitude journal, I urge you to try it every day for a week. See if it doesn’t start to positively change your life, and the way you look at everything. You’ll start to appreciate little moments you probably would have taken for granted before, and you’ll think, I’ve got to remember this, and write it down later. You will naturally start focusing on all the good stuff happening, and realize how the good in life definitely outweighs the bad. You just have to look for the good, and appreciate when it happens.

Does keeping this type of journal make life perfect? Oh, heck no..I’ve still got 99 problems, just like Jay Z, and everyone else, but it sure beats sitting around hating on everything/everyone, groaning about every little thing, and complaining. 🙂 

Listening to Coffee Shop Blend. 

I hope you had a great weekend, and are well rested. We have a new week stretched out in front of us. Let’s all be grateful for it, and paint like mad.