Uplifting Reads: Review of 365 Days of Gratitude Journal by Marielle S. Smith

Monday, August 1, 2022

Review of 365 Days of Gratitude Journal by Marielle S. Smith

A practice of gratitude is so important in our lives. And sometimes you need a little nudge to help you along the way. Learn more about the 365 Days of Gratitude Journal by Marielle S. Smith and then get your own copy to get you started. She also shares with us her top 5 songs to listen to while doing your practice. Best of luck entering the giveaway! And follow the tour for more.

*** Now available in black-and-white AND full colour! ***

‘The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.’ Mary Davis

Gratitude is not just about ATTITUDE.

Gratitude is about PRACTICE.

But how do you create a gratitude practice that sticks?

After the success of her first 365 Days of Gratitude Journal, writing coach Mariëlle S. Smith brings you Volume 2. Same journal but with an entirely different look!

After years of barely surviving her own emotional minefield, Mariëlle discovered the transformative power of practising gratitude. But, like no one else, she knows that cultivating an attitude of gratitude is easier said than done.

365 Days of Gratitude, Vol. 2 is an undated, guided journal. Complete with inspiring quotes, daily prompts, and recurring check-ins, it was designed to help you create a sustainable gratitude practice too.

Commit to the life-changing power of gratitude today and order your copy now!

Read an excerpt:

I’m not here to sell you on gratitude. There are many articles and research papers I could be citing to convince you just how great practising gratitude is for you. I think you’re already aware of that, though. Perhaps you’ve read some of those articles and papers or maybe you just know it somewhere deep down—or not so deep down.

I’m not hooked on gratitude because it works wonders on my blood pressure and promises to help me sleep better. Although it probably does that, too.

I’m hooked on gratitude because it enables me to perceive everything in life as magical again. I’m hooked because I’m not the same person I was since I started practising it. And because I slip and return to being that anxious, burned out, overachieving workaholic as soon as I stray from the gratitude path—which happens far more often than I care to admit.

Gratitude is a commitment for life. I created this journal to help you commit and turn your gratitude practice into a sustainable one.

All purchase links can be found on

https://mswordsmith.nl/365daysofgratitude

Amazon:

https://amzn.to/3bmxdo3

Deluxe edition Amazon:

https://amzn.to/3oGl942

Barnes & Noble: Black-and-white edition: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/365-days-of-gratitude-vol-2-marielle-s-smith/1141685091

Deluxe full colour edition: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/365-days-of-gratitude-journal-vol-2-mari-lle-smith/1140370436

(affiliate links included)

**My thoughts**

An attitude of gratitude really does a lot to boost you in your life. Sometimes it is hard to remember to do it every day or you're not sure where to begin. This journal is a great way to help you do that. It's beautifully laid out and simple, yet has plenty of information about gratitude and prompts to help you in your self-reflection. You have daily prompts, weekly quotes and reflections, as well as monthly and quarterly reflections. It's undated, so it doesn't matter when you start it. And if you happen to miss a day or two, who's going to know? I really like this a lot.

I received a requested review copy from the author and Goddess Fish. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My Top 5 Songs to Listen to While Practising Gratitude

When writing fiction, I always create playlists to really get into my characters and setting, but I never once considered making one for my non-fiction books. That is, until Andi asked me what songs I’d recommend to listen to while writing in the 365 Days of Gratitude Journal.

Over the past decade, which is when I started my yoga/meditation/gratitude journey, I’ve encountered lots of music that ground and centre me, no matter what’s going on in my life. For today’s post, I picked my five favourite songs and created a ‘365 Days of Gratitude Playlist’ on Spotify you can listen to before or as you sit down with your journal.

I’ll be adding more songs as I go, so be sure to follow it!

Alexia Chun – The power is here now

I happened upon this song after one of my home yoga sessions. I hadn’t stopped the playlist I’d been listening to at the end of my session so Spotify started playing songs that, algorithmically, worked well with that list.

I can’t remember what I was in the middle of doing when this song came along, but I remember my heart skipping a beat and my breath stalling, which still happens whenever I listen to it. I just love how it centres me and overrides my senses in such a way I can’t be but in the moment.

Sacred Earth – Breathing space

One of my former yoga teachers often played ‘Ancient Mother’ by Sacred Earth at the end of class, which made me look up the album and play it in background whenever I practised yoga at home. However, I didn’t know about this song for the longest time, because it’s the last song on the album and I’ve never had the discipline to make my home yoga sessions last as long as a regular class.

Once I finally heard it, it became an instant favourite. I understand entirely why they called it ‘Breathing space’ because that’s exactly what it felt like when I first heard it, like I could breathe again and better than ever before.

Snatam Kaur – Ong namo

This is another song that was played a lot during savasana, the final pose of a yoga class. It’s been almost a decade, but I can still remember the first time I heard it. Over the years, it has become one of my go-to songs when I need to snap myself out of spiralling thoughts or feelings of overwhelm and return to centre.

Snatam Kaur has many other songs that are perfect for meditation and to listen to during your daily gratitude practice, but this is definitely my favourite.

Amrit Kirtan – Way yantee

This song was introduced to me by one of my all-time favourite yoga teachers and was another love at first listen. It’s also the perfect length for me, since I take about ten minutes to fill in my daily gratitude entries.

I’ve yet to find out what the song is actually about, but it somehow grounds and uplifts me at the same time, and reminds me that I’m safe and worthy and that all will be well in the end.

Kathryn McCusker – Ek ong kar sat gur prasad

I came across this mantra while reading Gabrielle Bernstein’s The Universe Has Your Back the summer of 2018. I’d just told my partner I wanted a divorce and needed all help I could get to make it from one hour to the next. During that period, I used the Insight Timer meditation app multiple times a day to keep sane, and it’s on that app I stumbled across Kathryn McCusker’s version of the mantra.

Again, the love was instant (I’m guessing the pan flute really does it for me?) and I listened to it over and over during the next couple of months. It really helped me focus on the future I wanted and not the past I would’ve wanted but had failed to create. Whenever I get stuck in my head replaying the past instead of focusing on the future, I give it another listen.

Link to Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1OEUr6V3Sigq6VCRg4dYzi?si=8e105f46dc2e4dfc