Below is a story shared by our latest KindSpring Contest Winner :)


I am at home writing, surrounded by fairy lights, with a truly grateful heart. About five weeks ago I started a new project called ‘The Gratitude Journals’ with the aim of connecting people around the world through stories of gratitude.



It all started as I was listening to a Ted talk while walking to work. One of the speakers used the word ‘gratitude’ and something about that word, at that moment completely resonated with me. I suddenly thought to myself ‘this is what I want to do,’ to invite people from all over the world to tell their stories, share what they are grateful for and read the stories of others. By lunchtime I had a domain name and had sent e-mails out to friends across the world outlining the project and asking for a photo of something they are grateful for alongside a written summary.

Then I waited and, thinking of the book I was reading by Brené Brown on vulnerability, was aware of how much I feared that no one would share their stories. I need not have worried, by the morning I had an inbox full of beautiful words and photos. That evening the site went live and two evenings later it had reached one hundred followers, many of whom were wonderful strangers and all the while more and more tales of gratitude were flowing in.

Just after I had started The Gratitude Journals I came across KindSpring and got in touch with the wonderful team there. After a Skype chat I was lucky enough to be awarded $100 in their monthly contest. The award was a complete blessing and I made some Rose Quartz gratitude bracelets to give away through the blog, alongside printing Gratitude Cards informing people about the site. I also had the opportunity to design and produce a Gratitude Journals stamp, which I got slightly carried away with!



I am looking forward to seeing how The Gratitude Journals will evolve and, hopefully, continue to flourish and love reading all of the posts. What it has really emphasized to me is the importance of gratitude. How one good story, from one real person, can change your outlook. How one beautiful image can lift you and rekindle your inner spark. How one kind word from a stranger can change the course of your day. How as we practice living with gratitude we become alive to the true abundance of things to be grateful for.



So my wish is for you all to sit and think about what you are grateful for. Think about all of the things that you are lucky to have. And realize that no matter what happens there is always something, some spark, whether big or small willing you to smile and carry on. And if you feel like it then I would love you to share your gratitude story at www.thegratitudejournals.co.uk



Website: www.thegratitudejournals.co.uk
Twitter: @TGJournals
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegratitudejournalssite?ref=hl
Instagram: @thegratitudejournals