Category Archives: grateful

Grateful for that One Special Someone

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
 
 We have all had days that we wish we didn’t have to go through. We have all had experiences that we wish we could fast forward and not have to feel the sadness or pain or anger or any other strong emotion that came along with it. We have all had hard times in our lives where we just weren’t sure how we were going to make it through.

And just when we were at the brink of complete despair, that special someone stepped up and offered support and love and encouragement and understanding. That’s when we knew that we would be okay. We knew that we could lean just a little bit on this person – we could let them take some of the weight for just a little while.

Each of us has this special someone in our lives. It could be a spouse, family member, or best friend. Someone that we know we can go to when life gets overwhelming and too much to take on alone.

And what’s great about these relationships is that they are always reciprocated. Today maybe you are the one who needs to lean, and tomorrow they will be able to lean on you. That’s how these beautiful relationships work, and for that I am grateful.


Thank you to Dan for being that special someone for me. 

Take a moment today and think about your special someone. Let them know how grateful you are for their love and support. Let them know how much you value and appreciate their presence in your life. 

And then lean into them. 
It’s okay. 
They won’t let you fall.


Saturday Selection – Manifesting Happiness E-Course

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You all know that I am married to an awesome guy, right? 🙂
Well – now you can all see just how awesome, loving, and caring he truly is! He has done an amazing job of putting together an e-course for all of you! It’s a 3-Step Program for Manifesting Happiness, and we opened enrollment today for it!

Here are the awesome details:

Would you like to be happier?

If so, then our 3 Steps to Manifesting Happiness E-Course is for you!
We are so excited to offer this three-month program to help you achieve your dreams and find lasting happiness! We have found that lasting happiness is really a three-step process:
  • being grateful for what you already have
  • visualizing and dreaming about what you would like to have
  • committing to and taking action to make those dreams reality
We know firsthand that it can be challenging to stay positive and continue to reach for your dreams. Our lives are busy enough already and making big changes can be scary and hard.
That’s why we created this 3-month program: To offer support and guidance as you take action toward living your ideal life!

We have found that having a supportive community to cheer you on and also hold you accountable makes such a difference in achieving your dreams and goals. That’s what we’re here for!

Here’s what’s included in this program: 
  • 4 30-minute phone sessions with Dan
    (1 at the beginning of the program, and then 1 per month for the following three months)
    In the first session, you will be able to talk about your specific goals with Dan. He will offer his expertise and support to help you with a recommended plan of action. The following two calls will be to check in and see how you are doing on following through with your daily commitments. It will also be to see if you have any questions about the weekly assignments and worksheets. The final call will be to talk about your progress and set you up with action steps for the future to make sure you stay on track. – valued at $300
  • 13 weekly lessons – including worksheets, activities, and resources
    – valued at $200
  • 3 mid-month email check-ins – valued at $75
 
Plus we are also including 4 bonuses for you!

Bonus #1: Manifestation Ebooks: (The Gratitude Book, As If, and The Commitment Book) – valued at $18

Bonus #2: 50 Things You Can Do Right Now to Feel Instantly Happier worksheet – valued at $10

Bonus #3: Vision Board Worksheet –
It’s a great starting point to help you create your ideal life – starting with your vision for it. – valued at $10
Bonus #4: Artsy Affirmations Screensaver
12 affirmations that pop up on your computer screen to keep you happy all day long! – valued at $35

This program is worth over $800!

The program starts on September 1st and goes until November 30th.


If you sign up by July 31st, we’re offering an introductory price of just $99!
100% Money-Back Guarantee!
That’s right! If you complete this 3-month program and don’t feel that you got your money’s worth, we will refund 100% of your enrollment price. We’re THAT confident that this course will improve your life!
If you have any questions at all about the program, please email us at info@soulfuljournals.com.

We can’t wait to be a part of your happiness. We can’t wait to see you reach your dreams! We look forward to being a part of your journey!

P.S. – Please pass this along to your friends! We are looking forward to growing an entire community filled with positive people looking to be supported and also give support! We can’t wait to see how we can all create our best lives together!

Grateful for Support

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
 
I was thinking today about how grateful I was to be surrounded by friends and family members who are so completely supportive of all that I do. People who are just waiting in the wings to lend a helping hand – waiting for me to simply ask so they can swoop in and help take some of the load off of me.
 
If you’re at all like me, you sometimes forget that your loved ones and support team are there to assist you. I know that I have a tendency to offer support, but I don’t always accept support as easily. 
 
Last week, I wrote about our Sacred Gifts – our unique gifts that we share with the world. Some people truly excel at chipping in and helping just when you need it most. And it really does hurt their feelings if we turn their offer to help down.

So spend some time today thinking about your support system.

Think about who might be able to help you in one area of your life. 
Who is great at a certain task that you may not excel at? 
Who has offered to help, but you turned them down 
because you felt guilty accepting their offer?

Today I am grateful that we don’t have to go it alone. 
 
We are all on this journey together, and we are a community.
We each have wonderful talents and skills that we can offer each other.
And we can also accept help from our loved ones.

We are worth it.
And for that I am grateful.

Your Crazy Busy Life

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Do you ever look at your life and wonder how everything can possibly get done? Do you ever wish for just one more hour in the day? Do you ever feel like just crawling back into bed when you look at your to-do list? Do you ever ask yourself how things got so busy? Do you ever wonder if you will be able to dig your way out of this seemingly endless pile of tasks?
I know firsthand how life has a way of sneaking up on us, and before we know it, we are underneath what feels like a mountain of must-dos. The emails keep coming in. No matter how much we wish it would, the house just doesn’t clean itself. There are phone calls that need to be made. Errands that have to be run. Projects that must be completed. And the lists really does go on and on.

When I start to feel overwhelmed, my first desire is always to escape. I crawl into my bed and just quiet myself. I take a few deep breaths and quiet my mind. (And I also have been known to grab a bite or two of chocolate – which is the magic cure for many ailments.)

And then in that quiet moment something happens.
I realize that I am okay. 

I realize that all of these tasks and emails and projects and assignments are indicators of a life that is being lived.

And I feel better for a moment. If I weren’t living – if I weren’t pushing out of my comfort zone – if I weren’t growing as a person and exposing myself to all of this external stimuli, my life would be comfortable and secure and painfully boring. Sure, I would probably have much more time, but when I look back at the end of my life I don’t want to say that I sure had a lot of time to twiddle my thumbs. I want to say that I lived! I experienced. I engaged. I learned. I grew. I evolved. I inspired. I was a part of it.

And realizing this puts it all into perspective.
Having a busy life means that you are living. You are a part of something.

And sure, you can work on getting more balanced and focused and clear.

But when you are in this exact moment feeling the chaos – recognizing that life is flowing through you is an amazing feeling. It will bring you to the present. It will bring you to a state of gratitude. It will show you that even your crazy busy life is a good life – a lived life.

Grateful for Assignments

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Oops – I was so excited to talk about our sacred gifts yesterday that I completely forget it was Wednesday.
So this week’s Gratitude Project post is on Thursday. 🙂

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:

I have always loved school. I was the one who would asked for extra assignments. It was truly the best day of my life when my 3rd grade teacher gave me an entire packet of worksheets to complete over summer vacation. In elementary school, the smell of warm, mimeographed homework sheets always brought a smile to my face.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been in school, and I have missed these assignments.


I recently enrolled in a program that feels a lot like school. We have assignments, worksheets, reading, and learning. The only difference between this and school is that I won’t be given a grade at the end. This is real life, and how well I do will determine how my professional life looks in the future.

So I am getting back into the habit of studying – getting back into the discipline of finishing my assignments – and being held accountable for doing what is expected of me.

In addition to this program, I have also been studying a lot on my own – we are all students of life, and the learning never stops. I have been introduced to so many wonderful teachers who have inspired me to live my best life.

One of these teachers is Jack Canfield. I was on a group call yesterday with him – each month he answers his students’ questions about a certain topic, and it’s always so inspiring to hear his wisdom. He always gives homework for the month, and I loved yesterday’s so much that I would like to share it with each of you.

For the next month, do something each day to stretch yourself.
Do something each day that will push you out of your comfort zone.
Do something that makes you feel a bit uncomfortable – not extremely uncomfortable. Just a bit. Just enough to notice what it feels like to push your limits. 

Keep a list of what you do, so at the end of the month you can look back and see how much progress you have made.

This is a big assignment for me, and I am looking forward to seeing how I can push through my fear and comfort and stretch myself.

I hope you’ll share with me how you decide to get out of your comfort zones, too.

So today I am grateful for assignments. I am grateful for inspiring teachers. And I am grateful for my ability to learn, stretch, and grow.

Grateful for Shared Joy

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:

I received a phone call yesterday from my dearest friend. She had just won a prestigious award and wanted to call to celebrate together. After hearing this wonderful news, my heart felt full and filled with joy. I was so happy that she was getting the recognition she deserved. I was so happy that she was being rewarded for her talents. I was so happy to hear the smile in her heart.

So today I am especially grateful when I get to share in my friends’ joys and accomplishments. It is such a wonderful feeling to celebrate with them and support them and be there to cheer them on.

I am blessed with some really great friends who are all sharing their gifts with the world. And when they receive this kind of recognition for their talents, it’s such an amazing feeling.

Our friends and loved ones are always there to cheer us on, and it’s such a wonderful gift when they allow us to cheer them on as well.
 

And it’s this shared joy that I am especially grateful for.

P.S. – Susan Steinbrecher’s amazing book, Kensho: A Modern Awakening, is now available! 

If you order it TODAY, you can also download a free copy of our Manifestation Set, which includes 3 of our books: Gratitude, As If, and Commitment + you will receive so many other wonderful bonus gifts, too! But it has to be today! Click on the link for details! 🙂

Grateful for Messages Received

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
 
I’m still feeling under the weather. 
I will admit that yesterday I was feeling pretty down on myself about it. I pride myself on going years without getting sick, and somehow my ego got involved and was upset that I allowed this to happen. 

And then I started to apply what I teach and looked for the messages and deeper meaning of why this illness showed up right now.

The universe is constantly sending us messages – most of which we are too busy to hear. 
When we returned from our trip last week, we both said we would take at least one day off to settle in and rest. We had five packed days at a wonderful conference without much sleep, and a 16-hour travel day coming home. 
And while we did take it a bit easier than normal, it’s a slippery slope figuring out what actually constitutes work and what doesn’t. So we starting sliding down the slope…

I continued to get messages in the back of my mind telling me to rest, meditate, sit outside, be still. And yet I pushed them aside and kept going forward. 

This continued for two days – I even had dreams telling me to slow down. 

And I continued to push these messages aside. 

And then the message came in a much stronger form – in the form of actually being sick. Now I had to rest – be still – and just be. 

So the challenge that seems to keep popping up for me is to be able to hear and act on the message when it’s a whisper, rather than waiting until it becomes a scream. 

So I’m still on the couch with a fever that is still on the rise, and I thought it would be a healing experience to write what I am grateful for about this experience and what it is teaching me.

I am grateful that because of it, I am actually taking time to slow down and rest. 
I am grateful for this opportunity to look within and be able to grow, so I will react differently the next time a similar situation appears.
I am grateful that I get to catch up on tons of movies – some that I had completely forgotten about.
I am grateful that Biddle (my sweet cat) and I get to hang out and take lots of naps together.
I am grateful that I have the world’s most comfy couch – especially since that’s where I am camped out.
I am grateful for homemade sorbet made with ice and V8 100% juice.
I am grateful that I have been unplugged from email for longer than I ever can remember. 
I am grateful that I have taken time each day to sit outside for a few minutes and let the sun heal me. 
I am grateful for a wonderful husband who takes such great care of me. 
I am grateful for your wonderful words of healing and love.
I am grateful that I finally listened and stopped doing.

Gratitude comes in all sorts of forms in a variety of places – some of which you would least expect.
And if we can be grateful in the hard times, it will make being grateful during the great times that much easier.

I Am Grateful For…Today

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:

Our I Am Grateful For… journal was our very first in the Soulful Journal line. Writing down what we are grateful for each day is such a simple concept that really goes a long way in changing our consciousness and helping us feel more positive.
So I thought it would be fun today to have us each write 10 things that we are grateful for that happened today. 
I’ll start, and I hope you all do it with me! Feel free to post your lists here, so we can all share in your gratitude!
I Am Grateful For…

1. Meeting new connections and making wonderful new friends.
2. That I am pushing out of my comfort zone and reaching for my dreams.
3. My wonderfully supportive husband.
4. Yummy vegan food – today I had a veggie quesadilla for lunch and pasta primovera for dinner – yum!
5. Reconnecting with old friends.
6. Being inspired by wonderful mentors.
7. Feeling new ideas being formed.
8. So much love and positive energy in the air.
9. Smiling, supportive faces.
10. Tomorrow and all that it will bring.

Grateful for Choices

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
 
A writing prompt from  
 
 
We all make choices every day in our lives.
 
Which choices have you made that you are the most grateful for?
These choices could range from big ones that impacted your life drastically (such as where to live or who to be in a relationship with) to small ones such as what to have for lunch or what music to listen to at any given moment. 
While the big choices are sometimes the super stars and the ones that get noticed, you may be surprised at how the little choices can add up quickly and have just as much of an impact on your life. 

Let’s say you like going for walks, and you usually take the same route each day.
And then one day you decide – just on a whim – to take a different route.
And while on this route you meet someone that you hadn’t seen before and wouldn’t have seen if you had gone the other way.
And you introduce yourself and begin a conversation with this person who you instantly feel like you know.
You find that you had an instant connection, and you begin a friendship that will quickly become more and turn into a lovely marriage. 
This is how Dan and I met – all because I made a choice to walk a different route.

We are constantly making choices in our lives. 
Some big. Some small. And some small that turn into big.

Take some time today to think about some of the choices that you have made.
It’s easy to be grateful for the choices that have led you to your ideal life, but also try to find gratitude in the choices that didn’t seem to go as well as you would’ve liked. 
What did you learn from these choices? 
How have you grown? 
How are you grateful for them today? 

It’s amazing that we all have the power to choose.
I am grateful for that.
And if we choose one path that doesn’t feel quite right, 
we can choose to take a different path.
The choice is always ours.

A Gratitude List

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It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude! 

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project. 
Okay – now for today’s post:
 
 Happy June! 
Today’s post is about keeping a gratitude list. 
 
There are so many ways you can do this – and you get to decide what feels best for you. 
Some will choose to have one notebook (like our I Am Grateful For… book) that is designated to hold list upon list of all that you love about your life. Some may keep this list on their computer. Others may just tell their loved ones around the dinner table each night what they are grateful for. 
It’s completely up to you! 
 You may choose to write a gratitude list every day, once a week, or whenever the mood strikes. 
And that’s completely okay! 

When we focus on gratitude and everything that is going right in our lives, our thoughts end up attracting more positive events and feelings. This is the kind of snowball effect that we can welcome with open arms!

So let’s all take some time today to write our gratitude list.
And then continue this practice when it feels right.

Here is mine:
 
I am grateful…
 
that I have a great start on writing my new book: 50 pages written so far, and an outline for the rest!
 
for self-care days – staying in my pjs all day, lying around, reading, and doing exactly what I want to do – whatever that may be.
 
that today is one of my self-care days!
 
for healthy green smoothies.
 
for a loving husband who supports me in everything I do.

that things seem to slowly be working themselves out between our new kitty and the older one who likes to bully her.

for sun showers – beautiful and refreshing.

that my sweet Biddle cat is such a mama’s boy – perfect for every day, but especially a self-care day.

that I am keeping my word and not working during this sabbatical.

for so many exciting possibilities and opportunities on the horizon.

for our local library – I am constantly amazed by their wonderful selection of books.
 
for all of your wonderful comments and feedback about this blog.
 
for a supportive community that understands that going within and taking care of ourselves is crucial for lasting happiness and finding our way in this world. 

In gratitude,
Jodi