Know that feeling? You’re in the middle of chemo and it seems like nothing works anymore. Your motivation is slipping, and staying optimistic takes effort. That’s when a “thank you” notebook might be just what you need. A what? Keep reading—you’ll be inspired to try it yourself.
What is a “thank you” notebook?
A “thank you” notebook is a small journal where you jot down one thing each day that made you happy. Every evening, ask yourself: “What was I grateful for today?” and write it down briefly. It can be a regular notebook, a diary with numbered pages—anything that feels nice to you. For some, that’s a tiny pocket agenda, for others a large A4 notebook.
A diary, you mean?
No, it’s much shorter and more concrete. In a diary you reflect in full sentences on your day or week. In a “thank you” notebook you write only a keyword, a short phrase, one sentence—or if you like to draw, a quick sketch or doodle of what you’re grateful for.
What can you be grateful for?
It can be something big, like long-awaited good test results. On “good” days you may come up with five things at once. On tougher days, the challenge is to notice small, everyday details. Something funny, moving, beautiful… For example:
- A warm postcard from your colleagues
- A funny story or sweet slip of the tongue from your child
- Your first bike ride in ages, even if only 10 minutes
- A joke from your physiotherapist
- Discovering a new coffee bar with a friend
- Your partner finishing work early so you could nap
- Bumping into an old acquaintance and catching up
- A hilarious cat video that made you laugh out loud
- A compliment from a shop assistant on your new scarf
- The fresh breeze through your short hair when you dared to go outside without a wig or hat
- A helpful tip from a fellow patient about that odd taste in your mouth
- A walk in the woods with surprising autumn colors
Why do it?
- You train yourself to focus on the positive, even on hard days
- You step out of worry mode while writing
- You end each day with a calmer, more fulfilled feeling
- You notice small details instead of only big events
- You live more in the here and now
- You build mental resilience
- You create a personal feel-good notebook to reread on bad days
- You become more creative, seeing and thinking differently in ways that help beyond your notebook too
How to stick with it
Thinking “I’ll never keep this up”? Be gentle with yourself. Skipping a day isn’t a failure. But try to build routine, because that’s where the effect comes in. And if you manage, that’s something else to be grateful for—you’ll have a personal notebook full of positivity. These tips help:
- Choose a notebook you love, and a pen that feels nice
- Keep it short: one word or one sentence a day
- Do it at a set time, ideally in the evening before bed (or after the news, for example)
- Don’t like writing? Try sketching—practice makes it easier over time
- Prefer visuals? Use photos you take yourself, or clippings from magazines
- Not into paper? Keep a digital log—plenty of apps exist
- Need accountability? Share your daily gratitude on Facebook. Friends’ reactions will encourage you to continue
Happy writing!
