Finding gratitude in the middle of grief, the holiday season, and the beautifully messy moments of life.
A few years ago, I started a little gratitude tradition with a pumpkin.
Nothing fancy. Nothing complicated. Just a pumpkin and a reminder to slow down long enough to recognize the blessings right in front of us.
The idea was simple: write down something you were thankful for each day and watch that pumpkin fill up with gratitude.
Click here to read my gratitude blog from 2023
And somewhere along the way, that little pumpkin became something much bigger.
Because sometimes it's the simplest things that change the way we see our lives.
Well, Crazy Busy Mama family… I'm bringing gratitude BACK! 🤎
But this year, we're doing things a little differently.
And I want YOU to be part of it.
Why Gratitude? And Why Now?
Can I share something that's been on my heart?
The holidays have always been one of my favorite times of the year.
The traditions. The family gatherings. The kitchen full of food. The laughter around the table. The beautiful chaos of it all.
But if you've ever walked through grief, you know the holidays can also be some of the hardest days of the year.
Because there's an empty chair.
A familiar voice you wish you could hear one more time.
A tradition that doesn't quite feel the same.
And memories that somehow make you smile and cry at the very same time.
Since losing Q, I've learned that grief doesn't take a holiday.
And after losing my mom this year, I'm walking into another holiday season with another piece of my heart missing.
There are days when I would give anything to go back to the way things used to be.
And I know I'm not the only one.
Maybe you're missing someone this holiday season, too.
Maybe you're navigating a difficult marriage, financial stress, a health battle, or a season of life that looks nothing like you imagined.
Or maybe you're simply exhausted from trying to keep everything together.
Whatever your story looks like, I want you to hear this:
You can be grateful and still be grieving.
You can miss what was and still appreciate what is.
You can have a hard day and still find something beautiful in it.
I've heard it said that gratitude and negative thoughts can't coexist.
And while I know life isn't quite that simple, I do believe there's something powerful about intentionally shifting our focus toward the good.
Not because the hard things suddenly disappear.
But because we begin to notice that even in the middle of the hard, God is still giving us little reminders of His goodness.
And sometimes those reminders are exactly what we need to keep going.
Introducing the Crazy Busy Mama Gratitude Wall 🤎
This November, I'm inviting you to join me for 30 Days of Gratitude!
Think of it as our old gratitude pumpkin tradition, but instead of writing on a pumpkin, we're filling an entire wall with the things we're thankful for.
And the best part?
We're doing it TOGETHER.
Every single day, I want you to come back to this blog and leave a comment sharing ONE thing you're grateful for that day.
That's it.
It doesn't have to be something big.
Maybe it's your morning cup of coffee before the house wakes up.
A text from a friend.
A warm meal.
Your kids laughing in the other room.
An answered prayer.
Or simply the strength to get out of bed and try again.
Because here's what I believe:
The more we look for things to be grateful for, the more we begin to notice them.
And I would love nothing more than to see this little corner of the internet filled with reminders that there is still so much good in the world.
Here's How the Gratitude Challenge Works
1. Come back to this blog EVERY day in November.
Bookmark this page, save the link, or leave it open on your phone. Whatever helps you remember to come back!
2. Leave ONE thing you're grateful for in the comments.
Each day, scroll down to the comment section and share something you're thankful for. It can be one sentence or an entire story.
To help me follow along, start your comment with the day you're participating.
For example:
Day 1: Today I'm grateful for a slow morning, a hot cup of coffee, and a few quiet moments with God.
3. Come back tomorrow and do it again!
My hope is that this becomes a little daily habit. Something that makes us stop, reflect, and look for the good.
4. Encourage someone else along the way.
Read through the comments. You might find someone walking through a season similar to yours.
And you never know when your words might be exactly what someone else needed to hear.
A Little Something Special: Our Gratitude Giveaway! 🎁
Now, you know I love making things FUN!
So I'm working on putting together a special giveaway at the end of November for someone who has participated in our gratitude challenge every single day!
Yes, all 30 days!
My hope is to celebrate someone who has made the commitment to show up, reflect, and intentionally look for the good, even when life gets messy.
To be considered, make sure you're leaving a comment on this blog each day and using the same name and email address so we can track your participation.
I'll share the giveaway details and official rules once everything is finalized.
And remember, while a giveaway is fun, the real gift is what happens in our hearts when we begin making gratitude a daily habit.
Your FREE Gratitude Journal Is Waiting! 📖
I also wanted to give you something special to help you along the way.
I've created a FREE Gratitude Journal just for our Crazy Busy Mama community!
Something you can use to slow down, collect your thoughts, reflect on your blessings, and make gratitude part of your everyday routine.
Whether you use it first thing in the morning with your coffee or at night before you go to bed, I hope it becomes a little space just for you.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE GRATITUDE JOURNAL!
It's my gift to you. 🤎
And don't forget to come back here to leave your daily gratitude comment!
Seven Little Things That Made This Week Better
Seven little prompts to help us look back on the week and recognize the blessings we might have overlooked.
To get us started, here are seven things I want you to think about:
- What's one little thing that made you smile this week?
- Who is someone you're especially thankful for right now?
- What's a moment this week you wish you could bottle up and keep forever?
- What's something difficult that taught you an important lesson?
- What's one ordinary part of your day that you sometimes take for granted?
- Where did you see God's goodness this week?
- What's one thing you're grateful for today that you might not have noticed a year ago?
You don't have to answer all seven.
Maybe just one really speaks to you.
If it does, share your answer in the comments. I would love to hear it!
And with your permission, I may even feature some of my favorite gratitude reflections on the Crazy Busy Mama page throughout the month.
Because I think sharing our blessings has a beautiful way of reminding other people of theirs.
Before You Go, Can I Ask You Something?
What if this November, instead of focusing on everything that's missing, everything that's stressful, or everything that hasn't gone according to plan…
We intentionally looked for what is still good?
Not pretending the hard things aren't there.
Not forcing ourselves to be happy.
But simply choosing to recognize the blessings that exist alongside the brokenness.
Because I've learned that a beautiful life isn't necessarily a life without heartache.
Sometimes it's a life where we learn to recognize beauty even in the middle of it.
And if there's one thing I hope we all take away from this challenge, it's that gratitude doesn't erase grief, but it can give us a little more room for joy.
So, Crazy Busy Mama family, let's fill this wall.
Let's fill it with stories.
With answered prayers.
With little moments.
With laughter, memories, and reminders of God's goodness.
And maybe, just maybe, we'll all walk into the holiday season with hearts that are a little more focused on what we have, even as we honor what we've lost.
I'll go first. 🤎
Today, I'm grateful for another day to love my people, make memories, and carry forward the love of those who aren't physically here with us anymore.
Now it's YOUR turn.
What's ONE thing you're grateful for today?
Leave your answer in the comments below, and don't forget to come back tomorrow for Day 2!
Let's make this our most meaningful November yet.
Love y'all,
Lori 🤎
Crazy Busy Mama
P.S. Don't forget to grab your FREE Gratitude Journal here! And save this blog so you can find your way back every single day. I'll be checking in and sharing reminders throughout the month. I can't wait to read what you're thankful for!
