33. gratituesday
- Jul 14, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 10
Gratitude journaling is such a well known practice. But for me, the concept never really stuck until I read a book last year called The Tools by psychologist extraordinaire Phil Stutz. That book turned me onto a meditation practice of gratitude that helped me cement the practice. And then I turned it into an illustrated series capturing my life. I called the series gratituesday.
You might know about the book The Tools already, but if you don't - it's about a psychologists breakthrough with patients when he shared visualized meditations. His technique is completely different to mainstream psych and a joyous pivot from mechanations of talk therapy. It follows the theory that you just have to act your way into being.
The Tools is already showcased on a website where Phil Stutz along with his protege Barry Michels are sharing the background of the project and the audio files for the visualizations. Since they are part meditations, it's sometimes easier to click the audio and close your eyes and imagine it for yourself rather than read it. If that's something that interests you, the one I'm exploring in this post is called Grateful Flow.
Grateful Flow is about accessing the experiential state of gratitude. A simple gratitude journal is one way to connect our fortunes in the smallest ways to our sense of wonder and appreciation for the world we live in. Phil Stutz takes it to the next level where we don't even have words and we practice just basking in the feeling of gratitude.
We are supposed to imagine a list of things we are grateful for, naming them one by one, and then eventually move from the tangible to intangible and concentrate on the feeling of gratitude. Like a warmth inside the body flowing outward from your heart. Grateful Flow. Then you will feel a higher source of infinite giving all around us, and bask in the abundance.
I like using this tool when I get overwhelmed, tired or stressed. It has become so useful to me and my daily habits that I tracked my gratitude list, and then illustrated them in a series I named gratituesday - because I post it on Tuesdays.
Gratituesday illustrations of Yellow Kettle, live music and tulips by Smarti. Gratituesday illustrations of Big Blue Blanket, bowling and candles by Smarti. Gratituesday illustrations of casserole, sunshine and vintage books by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of notebooks, snail mail and pink smoothie by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of potato soup, yoga, and soft light by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of almond snacks and bonfire songs by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of economist, olympics and vegan waffles by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of bedsheets, live music and a chili cookoff by Smarti Gratituesday illustrations of sweater vest, orange blouses and a good book by Smarti.
Gratituesday allowed me to commemorate my progress in the gratitude practice. A small title, the date and then three things that went on during the week that made my list. Its made me more aware of the wonderful things happening, and to appreciate the moments as they come.
Gratituesday illustration of tour buses, vegan club sandwich and guinea fowls by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of desert gecko, plant tower and live music by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of safari, wide brim hat and rock shandy by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of seaside hikes, nautical details and fig jam by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of penguins, rainbow wrap and Table Mountain hike by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of jacaranda blooms, pillows and honey bees by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of coconut water, audiobook and dark night sky by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of jasmine blooms, paper towels and pool time by Smarti. Gratituesday for lesson plans, rain, and Diwali dancing by Smarti.
I illustrate everything from food I ate, things I did, things I saw. I try to make sure I'm not illustrating from one category too often. But being mortal, it tends to be the things I can touch, taste, see, hear. It's made me pay attention to things, and encouraged friends to share their own gratitude lists.
Gratituesday illustration of hope, cookies and yoga by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of strawberry and a waterski pyramid by Smarti. Gratituesday illustrations of rainbow, ducks, and orchestral song by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of succulent blooms and Wicked movie tickets by Smarti. Gratituesday illustrations of Service Berry book, breath work and paper chains by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of bird feeders, Bridgerton and leg day workouts by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of song game, city runs and veg soup by Smarti. Gratituesday for vegan breakfast, visa help and laptop by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of calendar, ukulele and fingerprints by Smarti.
Because it's in my weekly scheduled IG posts, I feel accountable to keep up the practice. As a result, I spend a lot more time at the begining of the week writing doing what things are coming up that I'm looking forward to experiencing. And then of course, at the end of the week, I spend time drawing out the things that actually happened. So I get the gratitude practice before, during and after.
Gratituesday illustration of run, butterfly and watermelon by Smarti. Gratituesday for orange bloom, puppy cuddles and summer sunset by Smarti. Gratituesday for clear x-ray, mended shoe and tea with a friend by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of beautiful sky, and acroyoga lesson by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of paper game, math program and new plant growth by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of ukulele playing, solo lunch, and seeds by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of new ideas, yoga drills and artistic friends by Smarti. Gratituesday for live concert, a calm period and rest by Smarti. Gratituesday for pink notebook, vacuum cleaner and roses by Smarti.
I really try to make sure the things I capture are small. There are times when epic things happen, but more often than not it's just the daily happenings. A small sighting of a bug. A nice meal or snack. A sunrise, sunset. Sometimes it's just the slow moments - because those are really nice in this fast-paced world.
Gratituesday illustration for training tapering, rain, and vacation planning by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of chickpea tuna bagel, kirstenbosch gardens and great weather by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of new fiddle leaf growth and grasshopper by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of MIL visit, 2D models and leopard tracking by Smarti. Graittuesday illustrations of event mockups, migraine meds and ceremonial magic by Smarti. Gratituesday for live music, tool book, and games by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of grapefruit harvest, sci-fi matchboxes, and self-forgiveness by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of fairy lights, adaptogens, and cuddle weather by Smarti. Gratituesday illustration of paper leaves, vegan blueberry muffin and uke jam by Smarti.
Gratituesday has helped me celebrate all kinds of things. And I like the attitude it cultivates in me. I'm more interested in these small moments - planned or unplanned. I also like how it encourages me to prioritize self-care too, scheduling in things that help me fill up my cup.
I used to be quite cynical and still am (diplo analaytical skills never quite shut off) so I would ruminate on things and get lost in unfinished arguments I would have with characters in my head. Ironic now since I don't need those skills as much in the art arena. So, this gratitude practice has definitely allowed me to let go a little, shift my attention, slow down and feel instead of think. If this is something that might resonate with you, then I definitely recommend giving it a whirl.
cheers to finding the gratitude practice that fills you up,
smarti
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