Write a story about a cynic who has been told to start a "gratitude journal," and does so — begrudgingly.

Posted in Funny on Jul 26, 2024

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✍️ 55 stories

“The Gratitude Journal” by Meghan Lewis

Submitted to Contest #261

“This is stupid. I don’t want to write about what I’m thankful for. Why do you always make me do things you like? I’m not you!” Maddison argued with her mom immediately after she had handed her a journal with ‘Gratitude’ written across the cover. Her mom was worried about her lately. Her attitude had slowly started changing along with her outlook on school and friends. She had come home from school a few days ago and called herself stupid, insisting that she had no friends and that no one liked her. For obvious reasons, she was concerned. Sh...

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“Born Under a Bad Sign” by Malcolm Twigg

Submitted to Contest #261

Day 1‘Start a gratitude journal’ they said, Well, here it is, started. It’s purposely not credited with any dates, because I don’t expect to be making consecutive entries. But the fact that it is started should qualify as gratitude on some count. Gratitude on their part that I’ve agreed to do it, for a start. I mean, what good is it supposed to do? I’ve certainly not got anything to be grateful for with this burden lobbed on meDay 2Today started off well. I knocked a saucepan of boiling milk over. It was the last of the milk in the fridge so...

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“Unwritten Pages” by Allison Cellura

Submitted to Contest #261

Day 1: So, a gratitude journal is supposed to make me feel better? Fine. Here's my first entry: GO FUCK YOURSELF!!Day 2: Seriously? Writing instead of talking during therapy? Feels like a punishment. Great, another reminder of how much my life sucks right now.Day 3: So now, daily prompts? Whatever, it's easier than pulling this shit out of thin air. Today's prompt: Describe a random act of kindness you saw. Val, the therapy dog, knew who needed her today. She sat with the quiet girl, who smiled for the first time sin...

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“Life Raft” by Kelly P.

Submitted to Contest #261

Aug 1, 2024:As per the advice of a friend, (and by friend I mean my therapist) because who has those at thirty-five, I’m going to keep a log of things I’m grateful for. I saw a puppy that looked a lot like Riley on the drive home. I must be a cocker spaniel whisperer because I’ve been seeing them everywhere. Aug 2, 2024:Don’t know if I can do this crap every day. When you think about it a typical week in anyone’s life is damn boring and uneventful. Mine’s no exception. I didn’t get screamed at by anyone as soon as I answered the phone, so I ...

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“Gregoria the Grateful” by Cristina Ochoa

Submitted to Contest #261

“No, I refuse. I simply refuse.” Gregoria said as she paced her bedroom. “I have absolutely no desire to write down what it is I am grateful for. How on earth am I supposed to know how to do that?”“Sweetheart, please. Come sit down.” Gregoria’s mother patted the soft quilt she had stitched together for her the previous Christmas. Mother hoped that patting the quilt might give Gregoria some clue as to where to start to be grateful. When Gregoria had opened the present, she had squealed and squirmed, wrapping the quilt around her and running a...

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“Survivor's Gratitude” by Cheryl Martin

Submitted to Contest #261

Survivor’s Gratitude In the bustling city of Eliot, there lived a man named Jack. Over the past several years Jack had become a hardwired cynic. To him, the world was bleak, filled with disappointments and false hopes. He worked as an accountant, a job he found monotonous but stable. His friends often joked that he saw the glass not just half empty but probably poisoned, too. Jack's cynicism wasn't without reason. A few years earlier, he had survived a near-fatal car accident. The physical scars had healed, but the emotional ones had left hi...

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“Finding Gratitude” by Donna Hill

Submitted to Contest #261

Finding Gratitude By Donna G. Hill 08/01/24 Veteran Everett Winstead was sitting in the office of Dr. Sicily Appradaeah, Psychiatrist, grumbling to himself under his breath. Filled with rage, contempt for all mankind, especially dogooder types, embittered. Tours in Viet Nam had left him with many detrimental experiences to overcome, but he considered himself a “real man, made out of the good stuff.” The only reason he came at all was because his only child, a daughter, Emma, insisted. His he...

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“David’s Flip” by Raven Stein

Submitted to Contest #261

November 18, 1992 — Gratitude JournalThis is so stupid. Okay. Wait, no. Let’s try that again. My name is David Sutherland and this is my Gratitude Journal. If you’ve stumbled upon this notebook, sorry. If you decide to continue to read the contents of this notebook, well, that’s on you and whatever godawful decision-making you’ve made in your life that has led you to this point. If you’re Future David rereading this for whatever reason, fuck you. Anyway. I’ve only had a couple of therapy sessions with Dr. Chambers, but evidently, that’s all ...

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“Today I Am Grateful” by Dalia Rubinowicz

Submitted to Contest #261

I walk into the waiting room, knowing full well how much of a waste of time this next hour will be. I take in this sorry excuse for an office - paint-chipped walls, outdated scratchy upholstered chairs, and the saddest looking people you will find in the tristate area. This drab setting, however, will not get my eye off of the ball. I can sell this miserable reality, wrapping it in paper lined with pure tragedy paper and tying it up with a bow laced with existential dread and crushed dreams. 60 minutes, an act of a lifetime, and I walk out w...

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“Overworked and Exhausted” by Rachel Ermutlu

Submitted to Contest #261

Darla had pulled over to the side of the road. She was changing her own flat tire instead of calling AAA like most people would. Her dad had taught her how when she was sixteen because he wanted her to be self-sufficient. She was frustrated because she was late for work at Lemonade and Lattes, the coffee shop where she worked. When she called her boss, Mary, she had told Darla it was fine. Mary had come in to open the coffee shop and she would stay until Darla could make it. When Darla got back in her car, she h...

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“Gratitude: Or 9 lies and a truth” by Sarah Cunningham

Submitted to Contest #261

Her fingers rattled against the desk, tap, tap, tapping, along with her frustration. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand the assignment. Or even the purpose of acknowledging the things that you were grateful for. It made sense. Especially in the context of an anger management group. But her place in the group wasn’t exactly the right fit. She didn’t have anger issues. So sitting in a room with a bunch of mouthbreathers who busted up their partners because they didn’t have dinner on the table at the right time. That wasn’t exactl...

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“The Cynic's Guide to Gratitude” by Helen Curran

Submitted to Contest #261

-Please note this story covers topics of death and hospitalization-01/01/24I’m thankful to the guy in the math textbooks who buys 37 watermelons, 80 chimneys, and 15 multicolored clown-vomit rubber band balls. He keeps the world’s economy going. God bless that guy. I know what stocks I’m investing in this year. 01/02/24I’m thankful to the guy who hangs out in front of the local Walmart and sells pocket watches and expired candy bars from the fanciful world of his inconspicuous trench coat. Sometimes, he gives me one of those Velvee...

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“Dear Nora Blake” by K. T. Dillon

Submitted to Contest #261

Dear Nora Blake, I’m not sure how to write this. Or why I even have to. When Professor Reed announced the assignment, followed by assuring us that he wouldn’t read them, I was confused. And annoyed. After all, isn’t the point of writing to share it with other people? And isn’t the point of a college professor to actually teach us? But for 40% of my grade, I’ll try.Today, I walked to class and the weather was nice. I guess I’m grateful for that. August 21st, 2024Dear Nora Blake, I have a psychology exam tomorrow so this whole w...

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“Gratitude Journal” by Lisa Spargo

Submitted to Contest #261

Gratitude So, the touchy-feely person in Human Resources sends me to a therapist to resolve my anger issues. I’m not angry, I’m just fed up with everyone. They are all such busy bodies and pretend all this interest in everyone else. I don’t think they care one way or the other. (Including my boss who ordered me to go.) He is so worried about saving his own job that he caves in to every ridiculous rule the management team creates. They are all worried someone’s feelings will get hurt. Don’t say this, don’t say that, brother! Anyway,...

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“Guardian Angel” by Catherine Stockwell

Submitted to Contest #261

Saturday, June 22 Well, it looks like my baby brother, Tommy, has messed up again. The new wife, the one called Jolene, left him, and she took the air fryer! I knew from the moment I met her (skinny little thing she was), that she was no good and just after whatever money Tommy still has left. I took the 145 bus over to visit my brother this afternoon. You should have seen him, sitting on his screened porch, staring out at his overgrown yard…the sight of him! He was wearing a raggedy old flannel shirt and a pair of sweatpants, looking like h...

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Write a story about a cynic who has been told to start a "gratitude journal," and does so — begrudgingly.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 55 stories

“The Gratitude Journal” by Meghan Lewis

“Born Under a Bad Sign” by Malcolm Twigg

“Unwritten Pages” by Allison Cellura

“Life Raft” by Kelly P.

“Gregoria the Grateful” by Cristina Ochoa

“Survivor's Gratitude” by Cheryl Martin

“Finding Gratitude” by Donna Hill

“David’s Flip” by Raven Stein

“Today I Am Grateful” by Dalia Rubinowicz

“Overworked and Exhausted” by Rachel Ermutlu

“Gratitude: Or 9 lies and a truth” by Sarah Cunningham

“The Cynic's Guide to Gratitude” by Helen Curran

“Dear Nora Blake” by K. T. Dillon

“Gratitude Journal” by Lisa Spargo

“Guardian Angel” by Catherine Stockwell

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a character trying to find a way to express their gratitude to someone.

Write a creative nonfiction piece about something you're grateful for.

Write a story about an unsung hero.

Write a story in the form of a series of thank you cards.

Contest #261

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

303

Contest entries

97

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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