So, here we are. It’s late September. Fall has officially begun, but today marks another significant moment. We are 100 days away from 2020 – say what!? And while most of us (myself included!), are focused on all the fall things and enjoying this brand new season, I want kick off something new with you all – a 100 Days of Gratitude Challenge.
What’s the point of expressing your gratitude? Several studies show that expressing gratitude regularly has been shown to improve physical and mental health. It helps us better appreciate our bodies and relationships (amongst other things!) and that in return makes us happier all around.
“Gratitude is something that leads to much more sustainable forms of happiness, because it’s not based in that immediate gratification; it’s a frame of mind,”
– Emma Seppälä, A Happiness Researcher
So, for the next 100 days, I’m going to update this post with the three things I am thankful for on that given day. There are many proven benefits of expressing gratitude, and while I try to think about what I’m grateful for on a daily basis, I know I can do a better job. So, that’s why I came up with this challenge. My hope is it encourages you to think about what you’re grateful for and to even do a 100 Days of Gratitude Challenge yourself!

Since I’m a serial over-thinker, my goal with this is to keep it simple and update this list each day, with the first three things that come to mind. I can’t promise these will be profound, and I can’t promise I won’t repeat myself, but I am committed to doing it each day.
The Gratitude Challenge
- September 23: Aldi’s hazelnut coffee creamer, fall decorations, our bible study group
- September 24: Evening walks with Will, Maple’s cuddles & pumpkin spice candles
- September 25: driving with windows down, Forever 35 podcast, music that’s good for your soul (currently listening to Just to Say I Love you by Michael Franti & Spearhead and High & Low by Empire of the Sun)
- September 26: Will, planes and my health
- September 27: Long weekends, good hospitality and beaches
- September 28: Watching the sun set over the ocean, my hiking buddy, fish tacos
- September 29: Seeing old friends, 70-degree weather with no humidity, beautiful views
- September 30: Long weekends, coffee, TSA people with a sense of humor
- October 1: My teddy bear slippers, my home, Maple
- October 2: New shoes that don’t need breaking in, pumpkin spice candles and driving with the windows down
- October 3: Family, walks with Will, Netflix
- October 4: my blogging friends, pumpkin patches, fall-like weather
- October 5: good friends, Oktoberfest beer, my family
- October 6: vest weather, soft pretzels, Sundays at home
- October 7: amazing weather recently, the sound of birds chirping, the smell of fall in the air
- October 8: that feeling of getting in a freshly made bed, fur blankets and Maple’s company when I work from home
- October 9: thoughtful friends, Will, my family
- October 10: my birthday, my family, cake
- October 11: fall nights, long weekends, staying in after a long week
- October 12: quiet Saturday mornings at home, this beautiful fall weather, Maple’s snuggles
- October 13: road trips, fall foliage and family time
- October 14: Monday’s off work, the feeling after a good workout and Will
- October 15: Watching the sunset, a runner’s high after a long day and the fall foliage
- October 16: pumpkin spice candle, time to cook dinner and this blog
- October 17: the view from our home, getting my grandmother’s breakfast casserole recipe and the weekend ahead in Charlottesville
- October 18: my friends, Will and sweater weather
- October 19: weekends with my girlfriends, outdoor fireplaces and fall foliage
- October 20: quality time with friends, the Virginia mountains and cozy Sunday nights
- October 21: coffee, Maple’s company while I work from home and good music
- October 22: quality time with Will, wings and cozy sweatshirts
- October 23: runs outside in perfect fall weather, fall foliage and rainbows
- October 24: my home office, icy hot, Will
- October 25: road trips, good music and good friends
- October 26: Clemson, football and friends from college
- October 27: Tailgates, college memories and the time to visit Clemson
- October 28: watching the sun rise, my planner and working from home
- October 29: walks outside in the fall, Amazon and pumpkin spice candles
- October 30: Time with my Mom, Netflix and Maple’s company when Will’s out of town
- October 31: cat costumes for Halloween, Will coming home and Target
- November 1: Fridays, walks outside and pizza
- November 2: Time to unplug, the Virginia mountains and the beautiful fall foliage
- November 3: The extra hour of sleep, snuggles with Maple and the chance to have a lazy day
- November 4: Good friends, watching the sun rise, my planner
- November 5: Will bringing me a cupcake, poke bowls and afternoon walks
- November 6: Lizzo, phone calls with my Mom, work friends
- November 7: long runs, cooking dinner with Will, kettle corn
- November 8: Netflix, Friday nights on the couch, sherpa pullovers
- November 9: the Virginia countryside, Target Pick-Up, my mom’s advice
- November 10: seeing one of my best friends get married, driving through the countryside and homemade nachos
- November 11: our nation’s military and veterans, my family, a productive day
- November 12: Will, faux fur blankets and my pecan pie candle
- November 13: Aldi, Lizzo and Chipotle
- November 14: having a clean home, Everything but the Bagel seasoning and my teddy bear slippers
- November 15: family dinners, Fridays and hot apple cider
- November 16: walks with Will, weekends at home and Netflix
- November 17: seeing friends from high school, time for a long workout and blogging
- November 18: good podcasts, hazelnut coffee and Maple’s company when Will’s out of town
- November 19: salad kits, hot apple cider and my planner
- November 20: Will coming home today, holiday candles and my new faux fur coat
- November 21: Will being home & cooking with him, Cat TV (and watching Maple watch lol) and tomorrow being Friday
- November 22: Friday, the sun being out, having time to go to Orangetheory
- November 23: The Man in the Glass Castle (currently watching on Amazon!), my new amazon scarf and listening to music from college
- November 24: church group, warmer weather and walks with Will
- November 25: the short work week, pizza and working out
- November 26: Will, Maple’s silly playfulness and The Good Place
- November 27: road trips with a driving buddy, family time and beach walks
- November 28: Will, the love of family and friends and a beautiful, warm day in South Carolina with family
- November 29: spending Thanksgiving with family, fishing with Jackson and Will and southern food
- November 30: Will’s help driving, good music and Maple’s greetings
- December 1: Christmas trees, all the holiday sales and Sundays at home
- December 2: Slow cooker recipes, walks outside and online shopping
- December 3: Angel Tree shopping with my mom, tacos and Christmas shopping
- December 4: Maple’s cuddles, The Man in the High Castle (show on Amazon) and Christmas tree candles
- December 5: Will surprising me by coming home early, my family and good friends
- December 6: New projects, Office Christmas Party and Fridays!!
- December 7: time in the Shenandoah valley, sunny days and time with Will
- December 8: our church group, productive Sundays and all things sherpa
- December 9: good friends, Christmas nails and our wooden ornaments from Germany
- December 10: warmer weather, Maple’s cuddles and new opportunities
- December 11: watching the moon rise and sun set at the same time today, good news and good friends
- December 12: Will coming home, new hair color and Chipotle
- December 13: Fridays, quality time with Will and holiday parties
- December 14: family staying with us, Korean fried chicken and exploring DC in the Winter
- December 15: having family in town, finding a new favorite lip balm in time for winter and finishing my holiday shopping
- December 16: making (and eating) Christmas crackers, hazelnut coffee and wrapping gifts
- December 17: Will coming home, being so close to Christmas and having a clean home
- December 18: Christmas candles, a sunny day and being done with Christmas gift shopping
- December 19: the peace of watching the sun rise, getting in an Orangetheory workout and time to relax with Will
- December 20: reuniting with a coworker, slow work days and Maple making me laugh while gift wrapping
- December 21: Enjoying Christmas with my family, Escape Rooms and
- December 22: Christmas stockings with Will, strong coffee and Finding good Thai food in a small town
- December 23: Road trips with family, having two Christmases this year and getting to Illinois safely
- December 24: seeing a truly beautiful sunset, riding four wheelers and time with Will’s family
- December 25: the magic of Christmas with family, time with our baby nephew and watching Christmas movies
- December 26: decorating gingerbread cookies together, family time and enjoying the slower pace of the midwest
- December 27: having three other people to split up the drive home, getting free chocolate chip cookies and coming home to Maple at the door
- December 28: having time to unplug, the feeling when you’re done unpacking and long hot showers
- December 29: Clemson heading to the championship game, the high after an Orangetheory workout and my new 2020 planner
- December 30: long walks with Will, playing with Maple in the cardboard house we made him and time to reflect on the past year
- December 31: my new job, a wonderful year and all the people who’ve supported me on my journey

I hope this challenge inspires you to focus on gratitude more often. If you do a 100 Days of Gratitude challenge too, I would love to know. Please tag me on Instagram @sarahcamille22 so I can see, and remember that it doesn’t matter what day you start.

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