Meet Emily, a bright and curious 8-year-old who always had a love for learning. But like many kids her age, she sometimes struggled with feeling frustrated when things didn’t come easily. Math problems seemed like an impossible mountain, and she would often say, “I can’t do this” when things got tough. Emily’s mom, Sarah, wanted to find a way to help her build resilience and confidence, especially when facing challenges.
That’s when Sarah discovered Big Life Journal.
The First Day with Big Life Journal
One sunny Saturday morning, a colorful package arrived at their doorstep. Inside was the Big Life Journal—its bright cover and fun illustrations immediately caught Emily’s eye. She excitedly flipped through the pages, finding inspirational stories, engaging activities, and spaces to write her thoughts and feelings. There were pages titled “Mistakes Help Me Learn” and “I Am Brave” that made her smile.
Emily’s mom explained that this journal would be their special time together, a place where they could explore new ideas, dreams, and challenges. Emily couldn’t wait to get started.
Discovering Her Superpowers
In the beginning, Emily and her mom sat down together to read the stories in the journal—tales of kids just like her who faced challenges but kept trying. Emily loved reading about a boy who didn’t give up when learning to ride his bike and a girl who turned her baking disasters into delicious new recipes. It made her think, Maybe I can do hard things too!
Then came the fun activities. One of Emily’s favorites was the “What Makes Me Strong” page, where she could draw her strengths like kindness, creativity, and her ability to make new friends. For the first time, she started to see herself as someone who could learn and grow, even when things were difficult.
A Change in Her Mindset
A few weeks into using the journal, Emily faced a big challenge at school—a spelling bee competition. She was nervous and worried about forgetting the words on stage. But instead of saying, “I’m not good at spelling,” she remembered a lesson from her journal about growth mindset. Emily wrote down an affirmation in her journal: “I am learning, and mistakes help me grow.”
With each day leading up to the competition, Emily and her mom spent time in the evenings, writing in the journal and practicing spelling words. It became their special time together—a chance to talk about what went well that day and what they could work on. The journal helped her feel calmer, and she started to believe that making mistakes was just part of learning.
The Big Day
When the day of the spelling bee arrived, Emily still felt a little nervous, but she remembered the encouraging words from her journal: “I am brave, and I can try my best.” She took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage with a newfound confidence.
She didn’t win the competition, but she made it further than she ever expected. Afterward, she didn’t feel disappointed like she usually would. Instead, she was proud of herself for giving it a try and even wrote about it in her journal that night: “Today, I didn’t win, but I felt brave. I’m proud that I didn’t give up!”
A New Routine
Now, Emily’s Big Life Journal is her favorite part of the day. Every evening, she pulls out her journal, and she and her mom fill out a page together. They talk about the things she’s grateful for, what made her smile that day, and what she’s looking forward to. Emily even started adding her own little drawings and notes, turning it into a colorful scrapbook of her thoughts and dreams.
The journal has become a place where she can explore her feelings, celebrate small victories, and reflect on challenges without feeling judged. And little by little, Emily has started to notice a change in herself—she’s less afraid to try new things and more willing to keep going, even when something is tough.
Growing Up with a Growth Mindset
A few months later, when Emily faced another difficult math problem, she still felt frustrated, but she didn’t say, “I can’t do this” anymore. Instead, she remembered her journal’s message: “I can learn anything if I keep trying.” With that, she gave the problem another shot, taking it one step at a time.
Emily’s Big Life Journal has become her little companion—a place where she learns that it’s okay to be imperfect, that mistakes are stepping stones, and that she is capable of achieving anything she sets her mind to. And her mom, Sarah, couldn’t be prouder of the way Emily has blossomed into a resilient, hopeful, and courageous little girl.
Now, whenever Emily flips through her journal and sees the pages filled with memories and positive words, she knows that each page is a reminder of how far she’s come. And to her, that makes the Big Life Journal truly magical.
Check out Big Life Journals – I am proud to be an affiliate partner with Big Life Journal, sharing their incredible resources that help kids and families cultivate a growth mindset and build resilience.
Big Life Journal – 2nd Edition (ages 7-10)
€24,80 EUR
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