The numbers tell a startling story: 78% of Americans report feeling stressed during the holiday season, with November marking the beginning of what many call "the anxiety sprint" from Thanksgiving through New Year's. Meanwhile, emergency room visits for stress-related symptoms spike by 40% between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
But there's a quiet rebellion happening. A growing movement of people who are stepping off the treadmill, slowing down deliberately, and rediscovering what the holidays were supposed to be about in the first place.
They're practicing something called "slow living," and their secret weapon is something your grandmother probably had on her bedside table: a gratitude journal. Except this isn't your typical blank notebook. It's a tactile, vintage-inspired practice that's transforming how people experience not just the holidays, but their entire relationship with time itself.
What Is Slow Living? (And Why Everyone's Talking About It in 2025)
Slow living isn't about doing everything at a snail's pace. It's about being intentional with your time, energy, and attention. It's choosing quality over quantity, presence over productivity, and meaning over metrics.
The Movement's Origins
The slow living movement evolved from the Slow Food movement that started in Italy in the 1980s as a protest against fast food culture. By 2025, it has expanded into every area of life:
- Slow Food: Savoring meals, knowing where food comes from
- Slow Fashion: Quality pieces over fast fashion trends
- Slow Travel: Immersive experiences over Instagram checkpoints
- Slow Work: Sustainable productivity over hustle culture
- Slow Crafting: Mindful creation over mass consumption
Why It's Exploding Now
The Statistics:
- 67% of millennials now identify with "anti-hustle" values (up from 42% in 2020)
- Google searches for "slow living" up 340% since 2020
- #SlowLiving has 8.2 million posts on Instagram
- 45% of Gen Z actively seeks "slow" alternatives to mainstream activities
- Book sales for slow living topics up 210% year-over-year
The Triggers
1. Burnout Epidemic
Post-pandemic burnout isn't going away. In fact, it's getting worse. The World Health Organization reports that 76% of workers experience symptoms of burnout, with younger generations hit hardest.
2. Digital Exhaustion
Average screen time in 2025: 9.2 hours daily. People are craving analog experiences that don't drain them.
3. Climate Anxiety
72% of Gen Z experiences eco-anxiety. Slow living's emphasis on sustainability, minimal consumption, and intentional living offers both practical action and emotional relief.
4. Meaning Crisis
After years of optimization and productivity hacks, people are asking: "For what?" Slow living provides the space to answer that question.
Gratitude Journaling: The Gateway to Slow Living
If slow living is the philosophy, gratitude journaling is the practice. And vintage journaling, the kind that involves actual paper, ephemera, and your own hands, is the most powerful version.
The Science Is Overwhelming
Research from UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center:
- Writing down three specific things you're grateful for daily increases happiness by 25% within three weeks
- Gratitude practice reduces stress hormones (cortisol) by 23%
- People who journal gratitude report 30% better sleep quality
- Depression symptoms decrease by 35% with consistent practice
- Relationships improve (people report feeling closer to loved ones)
Brain Imaging Studies:
Regular gratitude practice literally changes your brain:
- Increased gray matter in the prefrontal cortex (decision-making, emotional regulation)
- Stronger neural pathways for positive emotion
- Reduced amygdala response (less anxiety)
- Better dopamine regulation (natural mood elevation)
But here's the critical finding: The benefits are significantly stronger when gratitude is written by hand rather than typed. The neurological engagement of handwriting creates deeper memory formation and emotional processing.
Why Vintage Journaling Amplifies Gratitude
Modern gratitude apps and bullet journals are fine, but they miss something crucial: sensory richness.
When you create a gratitude page using vintage ephemera, you engage multiple senses:
- Touch: The texture of aged paper, the resistance of fountain pen on parchment, the tackiness of washi tape
- Sight: Layered colors, patterns, the beauty of your own creation
- Smell: Yes, old paper has a distinct scent that triggers memory and calm
- Sound: The rustle of pages, the scratch of pen on paper
This multi-sensory engagement creates what neuroscientists call "embodied cognition." You're not just thinking gratitude; you're experiencing it through your body, which creates much stronger neural pathways and emotional resonance.
The Thanksgiving Timing: Why November Is Perfect for Starting
Thanksgiving literally means "giving thanks," yet most Americans spend it stressed, overscheduled, and emotionally depleted by family dynamics and travel logistics.
The Irony Statistics:
- 65% of Americans report stress about Thanksgiving dinner preparation
- 43% dread family political discussions
- 52% feel pressure to create "perfect" holiday experiences for social media
- Average person spends 4.5 hours on Thanksgiving Day looking at screens
The Solution: What if you spent those 4.5 hours creating instead of consuming?
The Slow Thanksgiving Practice
Starting a gratitude journaling practice in early November transforms how you experience Thanksgiving:
Week 1 (Early November):
Focus on everyday moments you're grateful for. That perfect cup of coffee. Morning light through your window. Your pet's greeting when you come home.
Week 2 (Mid-November):
Expand to people in your life. Not generic "I'm grateful for my family," but specific moments: "I'm grateful Mom texted me that ridiculous meme at 6am because she knows I wake up early."
Week 3 (Pre-Thanksgiving):
Reflect on challenges you've overcome this year. Gratitude for resilience, growth, lessons learned.
Week 4 (Thanksgiving Week):
Visual gratitude. Create journal pages that celebrate the year using collected ephemera, photos, ticket stubs, and memorabilia. Make your gratitude tangible.
How to Start Your Slow Living Gratitude Practice
Step 1: Create Your Sacred Space
Slow living requires space both physical and temporal. You need a spot that signals to your brain: "This is where I slow down."
Physical Space:
- A comfortable chair with good lighting
- Your journal and supplies within reach
- Optional: candle, tea setup, cozy blanket
- Phone in another room (non-negotiable)
Temporal Space:
- Same time daily (morning or evening work best)
- Start with just 10 minutes (not an hour, you'll quit)
- Make it a ritual, not a task
Step 2: Choose Your Journal
Option A: Repurpose a Vintage Book
Thrift stores have hardcover books for $1-3. The aged pages immediately set the "slow, vintage" tone. You're literally writing in history.
Option B: Start Fresh with Beautiful Paper
A blank journal with quality paper. The act of choosing it mindfully is already practicing slow living.
Option C: Subscription Simplicity
CoraCreaCrafts monthly box delivers curated vintage journaling supplies. You're committing to the practice by investing in the tools, and the anticipation of each month's arrival becomes part of the slow living rhythm.
Step 3: Gather Your Materials (Slowly)
This isn't Amazon Prime gratification. Collecting your supplies is part of the practice.
Week 1-2: Forage
- Save receipts from favorite coffee shops
- Collect autumn leaves and flowers (press them)
- Keep ticket stubs, business cards, interesting packaging
- Tear pages from damaged books (library sales are goldmines)
Week 3-4: Curate
- Visit thrift stores for vintage ephemera
- Browse craft stores for washi tape in autumn colors
- Consider vintage paper sets with botanical themes
- Find a fountain pen you love (even inexpensive ones feel special)
The key: Don't buy everything at once. Let your collection grow organically like your gratitude practice.
Step 4: The Daily Practice (10 Minutes That Change Everything)
The Structure:
Minute 1-2: Settle
Light your candle. Make your tea. Breathe deeply three times. This is the transition from "doing" to "being."
Minute 3-5: Write
Write three specific things you're grateful for today. Not "my family" but "the way my daughter laughed at her own joke at dinner." Not "my health" but "my body's ability to take that long walk without pain."
Specificity is everything. Generic gratitude doesn't create the neural rewiring you're after.
Minute 6-9: Create
Add visual elements to your page:
- Glue a pressed flower from your walk
- Add a strip of washi tape in autumn colors
- Layer a vintage ephemera piece that captures your mood
- Doodle, stamp, or simply add a date marker
This isn't about artistic skill. It's about tactile presence. Your hands are engaged, which keeps your mind from wandering to your to-do list.
Minute 10: Close
Look at what you created. Place your hand on the page. Take one deep breath. Close the journal.
You've practiced slow living.
Slow Living Gratitude for Different Life Situations
For the Overwhelmed Parent
Your Challenge: "I have three kids under 10. I don't have 10 minutes."
The Slow Living Reframe: You especially need 10 minutes. Your kids need to see you modeling self-care and intentionality more than they need one more snack prepared.
The Practice:
- Journal while kids have quiet time or screen time (yes, it's okay)
- Let older kids create their own gratitude pages alongside you
- Keep it simple: One gratitude sentence, one washi tape strip, done
- Curated subscription boxes mean no decisions to make when you're already depleted
For the Burned-Out Professional
Your Challenge: "I bring work stress home. I can't turn off my brain."
The Slow Living Reframe: That's exactly why you need a physical, analog practice. You can't check work email in your journal.
The Practice:
- Journal immediately after work as a transition ritual
- Focus gratitude on non-work moments (reclaim your identity)
- Use vintage ephemera with nature themes to ground yourself
- Let the tactile act of layering papers slow your nervous system
For the Holiday Dreader
Your Challenge: "I'm already anxious about family dynamics at Thanksgiving."
The Slow Living Reframe: Gratitude practice isn't toxic positivity. It's choosing where you direct attention. You can acknowledge stress AND practice gratitude.
The Practice:
- Journal about moments of peace, humor, connection (even small ones)
- Create "escape" pages with calming vintage imagery
- Bring your journal to Thanksgiving and steal 10 minutes in a bathroom if needed
- Use botanical washi tape and pressed flowers for sensory calm
For the Skeptic
Your Challenge: "This sounds like privileged people with too much time."
The Slow Living Reframe: Fair pushback. But research shows gratitude practice is most beneficial for those experiencing hardship. It's not about pretending life is perfect; it's about training your brain to notice what's sustainable.
The Practice:
- Start with one minute and three sentences
- Use free materials only (receipts, junk mail, things you'd throw away)
- Focus on "what helped me survive today" rather than "what was perfect"
- No pretty supplies needed; this works in a 99-cent notebook
The Thanksgiving Gratitude Journal Challenge
Here's a structured 30-day practice to take you from now through Thanksgiving:
Days 1-7: Foundation Week
Theme: Daily Moments
Practice finding gratitude in ordinary moments:
- Your morning routine
- A meal you enjoyed
- A kind interaction
- Something beautiful you noticed
- A comfort you appreciate
- A problem you don't have
- Your body's abilities
Journaling Focus: One sentence per gratitude, simple washi tape borders
Days 8-14: People Week
Theme: Specific Humans
Focus on actual people:
- Someone who made you laugh
- A person who taught you something
- Someone who shows up consistently
- An unexpected act of kindness
- A quality you admire in someone
- A forgiven conflict
- Someone who's no longer here but shaped you
Journaling Focus: Add photos or ephemera related to these people
Days 15-21: Growth Week
Theme: Challenges & Resilience
The hard stuff you're grateful for:
- A difficulty that made you stronger
- A failure that redirected you
- A loss that deepened you
- A fear you faced
- A belief you released
- A skill you developed through struggle
- A boundary you set
Journaling Focus: Use darker, richer colors; dark academia aesthetics work well here
Days 22-30: Thanksgiving Week & Beyond
Theme: Visual Gratitude Story
Create spreads that tell your gratitude story:
- A "year in review" collage page
- Seasonal gratitude (what you love about each season)
- Sensory gratitude (things you're grateful to taste, see, touch, hear, smell)
- Future gratitude (things you're looking forward to)
- Thanksgiving Day: A page created FROM your thanksgiving meal (save a napkin, menu, place card, recipe card)
Journaling Focus: This is about creating keepsake pages, not perfection
The Ripple Effects: What Happens After 30 Days
People who complete a month of gratitude journaling report unexpected changes:
Mental Shifts:
- "I notice beauty automatically now, not just when journaling"
- "I'm less reactive to stress; I pause before responding"
- "I feel like I have more time, even though nothing changed in my schedule"
- "Anxiety about the holidays decreased significantly"
Relationship Impacts:
- "I tell people I appreciate them more often"
- "I'm less critical of my family's quirks"
- "I feel more connected even to people I don't see often"
Lifestyle Changes:
- "I started saying no to things that drain me"
- "I buy less stuff; I appreciate what I have"
- "I cook more slowly and actually enjoy it"
- "I spend less time scrolling, more time creating"
Physical Benefits:
- "I sleep better"
- "My jaw tension decreased (I was clenching from stress)"
- "Digestion improved" (stress impacts gut health)
- "I feel energized, not depleted"
Making It Sustainable: The Monthly Rhythm
The beauty of slow living is it's sustainable. Unlike New Year's resolutions that flame out by February, slow living practices get easier and more rewarding over time.
The Monthly System:
- Week 1: New subscription box arrives, new theme, fresh inspiration
- Week 2: Deep journaling with new supplies, experimenting
- Week 3: Refining your practice, using up supplies
- Week 4: Reflection, finishing up pages, preparing for next month
This creates a rhythm that's slow but not stagnant. You're not doing the same thing every day forever; you're evolving within a gentle structure.
Slow Living Beyond the Journal
Gratitude journaling is a gateway practice. Once you experience the benefits of slowing down for 10 minutes daily, it naturally expands:
Slow Morning:
- 10 minutes of journaling before checking your phone
- Actually tasting your coffee instead of gulping while multitasking
- Noticing the light, the weather, the first thoughts of the day
Slow Meals:
- Cooking as meditation, not a chore
- Eating without screens
- Savoring flavors, textures, company
Slow Evenings:
- Evening journaling to process the day
- Handwriting letters instead of texting
- Reading physical books with tea and a candle
Slow Holidays:
- Saying no to events that don't serve you
- Focusing on three meaningful traditions instead of 15 stressful ones
- Handcrafted, thoughtful gifts over Amazon panic-buying
- Creating experiences over purchasing things
Your Invitation to the Slow Living Revolution
The world is not going to slow down for you. Hustle culture, productivity optimization, and the pressure to do more with less time are only intensifying.
But you can slow down. You can choose presence over productivity. You can practice gratitude as a radical act of reclaiming your attention from a world that wants to commodify it.
And the perfect time to start is right now, in early November, before the holiday chaos begins.
What if this Thanksgiving, instead of feeling exhausted and depleted, you felt genuinely grateful? What if you had a daily practice that kept you anchored when family dynamics got weird or travel plans fell apart?
What if slowing down was the most productive thing you did all year?
Start Your Slow Living Gratitude Practice Today
Step 1: Get Your Journal
Choose a notebook that feels special to you. Or let someone curate supplies for you with CoraCreaCrafts monthly subscription—vintage ephemera, washi tape, and themed supplies delivered to your door.
Step 2: Gather Simple Materials
You need almost nothing to start:
- Pen you love writing with
- One roll of washi tape in autumn colors
- Glue stick
- Whatever paper scraps you have lying around
Or browse vintage ephemera collections for curated supplies.
Step 3: Commit to 10 Minutes
Same time, every day, for one week. Just seven days. See how you feel.
Step 4: Join the Community
- Instagram: @coracreacrafts (daily inspiration, slow living tips)
- Pinterest: Slow Living Boards (visual ideas)
- Use #SlowLivingGratitude to share your practice
This Thanksgiving, give yourself the gift of slowing down.
The turkey will get cooked. The relatives will have their opinions. The holiday will happen whether you're stressed or peaceful.
But you get to choose which version of yourself shows up.
And maybe, just maybe, 10 minutes a day of gratitude and presence will change everything.
Research sources: UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center, American Psychological Association Stress in America 2025 Report, World Health Organization Burnout Studies, mindfulness and neuroplasticity research from Harvard Medical School.
