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The Contentment Journal
#1 New York Times best-selling author Rachel Cruze guides you on a 90-day journey toward contentment--one where you actually love your life and not someone else’s. Let’s be We’ve all compared ourselves to others. You scroll through social media and see someone’s latest vacation and think, “Must be nice…” Just like that, you feel like your life isn’t good enough. Rachel knows the struggle is real because she's experienced the same thing. So, she created a 90-day journal to help you stop comparing your life to others and be happier than you’ve ever been. The Contentment Journal is divided into 30-day
- GenresPersonal Finance
192 pages, Hardcover
Published April 2, 2019
25 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Cruze
11 books325 followersAs a #1 New York Times best-selling author and seasoned communicator, Rachel Cruze helps Americans learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt. She’s authored three best-selling books, including Love Your Life, Not Theirs and Smart Money Smart Kids. The daughter of Dave Ramsey, she joined Ramsey Solutions in 2010 and uses the knowledge and experiences from growing up in the Ramsey household to educate others. You can follow Cruze on Twitter and Instagram at @RachelCruze and online at rachelcruze.com, youtube.com/rachelcruze or facebook.com/rachelramseycruze.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 30, 2020
Okay, so I love Ramsey Solutions. I'd buy just about anything they put out because I trust them and they do quality work, work that is truth, good, and practical. Love the company. But this was a little disappointing for me. Let me explain.
First, the book is gorgeous! Quality, sturdy binding. Beautiful, textured cover. Clean, well-designed. Sturdy, reallllly pretty ribbon that you can actually use (does anyone else get annoyed with flimsy ribbons that just fall apart when you try to use them in books?). It is physically a really beautiful, quality book. I also love the idea behind the book. I love journaling, so this was right up my alley! And even though I relate better to Dave's voice than I do Rachel's, she's still funny and a really lovely soul. Reading her bits throughout the book was like talking to a friend. She was real and genuine and encouraging and kind.
So, the book has an introduction to the journal, three short teachings, and a conclusion--as well as inspirational (and pretttty!) quotes each week. Each section is 30 days and each day has a prompt and then space to write. Each day gets a page, except for the last day of the week, which always gets two pages and the exact same prompt every time--reflect on the previous week, look forward to the week ahead. Each section begins with a day to anticipate the coming 30 days and ends with a day to look back over the previous 30 days. There are also additional journaling pages in the back to continue the journey after the 90 days. The book is clearly structured, which I also really liked.
What I didn't care for as much. :/ I think, if I'd stopped to think about this, it may not have come as that little disappointment, but I guess for some reason, I was expecting a bit more...of the devotional aspect? Like the introductions were cool, but this was sort of pitched as a way to dig deeper into these ideas of gratitude, humility, and contentment. I just sort of assumed (don't do that XD) that that meant we'd be talking about these ideas and learning more about them and how to apply them to our lives. But the introduction was about all we got on the topic.
Additionally, the prompts were hit or miss. I'm single, not married, no kids. I live alone, and just in this time also happen to be between jobs and homes. So, literally, almost everything she asked in the prompts either didn't apply at all (like the ones about marriage) or hit at a really weird time in my life where it temporarily didn't apply (like the job/career ones). I still took what I could from the prompts and tried to evaluate other relationships and the part time job I'm working and looking forward with other goals and stuff. But even then, the prompts didn't really guide me to learning how to cultivate humility and contentment. I think the gratitude ones were the most effective, but still didn't quite hit the mark for me. The prompts were easier to "count your blessings" for lack of a better phrase. The contentment ones almost all looked forward to the future, which, while I understand you can both have contentment for where you are and look forward and plan and work toward a better future, just didn't really breed contentment. And after the third or fourth week of recap with the same reflection prompt (and not really feeling any headway in the categories and prompts) I sort of just started using those days as normal journal pages. And, lastly, (again, if I'd stopped to think about this, it wouldn't have been a disappointment XD) I really missed having page numbers, silly as that sounds!
Anyway, it's a beautiful, quality book (as I've said multiple times) with a fun, friendly voice interspersed between some vague, somewhat guided prompts and journal pages. They may apply more to married people with families. The prompts address relationships (not just spouse, but kids, friends, etc.), time, money, career, lifestyle, and personal development. It's a great journal. It's not a devotional on contentment. Just know what it is going into it and don't expect it to go deep.
First, the book is gorgeous! Quality, sturdy binding. Beautiful, textured cover. Clean, well-designed. Sturdy, reallllly pretty ribbon that you can actually use (does anyone else get annoyed with flimsy ribbons that just fall apart when you try to use them in books?). It is physically a really beautiful, quality book. I also love the idea behind the book. I love journaling, so this was right up my alley! And even though I relate better to Dave's voice than I do Rachel's, she's still funny and a really lovely soul. Reading her bits throughout the book was like talking to a friend. She was real and genuine and encouraging and kind.
So, the book has an introduction to the journal, three short teachings, and a conclusion--as well as inspirational (and pretttty!) quotes each week. Each section is 30 days and each day has a prompt and then space to write. Each day gets a page, except for the last day of the week, which always gets two pages and the exact same prompt every time--reflect on the previous week, look forward to the week ahead. Each section begins with a day to anticipate the coming 30 days and ends with a day to look back over the previous 30 days. There are also additional journaling pages in the back to continue the journey after the 90 days. The book is clearly structured, which I also really liked.
What I didn't care for as much. :/ I think, if I'd stopped to think about this, it may not have come as that little disappointment, but I guess for some reason, I was expecting a bit more...of the devotional aspect? Like the introductions were cool, but this was sort of pitched as a way to dig deeper into these ideas of gratitude, humility, and contentment. I just sort of assumed (don't do that XD) that that meant we'd be talking about these ideas and learning more about them and how to apply them to our lives. But the introduction was about all we got on the topic.
Additionally, the prompts were hit or miss. I'm single, not married, no kids. I live alone, and just in this time also happen to be between jobs and homes. So, literally, almost everything she asked in the prompts either didn't apply at all (like the ones about marriage) or hit at a really weird time in my life where it temporarily didn't apply (like the job/career ones). I still took what I could from the prompts and tried to evaluate other relationships and the part time job I'm working and looking forward with other goals and stuff. But even then, the prompts didn't really guide me to learning how to cultivate humility and contentment. I think the gratitude ones were the most effective, but still didn't quite hit the mark for me. The prompts were easier to "count your blessings" for lack of a better phrase. The contentment ones almost all looked forward to the future, which, while I understand you can both have contentment for where you are and look forward and plan and work toward a better future, just didn't really breed contentment. And after the third or fourth week of recap with the same reflection prompt (and not really feeling any headway in the categories and prompts) I sort of just started using those days as normal journal pages. And, lastly, (again, if I'd stopped to think about this, it wouldn't have been a disappointment XD) I really missed having page numbers, silly as that sounds!
Anyway, it's a beautiful, quality book (as I've said multiple times) with a fun, friendly voice interspersed between some vague, somewhat guided prompts and journal pages. They may apply more to married people with families. The prompts address relationships (not just spouse, but kids, friends, etc.), time, money, career, lifestyle, and personal development. It's a great journal. It's not a devotional on contentment. Just know what it is going into it and don't expect it to go deep.
February 6, 2021
Instills basic habits of Journaling and reflection, but in the middle the questions felt like they were asking the same thing over and over again...just trying to fill the 90 days of Journaling. Starting a day thinking of all you have and how to be content with that is a wonderful thing.
July 19, 2019
Love the looking back, through the journal, and seeing how God is moving in my life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2022
Really enjoyed this and feel like it helped me shift my outlook and mindset on things.
November 1, 2020
I’m an avid Ramsey fan and have been for years.
I love Rachel’s relatable style and humble heart.
Through transformations and teachers God has led me through I felt prompted to get this journal as my last goal setting one just finished.
I am feeling even more drawn to increase focus on gratitude, humility and contentment so love the 30 day approach here
Love this journal - it gave me so much insight into the past, present and future at every step.
Beautifully bound, and insightful questions. You will love it.
I love Rachel’s relatable style and humble heart.
Through transformations and teachers God has led me through I felt prompted to get this journal as my last goal setting one just finished.
I am feeling even more drawn to increase focus on gratitude, humility and contentment so love the 30 day approach here
Love this journal - it gave me so much insight into the past, present and future at every step.
Beautifully bound, and insightful questions. You will love it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews