Meet Julie

I've learned that whatever the challenge,

Gratitude is the answer.

How I found gratitude in my darkest times:

Losing a baby at 15 weeks is unimaginable. In January of 2013, I experienced a traumatic miscarriage at home. I was home alone and I called 911 after giving birth in the tub. The police broke down my door to let the paramedics in. At the hospital, I had an emergency D&C. Less than 4 hours later, I was discharged without instructions or follow-up care. We went straight from the hospital to pick up our two-year old at daycare.

That night, I found the strength to write in my gratitude journal:

I am grateful that

  • my daughter was at daycare
  • I received excellent care from the paramedics and hospital staff.
  • my husband and best friend were at the hospital with me

Finding something to be grateful for on the most challenging day of my life made me realize the importance of sharing my gratitude practice with others.

What is my gratitude practice?

Every night before bed I write three things that I'm grateful for from that day. This habit is what helped me to find gratitude that night.

As I healed from this loss, I wrote 30 Days of Gratitude, The Gratitude Program That Will Change Your Life.

Sadly, the story doesn’t end there.

In November of 2014, I was pregnant for a third time. Once again I miscarried, just a few days before 12 weeks. I went back to the hospital for a second D&C. A few days later, the story took a turn for the worse.

Two days after my surgery, I was admitted to the hospital for septic shock, caused by Invasive Group A Strep. This is kind of strep infection is often fatal.

I spent a week in a medically induced coma on a ventilator. I have few memories of this time I spent sleeping in order to heal.

When I awoke from the coma, I understood what it means to wake up with gratitude.
julie with her daughter after she woke up from a coma

Let's treat every day as a GIFT!

My gratitude journal was kept beside my hospital bed in the ICU. There is a two week gap due to my illness and coma. That life-threatening experience taught me that every single day is a gift. And we get to choose to wake up with gratitude!

My morning mantra keeps me going:

‘Thank you for this gift of another day and for the opportunity to be of service to others and to make a difference in this world.'

Wake Up With Gratitude is a community of people who (sometimes struggle to) practice gratitude. We offer many ways to support your gratitude practice:

Take action and choose what's best for you!