The best notebooks by Intelligent Change for beautiful self-care & growth

If you’re looking for beautiful self-care journals, look no further…

In this post, I’m celebrating one of my favourite publishers of beautifully well-made and insightful journals of the last few years: Intelligent Change.

I received my first Intelligent Change notebooks from a business coach I worked with back in 2020, who was kind enough to give me a copy of both The Five Minute Journal and The Productivity Planner.

That was during the p-word, back when I was meant to have moved to Japan to live with Iain for a year while he did his post-doc but in reality was stuck living with my parents.

It was essentially the perfect time to receive these journals, and they really did help me to nurture gratitude and clear my head.

Since then, I’ve carved out time on many mornings and evenings to dive into the pages of these lovely self-care books. And, of course, I’ve also been keeping an eye on new releases from Intelligent Change.

This post contains affiliate links (and you’ll find a discount code at the end of the page), but even if it didn’t I’d say the same: when I’m using these notebooks regularly, they really do improve my life.

Read on for a quick review of my three favourite notebooks, as well as a few pointers on which one might be best for you…

Notes to Mindfulness Journal

Choose the Notes to Mindfulness Journal for… a gorgeous, introspective notebook for nurturing creative self-expression, gratitude, and inner peace every day.

How I use it: In the morning while sitting on my balcony, especially when I’m feeling tense and unfocused. There are overlaps with The Five Minute Journal, so I tend to alternate between them. The main difference is that this journal has more prompts and exercises, which I’ve found to be a fun way to shake things up.

The Notes to Mindfulness Journal is the stunning result of a collaboration with Chelsea Kauai and probably the most beautiful book by Intelligent Change to date. That cover!

The interior is just as beautiful too, full of gorgeous illustrations, fonts, and journaling prompts to make your time for reflection that little bit more special.

As you work through the notebook, you’ll get a chance to think mindfully about your morning routine, goals, and creativity as well as your inner landscape.

I love this notebook for daily journaling and introspection, both as a hardcover and a digital version (I use it on a Remarkable 2, but you can also use it on an iPad or any other tablet).

The Five Minute Journal

Choose The Five Minute Journal for… a gratitude-boosting self-care journal that will clear your mind and remind you of the good in your life.

How I use it: During the mornings and evenings of days when I want to clear the cobwebs and feel more balanced. It only takes a minute or two max and really does make a difference.

This bestseller is the best gratitude journal I’ve ever come across (and looking at reviews, thousands of other customers would agree with me). I love how they market it as “a toothbrush for your mind”.

It’s the most popular of the Intelligent Change notebooks, and I think a big part of it is the book’s simplicity.

I love the notebook’s daily layout – it’s straightforward but so effective – and it’s these pages that I find myself turning to most frequently.

Each morning, there’s space to list three things you’re grateful for, what would make today great, and a daily affirmation.

Before you fall asleep, you can share three highlights of the day and what you’ve learned.

The Productivity Planner

Choose The Productivity Planner for… the best productivity journal I’ve come across to guide your focus and prioritise what’s most impactful each day.

How I use it: When there’s a lot of work I want to do and I need to narrow my focus to get the right things done. I fill it in at the start of my workday and leave it open on my desk to tick tasks off straightaway and help me stay on track.

After reading stacks of productivity books, what really matters is taking action.

This bestselling planner from Intelligent Change is a really fantastic tool for keeping your time, focus, and priorities on track.

It’s another journal that’s so wonderfully simple – I don’t know about you, but that’s exactly what I need most.

Whether you’re looking to boost your mindfulness, gratitude, or productivity, it’s hard to go wrong with Intelligent Change notebooks.

If you make any purchases, I hope the notebooks can inspire you as much as they have in my own life and work.

With the coupon code TOLSTOYTHERAPY, you can also enjoy 10% off any purchases from the Intelligent Change website. Enjoy and let me know how you get on 🙂

For more beautiful self-care notebooks, you might also like…

• Therapy Notebooks: gorgeous books for evidence-based self-care