How to Start A Daily Gratitude Journal
Keeping a daily gratitude journal but you’re wondering, will it really work for me and how do I even get started? What do you write in a gratitude journal anyway?
Let me start off by saying that while a gratitude journal will not change your life circumstances, it very well may change your life perspective. You may not realize it, but your life will become a lot more joyful and even healthier.
What Is The Purpose Of A Gratitude Journal?
Do gratitude journals really work? A gratitude journal gives you a chance to reflect on everything you’re grateful for in life. Filling it in each day with notes of things you’re thankful for can help you feel less stressed throughout the day.
A happier perspective affects your life, causing you to build stronger relationships and feel more comfortable and healthier. And studies indicate that people who keep a gratitude journal tend to be more optimistic.
So, here are just a few benefits of keeping a gratitude journal:
Grateful people are more likely to:
• experience increased energy
• feel more optimism
• have increased social connections
• attain more happiness
• enjoy higher self-esteem
• cope better with stress
Grateful people are also less likely to:
• feel anxious
• be depressed
• suffer from substance abuse
• struggle economically
• have sleep issues
• live sedentary lives
- What do you need to get started?
You don’t need any special kind of book to get started. You can get started with just a ruled notebook from the dollar store if you like. Or you can pick up something prettier. You can also get a printable gratitude journal and print it off and put the pages in a binder. The key is to get something you will use.
There’s no right or wrong way to keep a gratitude journal but you don’t want it to become something that makes you feel more stressed. You might find it easier to get into a routine if you do it the same time each day. Some people like to write down what they’re grateful for first thing when they get up in the morning and others like to finish the day doing it right before going to bed. It also will make it easier to become a habit if you can do it daily.
You might want to start with listing just one thing you’re thankful for. Then as you get going you might find you want to add to the list.
2) Where to find inspiration
If you find yourself staring at the blank page and you can’t think where to start, you might want to try using journal prompts. These are questions that can help you to reflect on your life. You can pick up 30 gratitude journal prompts for free by signing up here.
The things you list don’t have to be profound or big, life-changing things. Concentrate on using all of your senses to experience people, places, and events in your life.
Here are some ideas of things to be thankful for that you might want to jot down in your daily gratitude journal:
Did someone unexpectedly give you a compliment today?
Did someone help you with a small task you needed to complete?
What food or drinks do you really enjoy? Think about the smell of your favorite coffee or the feel of the warm mug in your hands on a cold day. Savor the smell and taste of your favorite food. Does it bring back any happy memories?
When you spend time in nature, pay attention to what’s around you that you can be grateful for. Notice beautiful flowers, colorful sunsets, or the soothing sound of the ocean. Or listen to the songs of the birds in your neighborhood. If you’re stuck for something to be grateful for, try going someplace different and really noticing what’s there.
3) Sometimes to find things to be grateful for means being more mindful or fully present in where you are or what you are doing.
Do you have a pet? You can be grateful for the unconditional love you get from your furry companion (or feathered, or scaled, you get the idea).
Be thankful for the measure of health you have. If you can walk, see, hear, speak, there will be many things you can find to include.
Your town or city or even your home and living environment can spark journal entries.
Friends and family can also make the list.
Sometimes all it takes is something like finding a close parking spot at your trip to the grocery store or a phone call from a friend you haven’t heard from in a while.
4) Trying new hobbies can give you a feeling of accomplishment. You can think about how grateful you are for the experience.
Taking care of yourself, even if it’s just getting your hair styled or your nails painted, is something to be grateful for. Be thankful you can take time for you.
5) Get Started Now On Your Daily Gratitude Journal Habit Today!!
So go ahead and start a gratitude journal to record the things you have to be grateful for. You might find yourself surprised with how much better you begin to feel in a short period of time. You’ll find that goodness is all around you just waiting to be noticed and recorded.
Going back and rereading entries will also help you see all the good there is in your life. You’ll see how much better you start to feel about yourself and others.
Keeping a gratitude journal daily isn’t going to solve all your problems, but it can help you to be more resilient and less stressed out by your day-to-day challenges and help you learn to think more positively.
Another optin for journal prompts here
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