Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here
A Gratitude Journal is some sort of a diary where you list down everything that you are grateful for. Seems like it’s easy to do. But when you are stressed up or depressed, it becomes so difficult to be grateful or thankful for anything.
That’s when a gratitude journal comes in handy. Making it a routine to write in a gratitude journal helps you to focus on positive things that are going on in your life. Whenever you are grateful, you become happier. Being in a happy mood is good for your mental health.
How Do You Write A Gratitude Journal?
There are actually a few ways to start a gratitude journal. Choose a way that will be practical for you and something you enjoy doing.
- A notebook and a pen. Put it beside your bed and before you go to sleep at night, write down everything you are grateful for. You can do it as a bullet journal
- Install a note app on your mobile. Each time you feel grateful about something, quickly type it out and save it.
- Prepare a box or a bottle and some stick it notes. Put them both on your desk. Make it a daily routine to sit at your desk, take a piece of stick it notes and list down everything that you are grateful for. Fold the note and put in in your box or bottle.
What To Write In A Gratitude Journal?
Try to write down a few things that you are thankful for. Avoid repeating the same things the following day. On some days you may have a lot to list down. But on certain days you will find it to be quite challenging to even write one thing that you are grateful for. Don’t stress yourself out. Just shut your eyes and breathe in and out. The air that you breathe is also something to be grateful for.
Personal Gratitude
Look at yourself in the mirror. You are healthy. You have a pair of eyes that can admire the beauty of the world. A pair of ears to hear your favourite song being played on the radio. Your heart is beating. You are alive. One thing to remember is to never compare your body to someone else. Instead imagine if a part of your body is not functioning well, then your body will not be as it is now. That will help you to be more grateful.
[bctt tweet=”A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles. ” username=”karenmonica25″]
Are there any good qualities in you. I am sure you have a talent or maybe a few. You can do something that so many others can’t. Did someone just praise you for the delicious food that you prepared for dinner? Hey isn’t that something to be grateful for?
Think of the people around you. Family, husband/wife, friends, neighbours and even your much-loved pets. Aren’t you grateful for them? I am sure you can write a long grateful list about each one of them. What about the people that made your life hell? There are things to be grateful about them too, don’t you think? I am sure there are some lessons that you have learned from your past relationship with them. And you have moved on to be a better person today. All thanks to them
Material Gratitude
You can also be grateful for all the material things that you have. Think about your clothes, shoes, bed, mobile, house …. and all the other material things that you have. Aren’t you lucky? Around the world there are people without homes, they may have never seen a mobile and are walking barefoot because they can’t even afford a pair of slippers.
Maybe you have experienced something that made you smile today. A situation that made you feel special or loved is always to be thankful for. You might have achieved a goal today or you crossed out everything on your to-do list. That’s definitely something to write in a gratitude journal.
When To Write A Gratitude Journal?
I feel the best time to write in a gratitude journal is at night. But there are no rules to it. Just right whenever you want to. Write whenever you feel grateful. But try to make it your daily routine.
What Are The Benefits Of A Gratitude Journal?
It has proven that being grateful has a positive effect on our mental and physical health. It puts us on a happy mode. By being grateful as often as we can or should, we will feel less stressed. We can sleep better and feel more motivated during the day.
Must Read: Journal Prompt Ideas For Self Love
I am sure that you have so many things that you are grateful for. Why not start your very own gratitude journal today? Every end of the month, I like to read back on all of the things that I was grateful for and that makes me realized how blessed I am. This gratitude journal works wonders when I am feeling down too. It somehow cheers me up and I hope it will cheer you up to.
If you have questions or suggestions about a Gratitude Journal or a bullet journal, do leave your comments below. I love responding to your comments.
Cool post, I always wanted to write in a gratitude journal. Heard they were helpful but didn’t really know where to start. this was helpful. thanks!
Hope it gave you some tips to start your own gratitude journal 🙂
Why is Night better? I love the idea of having a gratitude journal! I may start one!
Why night? Just before you go to bed, take a minute to flashback everything that happened during the day and be thankful for whatever that made you smile. 🙂
Gratitude is the best tool to attract more goodness in your life. You have done a good job in bringing it all together of how to, benefits and what to journal. I have also recently added a gratitude journal prompts freebie on my blog. This post reminds me of that now 🙂
Thank you Pooja 🙂 I will take a look at those prompts.
This is such a great idea. Making a gratitude journal will help me realize how blessed I am and help me not take things for granted. Thank you for sharing I usually tend to take the everything days for granted like seeing, hearing, walking.
You are most welcome Jesusa. Maybe you can start a gratitude journal too. It’s actually quite life-changing.
Great post! There is always so much I can be thankful for! I need to reflect on this when I am down.
Thank you, Mimi. Yes its an excellent way to reflect on our life
Its a nice to have this the you are writing your great things that happen to you each day for a great memories in a good thing that happen to you .
Yes it’s nice to be thankful and feel blessed 🙂
Such a great idea! Definitely would help keep up a positive attitude!
Briana
yes it actually does 🙂
It’s always good to be gratitude, lovely post to remind people how to be more positive.
Thank you Kate 🙂
I am not good at keeping journals and I don’t have time to do it before bed because I co sleep with my toddler so lights are off. But I do tend to give myself time to feel gratitude every day.
As long as you have time to feel grateful for everyday, that’s more than enough
I am starting a blog series about gratitude and I am actually so excited for it! Gratitude helps us to have a more positive outlook in life.
A gratitude blog series sounds like fun. Looking forward to reading it 🙂
I started to write about things I’m grateful for every morning and it really helps me stay positive!
Wow, that’s great Chloe. Happy for you 🙂
It’s such a cool idea! I absolutely like it. I think I will start my gratitude journal now!
All the best for you gratitude journal. I am sure it will benefit you 🙂
I recently got a new Soothi journal and have been trying to think of ways to use it. I love your idea of having a gratitude journal!
I hope you will start a gratitude journal 🙂
This is a fantastic post, Karen, it’s something that I’d like m kids to take up, so reading this has been helpful. Quite a lot for them to think about.
It’s great for the kids to have a gratitude journal. Maybe the sticky notes and box style will be much suitable for them.
I totally agree with the benefits of a gratitude journal. I have been keeping and using one for myself for the past 4 years and it has tremendously helped me during days when I am down, angry and sad. Thank you for the tips you shared. Appreciate it.
Wow, that is a long time. Having a gratitude journal does help a lot during down times.
I have heard before that writing a gratitude journal can be very helpful, but I have not done it so far. It is never to late to start though.
Definitely Elena. Its never to late to start one now 🙂
This is such a cool post and I, personally love to have and write a gratitude journal for everything that I have in my life.
Thank you Surekha. A gratitude journal is just wonderful to have.
I love my gratitude journal! I started mine many years ago after watching The Secret. That documentary changed my life!
Must be a very meaningful documentary. Will try to search for it 🙂