In order for gratitude to become ingrained in our lives, we must actively practice it. It’s like most desirable traits and qualities – simply deciding to be grateful won’t do.
The virtue of gratitude is not only renowned for its inherent goodness, but also for a variety of other reasons. Being grateful for what you have can make a big difference in your health and happiness.
The practice of gratitude journaling is particularly evident in these effects. You only need to do it a few minutes a day to feel great on a more regularbasis, so the benefits can last for a long time.
Keeping a gratitude journal keeps you motivated, inspired, and happy. How does a gratitude journal work? A gratitude journal enables you to keep track of what’s good in your life. There is always something to feel grateful for, no matter how challenging and defeating life may be at times.
For years I’ve been advocating the power and pleasure of being grateful. I kept a gratitude journal for a full decade without fail—and urged you all to do the same. Then life got busy. My schedule overwhelmed me. I still opened my journal some nights, but my ritual of writing down five things I was grateful for every day started slipping away.– Oprah Winfrey
Moreover, regularly journaling about your positive experiences will strengthen you when you encounter rough times in your life.
It is extremely easy to express gratitude on a daily basis by writing or typing. The journal can be a diary, a notebook, a piece of paper, or you can write on a piece of paper. One of the many gratitude apps or even a simple Word document can be used if you want to be green or find it easier to do things digitally.
Gratitude journals have many benefits
- The practice of gratitude journaling, as with other gratitude practices, can help you reduce stress;
- It helps you become more self-aware by keeping a gratitude journal;
- Gratitude makes you more mindful, makes you feel grounded, and makes it easier to notice even more things you’re grateful for;
- Gratitude journals are private, so you don’t have to worry about others’ judgements;
- You’ll feel calmer, especially at night;
- You’ll feel more balanced if you journal your gratitude;
- You can get a new perspective on what’s important to you and what you really appreciate when you journal;
- You might notice a lot more small, good things happening-or perhaps the small, good things were already happening;
- I love gratitude journals because it gives me a sense of context or interconnectedness.
- You might just become more generous and giving! There are things that actually grow and increase when we give them away, like compassion, empathy, and laughter.
- You can determine what you want more of in your life by noting what you’re grateful for;
- If you’re grateful for good things and good people, then you’ll attract even more of them;
- It’s good to reflect on what’s important to you through gratitude journaling;
- Even a relatively small accomplishment can make you feel good. No matter how big or small, we all need a win.
Do you know what to write about?
In order to keep things interesting, I choose something from each of these categories each day: relationship, work, newexperience, feeling, food, music, motivations, new ideas, plan, hope and changes. There’s nothing you can’t write about.
Take it slow and simple… The joy of living. The sunshine. How your body breathes on its own without you thinking about it. The variety of colors in nature. How the sun always rises every morning without fail. Or maybe your fountain pens.
Take a few minutes to write down five things you are thankful for in your life. I believe that keeping a physical record of this exercise is of utmost importance in order to ensure its success. It is not enough to just think about it in your head. When you think about the things that have taken place in your life, you may find that some of these things are small in importance (“Today’s weather was beautiful.”), while others may be very significant (“I got a job offer from my dream job.”). In any case, the purpose of the exercise is to allow you to remember a good event, experience, person, or thing in your life—and then to enjoy the memories and feelings that accompany them.
Getting Started with Writing
It doesn’t matter what format you decide to use, as long as it works for you. Few sentences should suffice. The simple way to express your gratitude is to say “I am thankful for ____ because ____ .”
In order to foster gratitude, it is crucial to be as specific as possible.
“I’m thankful that I was able to have lunch with my brother who is usually very busy and therefore can not usually meet easily.”
Personalize your experience. There is a greater impact when you focus on the people you are grateful to than if you focus on the things you are grateful for when you express gratitude.
It is a good idea to think of good things in your life as being a gift. Thinking of good things in your life as gifts will keep you from taking them for granted. Don’t forget to savor the gifts that you have received and relish them as much as you can.
You should take into consideration how your life might be without certain people or things, rather than simply tallying up all the good things that have happened to you. Don’t take it for granted that your good fortune has led to a positive outcome when you avoided, escaped, prevented, or helped it to become something positive. Try not to take your good fortune for granted.
Make sure you write on a regular basis. The most important thing is to commit to a regular schedule for when you will write your journal, and to stick to it.
Be open to surprises. Record events that have had an unexpected or surprising outcome, as these tend to elicit a higher level of gratitude from the recipient.