Gratitude is a natural feeling, but many lose touch with it as they grow up. Advertisements and social media bombard us with how things could be better. We enter a state of always wanting more and never being satisfied with what we have. This state can lead to a lot of unhappiness and anxiety. To snap out of it, you have to find gratitude for the things you have. A tool for this is a gratitude journal. Let’s have a look at what a gratitude journal is and how you can start your own.
What is a gratitude journal?
Gratitude is an emotion similar to appreciation. It’s a sense of thankfulness and happiness towards your circumstances or the possessions you have.
Being grateful means that you should be happy with what you have. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be searching for more. When you are happy with what you have, you’ll feel better and it’ll be easier to move towards the more meaningful things in life.
Sometimes you can get lost in your head, and it can be difficult to find these feelings of having enough. A gratitude journal can help you with that. It’s a type of journal where you can write about all the good things in your life to find appreciation for them.
Related: How to journal
What are the benefits?
A gratitude journal is a great tool to feel better about yourself and your circumstances. The benefits of keeping a gratitude journal include:
- Happier (Better mood)
- Less likely to experience burnout
- Less materialistic
- Better sleep
In other words, it’s a tool that can help you improve your physical and mental health.
Related: Thought journal
Free digital gratitude journal
To make things a bit easier for you, you can download a free digital gratitude journal with 7 days. All you have to do is enter your email in the form below, and it’ll be delivered straight to your inbox.
How to keep a gratitude journal
A gratitude journal is one of the simpler journals. All you have to do is write what you’re grateful for. Here are some general tips and pointers to help you get the most from your efforts.
Related: What are habit and why do they matter?
What to write in a gratitude journal
Cultivating gratitude can be difficult in the beginning. Maybe you’re not satisfied with your life, so how can you be grateful for anything?
A place to start is to focus on things you take for granted. Do you have a comfortable bed, a roof over your head, electricity, clean water, or friends and family? All are things that you might take for granted but improves the quality of your life significantly. You can mention these in your journal and find a sense of gratitude for them.
How long should a gratitude journal be?
Writing everything you’re grateful for can be an overwhelming task. If so, you can set yourself a limit with 1, 3, 5, 10, or how many things seem reasonable to you.
The journal can be something as simple as a list of all the things you’re grateful for. But if it feels right, you can describe them in detail.
The goal isn’t to write as many things or as much text as possible but just to write something. It’s better to feel a strong sense of gratitude towards a few things than a vague feeling for many.
Gratitude journal prompts
Journaling prompts are short questions or statements that can help you get started with your journal. Let’s have a look at some gratitude journaling prompts.
What can you be grateful for today?
Maybe someone let you cut the line, or your mom cooked dinner. Even the worst days have some good elements. Try to find them.
Thank someone who have made your life better
When have someone done something that made your life better? Maybe they taught you a lesson or helped you with a problem. Which impact has it had on your life? Take a moment to thank them.
Which things you’re taking for granted can you be grateful for?
We tend to take the small things in life for granted because we never experienced anything else. Which things are you taking for granted?
Which relationships are you grateful for?
Take a moment to appreciate those you are grateful for. This can be people you like, those who make life easier, or even a pet.
What have improved since yesterday?
Today might have sucked, but you’ll always be able to find something small that is better today than it was yesterday. What is it?
What are your favorite things about the area you live?
There are positives and negatives to everything. Your area might be poor, but with a close sense of community. Take a moment to focus on the good things instead of the bad.
Finishing thoughts
A gratitude journal is a great tool for finding happiness and peace in your current circumstances. It doesn’t mean that you should never move forward and want more, but that you realize there is something good in everything. Give it a try and see how it works for you.
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The Power of Journaling: How to use journaling for self-improvement