How To Keep A Gratitude Journal
Did you know that feeling and expressing gratitude can directly impact your overall health and well-being? It’s true! Showing just a little bit of gratitude on a daily basis can transform your life. The best way to harness the power and benefits of gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal.
Below, I have provided you with some tips for how to maintain a gratitude journal.While starting a journal can seem time-consuming at first, my hope is that you’ll quickly discover that keeping this type of journal is not only doable, but more than worth it.
Write in your journal daily.
The best time to write in your gratitude journal is just before bed, when your mind is winding down. If you believe you may forget to do so, I’d recommend setting a nightly reminder on your phone. You can also keep your gratitude journal on a nightstand; just keeping it in a visible place may serve as a reminder in itself.
Write in it as much as you see fit.
You can choose to write in it nightly, twice daily, even weekly. While I recommend writing in it nightly, the choice is yours. Additionally, you can choose to write as many things as you’d like. If you are looking for a place to start, you can start with 5-10 things that you are grateful for.
Don’t feel pressure about what to write.
Your entries can consist of general things, like a roof over your head, or more specific things, like a conversation that happened with a family member that day. Your gratitude journal does not need to meet any guidelines – it is entirely your own!
Reference it in times of need.
If you are having a rough day and need a reminder of all that there is to be grateful for, turn to your gratitude journal. Keeping it in an accessible place will help you reference it more often than not.
The Benefits Of Gratitude Journals
Aside from the benefits of gratitude in general, maintaining a gratitude journal holds many unique benefits. Some of these benefits include:
- Lower stress levels and a greater sense of calm. By focusing on all there is to be grateful for, you are less focused on stressors.
- Gratitude journals can be eye opening. They can help you really appreciate people, places, and things more. Taking the time to stop and reflect allows you to feel the full magnitude of your surroundings.
- Help free you from negativity. By taking a closer look at what you are grateful for, you might also realize that there are negative stressors weighing you down. If you experience these feelings, I recommend doing your best to cut those stressors out of your life.
- Greater self-awareness. Keeping a gratitude journal may help you learn more about yourself.
- A judgment-free zone. Your journal is for no one else but you, and so you can write whatever you’d like without feeling judgment from others.
Contact Dr. Kelly Mothner
I hope that you’ll consider keeping a gratitude journal, as it holds many benefits. If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to reach out to me.
If you are experiencing stress, struggling with negativity, or want greater self-awareness, please consider coming in for therapy at my Hermosa Beach, CA office. I provide Hermosa Beach and the greater South Bay area with adult therapy, teen therapy, couples therapy, and more. Please feel free to reach out to me via my online contact form or by phone at 310-892-2572.