Life can get really busy and complicated. Sometimes we find ourselves in such a hurry to get things done that we forget to focus on the good things happening in our lives. The simple pleasures can get lost in the shuffle. A gratitude journal is a way to remind ourselves of the good.
A gratitude journal is a place were you can record the good things in your life, what or who you are thankful for and anything else positive that you’ve experienced. The simple process of writing about the good in your life can make a big impact on your mindset, improve your positivity, reduce your stress and remind you of the joys you experience.
Gratitude journaling can be as simple as taking a few minutes before you go to bed to jot down the good things that happened that day or what you are thankful for at that time in a notebook. Or it can be as involved as taking time to explore your thoughts and feelings related to the good in your life in a dedicated journal.
Something that has become popular over the last few years is 30 Days of Thankfulness. During the 30 days of November, you record what you’re thankful for each day. This is a good place to start. It’s a good way to remind yourself of what’s important in life during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. And, who knows! Since studies show that habits are formed by doing something continuous for 21 days, you could continue on after the 30 days are over!
For the journal, you can use a notebook, a journal purchased from a store or a handmade one. While having a pretty book to record your gratitude in is helpful, the important thing is that you have a dedicated book for it. It is a space that only records the positive in your life. This allows you to look back and be reminded of the good, especially on hard days when it seems like nothing is going right.
You don’t have to spend a lot of time each day on this activity, unless you want to. Take a few minutes each day to record the good things that happened, what made you happy, an act of kindness, etc. If you’d like to spend more time, you can elaborate on one of the positive items that you list or you can use journal prompts, such as these to get your writing started.
I hope you will give gratitude journaling a try and find some joy and peace through the process.
Happy journaling!
