Have you ever stopped to think about what you’re truly grateful for?
Thinking about what you’re grateful for each day can make a really big difference in your life. It can have mental health and emotional benefits as well as help you see the good in life. Gratitude journaling is a great way to reap these benefits. Gratitude journaling isn’t complicated, either. It’s simply writing down the things you’re thankful for on a daily basis. This small practice can make a huge difference in your overall well-being.
So, whether it’s your first time hearing about gratitude journaling or you’re looking for more reasons to start, let’s dive into how this small habit can lead to huge changes in your life.
Mental Health Benefits
Life is a bit of a whirlwind, and it’s really easy to get caught up in the doom and gloom of it all. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed when you think about family, work, your personal life, household chores and the list goes on and on. This is really tough on your mental health. That’s where gratitude journaling can help, though. Gratitude journaling can be a little bit of a reset button. Here are a few ways it can help:
Reduces Stress
When you sit back and think about the positive things in your life, you instantly feel better. Not feeling like the world is against you can be really helpful. Gratitude journaling allows you to pause, breathe and shift your attention away from being stressed out. This gives you a bit of a mental break and can help you feel instantly better.
Improves Your Mood
Have you ever noticed that when you think about something that makes you happy, it immediately lifts your spirits? It can be anything from a friend calling you to tell you a joke, or someone making you your favorite meal. You just feel happier and more positive when you think about the good. That’s exactly what happens when you use a gratitude journal. By writing down positive moments, you’re reminding yourself of all the good things in your life. This simple habit releases those feel-good hormones like dopamine. This gives you a little mood boost each time and it can help you feel happier overall!
Helps You Sleep Better
Why is it that when many of us lie down to sleep, stressful thoughts can pop up? It’s a huge pain, but gratitude journaling can really help! Writing down a few good things in your journal before you go to sleep can make a big difference. It can quiet your mind and help you see the good. This can help you go to sleep much more easily!
Emotional and Social Benefits
Did you know that being grateful can also have emotional and social benefits as well? It can! Showing gratitude can help with the following things:
- Helps with self-awareness and self-esteem: Gratitude journaling can help you see your personal growth. Each time you sit down to journal, you will notice the positive impact you have on others and the contributions you make to your own life. This can make you more self-aware and able to see patterns in your own behavior. This helps you be more positive and shifts your mindset. Gratitude journaling reminds you that you are worthy of the good things in your life and helps cultivate a sense of self-worth.
- Helps you have a positive mindset: The truth is that you find what you look for in life. If you are always focusing on the things that go wrong, you’ll be more negative and unhappy. If you look for good in things, though, you’ll cultivate a much more positive mindset. While it might be difficult to do this at first, with practice, you’ll find that it becomes more easy over time as your mindset shifts.
- Helps you strengthen relationships: When you take the time to reflect on the thoughtful things people have done for you, you create a deeper connection with family and friends. It also means that you can express your gratitude towards them—which makes them happier too! This habit encourages you to express that gratitude, whether through words, actions or even just a smile. Recognizing and valuing the efforts of others can strengthen bonds between you and your friends.
Helps You See the Good in Life
If we are being honest with ourselves—life can be tough sometimes. But gratitude journaling is like putting on a pair of “good vibes” glasses. When you regularly take time to jot down the things you’re grateful for, it shifts your mindset and focus from seeing the negative to seeing the positive. Suddenly, you will start noticing the little things that make life sweet—like the smell of fresh flowers in your neighbor's yard, a handwritten note from a friend or even a beautiful pink sunrise.
The more you write about the good things in life, the more you’ll see good things everywhere. It’s like training your brain to look for the silver linings, even in bad situations. Gratitude journaling can turn ordinary moments into extraordinary ones. This can help remind you that there’s always something to smile about—even on the tougher days.
The Best Way to Use a Gratitude Journal
So, what’s the best way to go about using a gratitude journal? Well, that differs a little bit depending on the person. Are you looking to write a page or paragraph about each positive thing in your life, or maybe you’d rather write down 2-3 things a day in a list form? Do you want to do it every day, or maybe just once a week? These are all questions to look at as you decide how to use a gratitude journal.
However, we love the idea of getting a blank journal and trying out multiple ways of gratitude journaling. Maybe for the first week, you try writing down 2-3 things every evening before bed within a list. You don’t need to include any details.
After you’ve tried that for a week, try writing a bit more, if you feel comfortable, for the second week. Then the third week, review both ways of journaling and see which one is more meaningful and works with your routine.
Try to journal once a day and consider keeping it in an easy-to-reach place. A lot of people like to keep their gratitude journal on their bedside table for easier access. No matter how you decide to do it, just make sure it works for you so you’ll do it more often!
So, there you have it. Something as small as keeping a gratitude journal can make a huge difference in so many areas of your life. What are you waiting for?
If you’re in the market for a beautiful journal, be sure to check out the wide variety of options from Duncan & Stone.