How To Start A Gratitude Journal: The Benefits + Prompts

During Thanksgiving we are always reminded to reflect on the year and what we are thankful for. While we might only practice giving thanks one time a year, some people choose to do this all year round in the form of a gratitude journal. Gratitude journals have other benefits such as bringing a more positive perspective on life and helping prepare you to deal with negative things that come your way. In life, we easily take for granted so many things and only become grateful for them when we have lived without it. Having a gratitude journal allows people to remember what they are grateful for daily and become more appreciative.

What is a gratitude journal?

It is simply a journal where you write about what you are grateful for, whether you keep it in a physical journal, on your computer, or as a note on your phone. It is a place where you focus your attention on all of the good in your life. 

Studies have shown that feelings of gratitude or thankfulness have a positive effect on psychology leading you to be happier. Similarly, studies show that journaling your gratitude consistently can relieve depressive thoughts and has many mental and physical health benefits.

From University of California researchers:

“While it’s important to analyze and learn from bad events, sometimes we can think too much about what goes wrong and not enough about what goes right in our lives. A gratitude journal forces ourselves to pay attention to the good things in life we might otherwise take for granted. In that way, we start to become more attuned to the everyday sources of pleasure around us—and the emotional tone of our life can shift in profound ways. What’s more, actually writing about these events is key: Research suggests translating thoughts into concrete language makes us more aware of them, deepening their emotional impact.”

Gratitude journals increase positivity

Writing down what you are thankful for will give you more positive emotions. These positive emotions over time make you a more optimistic person. It is really easy to be consumed daily with negative thoughts, and gratitude can alter these thoughts. The idea behind journaling is to reflect and be a daily reminder of the good things in your life. 

As you go through the day seeing negative things around you, having that positive outlook from journaling that morning will condition your mind to think of the positives. When your mindset begins to shift, you will realize all of the amazing things happening in your life. 

Gratitude journals improve sleep

If you decide to journal at night and think about what you were grateful for that day, then you will rest better. Usually, we go to sleep thinking about what went wrong that day or all of your to do’s that need to get done the following day. When thinking optimistically at night, you fall asleep thinking about the good things that day instead of consciously worrying. 

I personally have always had trouble falling asleep at night and find my mind replaying situations that did go to plan  or going through every action item I have at work the next day. When I started focusing on what went well that day and the things around me I was thankful for, I was able to fall asleep with greater ease.

Gratitude journals reduce stress

Along with increasing your outlook on life, keeping a gratitude journal has been shown to reduce stress in studies. Priming yourself with hopeful thoughts helps your brain deal with everyday stressors, resulting in a less stressed you! Gratitude and other positive thoughts have been shown to reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, in the body. When you are negative and worried, you tend to become more stressed. Keeping a gratitude journal will refocus your mind on all of the good surrounding you and take thoughts away from what is causing you stress. 

As humans, it is common to stress about uncontrollable outcomes. With journaling, I realized I do not stress often about things which are out of my control. This is mostly because I journal at night which is also when my mind wanders and stresses the most, causing me to lose precious sleep. These stressful thoughts can easily consume your mind. As easy as it sounds, changing your thoughts to what you are grateful for will help chip away at your stress. 

What do I journal in?

To start, do you enjoy having physical copies of things or like taking notes on your laptop? Personally, I like writing things down on paper and always opt for the physical journal. 

I keep two gratitude journals so I can switch it up. I don’t like doing the same thing for too long, or else I get bored. When I have other things I want to track, I use my favorite blank journal. In this one I write down 3 things I am thankful for that day along with what I am looking forward to the next day. I also use this journal to track daily goals such as water consumption, moods, and meals. 

In contrast, I also have a guided journal when I want to solely focus on gratitude. Using my guided journal helps me think of gratitude in a new way due to the prompts. My favorite guided journal is The Five Minute Journal. If I know I have to sit and journal for 15 minutes, then I will talk myself out of it some nights. The fact that The Five Minute Journal is simple and to the point helps me get my mind in order and reflect. I always have 5 minutes to devote to my journal and look forward to this practice. Having a quick, guided option can be nice for certain lifestyles or people new to journaling.

There are many other journals out there that are simple and ones that are more in depth. Find one that you think will work for you and aligns to what you want to get out of gratitude journaling. Make sure you choose an option that you think you can stick with!

How to start your gratitude journal

Plan to set aside 5-15 minutes a day, either morning or night (or both!), and decide what level of detail you plan on going into in your journal. You can simply list out the item and why you are grateful for it. If you want to go into detail, you can give more information or write a story related to that item. 

Then, decide how many things you would like to list out and how often. Some people choose to list out 3 things per day. Other people may choose to list 5 things two times per week. It all depends on how often you would like to journal so you stick to the practice. 

Lastly, start to journal! There is no better time to start than now.

Get started with a few prompts:

• A memory that makes you smile
• Your favorite thing about Earth
• A family member or friend
• Something you love about your body
• An opportunity in the past that led you to where you are today
• A skill you are thankful for
• Something you accomplished recently
• Something you enjoy doing in your free time
• A gift you received
• A favorite vacation
• Someone you recently met
• Something you were able to purchase lately

Cara Armstrong

Hi, my name is Cara! My personal journey with cancer and weight loss has led me to developing a passion for helping others with nutrition, fitness, and self care.