Keeping a Gratitude Journal

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

– Robert Brault

What are you grateful for? Going into the holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on what we are thankful for. Keeping a Gratitude Journal is one form of journaling that can be used as a positive stress management technique. There is no right or wrong way to keep a Gratitude Journal. Some ideas include:

Writing and explaining three good things that happened today

Listing 1-3 (or more) things I am grateful for today

Writing gratitude notes to friends/family/coworkers

Writing down reflections of how you feel

Focusing on one topic at a time (for example: My Health, My Home, My Support System) and adding more details to why you are thankful for what you have.

There are many positive benefits of gratitude journaling we can be thankful for (pun intended!). According to positivepsychology.com, gratitude journaling can lower stress levels and help you feel calmer, especially at night. Gratitude journaling helps you gain clarity about what you want in life and can help you focus on what is important to you. Your gratitude journal is for your own use only, so you can write anything you want without worrying that other people will see it.

If journaling is a task you think you would enjoy, there is no better time to start keeping a gratitude journal. In a few months, you can look back at everything you have written, and it may brighten your day to see how many wonderful things you have to be thankful for.

Additional Motivate Health articles on gratitude:

The Power of Gratitude

Try These Positive Stress-Management Techniques

Source:

https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-journal/