Gratitude Journal

Making a  gratitude journal is an excellent gift you can give to yourself. Think of gratitude as a an emotional muscle. Just like the muscles in your body, your emotional muscles need exercise too.  If life gets tough and your gratitude muscle is weak, you’re gong to have a hard time getting through tough situations.  However, if you exercise your gratitude muscle regularly, your emotional health will be strong and you’ll be ready to face challenges when they arise.

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What Notebook Should You Use?

You can create a gratitude journal in a fancy notebook with a gorgeous cover or just keep it simple and use a spiral notebook. Whatever you decide to use for your journal, just make sure to write in it as often as possible. The more you remind yourself of the great things in your life, the better you will feel.

I use the Erin Condren petite planner gratitude journal. It comes with journal prompts and lined pages to write in. It’s small and compact so I can take it anywhere. All of the pictures in this post are from my personal journal.

Sometimes it’s really hard to develop a habit of writing in your gratitude journal. If you have trouble keeping up with it, make sure you leave it in a place where your bound to see it. Put it in the middle of the kitchen table, or keep it on your car’s dashboard- somewhere you’ll see it. Then, when you do see it, make sure to write in it, however small and trivial. This will help you get in the habit of being grateful. I slip mine into my EC life planner.

Tips to Start a Gratitude Journal

~ Choose a set time for daily gratitude journaling.

~ Don’t forget the little things, from a great cup of coffee to a child’s hug.

~ Journal with love and focus on the good feelings you want to attract.

~ Take extra time when writing about elements that earn more gratitude.

~ Stay aware of how much gratitude you feel towards certain things. Then, focus on bringing more of that into your life.

Ten great reasons to keep a gratitude journal

1.Keeping a gratitude journal can change the way you think. When you focus on the good things in your life instead of the bad, you will begin to think more positive thoughts.  Living with positive thoughts result in more positive outcomes.

2. When you regularly write down the good things in your life, you’ll start to see what’s great, not just what’s gone wrong.

3. You will become more aware of the things around you when you start keeping a gratitude journal. This especially happens if you use daily prompts to help you remember the great things that happened throughout the day.

4. It’s a great way to keep track of your life. Keeping a  gratitude journal that’s dedicated to only good things helps you track the small positives that can get easily overlooked.

5. Tracking gratitude can make us nicer! Constantly reminding yourself of the good things in your life will automatically transfer to how you treat other people. Good feelings can travel just as easily as negative feelings, so spread the good.

6. Focusing on the positive things in life can help us be more trusting.

7. A gratitude journal can help your social life. If your happier and sending out good vibes, people will reciprocate. People like being around happy people. Also, when you are in a good state of mind, you will seek out positive people too.

8. A gratitude journal can help you be more appreciative. By noting the small, kind things people do for you on a daily basis, you’ll begin to see that there are many people in your life that deserve your appreciation. Additionally, you’ll begin to realize how thankful you are for all the good things (no matter how small) in your life.

9. Creating a gratitude practice can help you feel more confident. When you are sure of your place in the world, it’s easier to believe that you “got this.”

10. In just a few weeks your gratitude journal will be full of positive thoughts and moments. Reading over your past journal entries is a great pick-me-up when times are tough. Reading through past entries can help you find positive aspects in trying times.

Gratitude Journal Prompts

Here are some ideas for journal prompts. You can answer in one word, one sentence, a paragraph, or many pages. Do what feels good.

• How does being grateful make you feel?
• What was the best thing that happened today?
• Why are you grateful for your body?
• Who made you feel important today?
• What is your favorite smell and why?
• How did technology help you today?
• Why are you thankful for your parents?
• What teacher are you most thankful for?
• Why are you grateful for your friends?
• Why are you thankful for your country?
• What is your favorite thing about your home?
• What would you tell your ten-year-old self? 15? 20?
• What do you want to be remembered for?
• My favorite thing as a child was _______________.
• Where is your favorite place to sit quietly?
• What is your biggest accomplishment?
• What are the things that make me feel warm and fuzzy?
• Describe your “happy place.”
• How have you made a positive impact on someone else’s life?

Inspirational Gratitude Quotes

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” ~Willie Nelsom

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things.” ~ Robert Brault

“When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect towards others.” ~The Dalai Lama

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” ~Cicero

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” ~Winnie the Pooh

The Act of Practicing Gratitude Brings More Gratitude

I can honestly say that creating a gratitude practice has made a profound impact on my life. I’ve found that writing down my gratitude on a daily basis has made me more aware of the positivity around me and had brought more good things into my life.

Do you keep a gratitude journal? If so, let us know how it’s going and if you have any suggestions for growing a gratitude practice in the comments below.