Keeping a gratitude journal has always sounded appealing to me because I know reflecting on the little things can have a positive effect on my quality of life. However, I have always been lazy about committing to writing on a daily basis. After some research, I finally started a gratitude journal. How did I do it? How can you start?
The answer to how to start a gratitude journal is JUST START. Although there are a few things you need to consider, which will be discussed in this post, the first thing you need to know before starting a journal is that you have to make a commitment to count your blessings every day and write about them. Writing about your day might take you a few minutes but, if done consistently, those few minutes or hours can have a positive effect in your life.
People keep journals for different reasons; some consider them an archive, while others see them as a necessary tool for self-progress. Keeping a gratitude journal goes beyond just creating a habit; it changes your mindset and perspective about life for the better.
Choose a Journal
An easy first step is picking a journal that best fits your schedule and lifestyle. Some people prefer writing in a physical journal because they feel their thoughts flow better on paper. However, some people find it easier to go the digital route because not only is it easy, but it’s also more secure and private. Both ways of journaling have different benefits. The main aim is to ensure that the one you choose makes journaling easy for you.
A busy person who moves around a lot might find a digital journal easy to keep because a phone is part of most people’s daily life and you can set reminders to write. I use the traditional method, on paper, because I find it easier to physically write down my thoughts. If you prefer that route, a small pocket journal that can fit into your bag everywhere you go works just fine. It doesn’t have to be big, expensive, or fancy.
Choose a Specific Time to Write
This can be difficult at first because it feels like yet another chore to add to your day. However, the more you get into it, the easier it becomes. One of the easiest ways to start and maintain a gratitude journal is to really plan on making it a habit. It takes a conscious effort and, if you are willing to put in that effort, you will reap the benefits.
You can decide to write in the morning or at night. Personally, I prefer writing at night because I can reflect on the events of the day; that way I clear my head and sleep better. However, some people prefer writing in the morning because they find that helps them maintain a positive attitude throughout the day and gives them a caffeine-like energy and mood boost. To make regularly journaling easier, you can attach it to one of your daily routines. For example, if you like to shower before going to bed, you can attach it to this routine, which means you either
If you view journaling as
Prompts are Helpful, so Follow Them
Truthfully, it can be overwhelming to start a journal because you might not have an idea of what to write, especially if writing isn’t something that comes easy for you. On the first day, you might stare at the blank pages for a while before finding any inspiration for what to put down on the page or screen. When you’re stuck like that, prompts can help break the writer’s block. Some prompts to get you writing include:
- What is the one thing that makes you stand out and which you are grateful for?
- What are you most grateful for in your environment?
- Appreciate yourself in a few sentences.
- Think about a mistake you made recently, and write about the lessons it taught you.
- Reflect on a time a loved one did something for you that you were grateful for.
- While looking at a particular special picture, write about why you love that image so much.
- Write about something you wish would happen.
- Reflect on five things that made you smile this week.
- Write about three people you are most grateful for.
- Try to remember a time you laughed so much you cried.
- Reflect on the last time you helped someone through a tough situation.
- Reflect on how you fell in love with your partner.
- Write about five silly things your kids did today.
Even after following these prompts, you can sometimes still struggle with knowing what to write. In situations like this, try thinking of a situation from another point of view. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. For example, if you already wrote about a mistake you made some time ago, revisit the situation again and examine it from another person’s point of view. It is important to note that you can write about anything, no matter how small or large. You aren’t writing to impress anyone, so use whatever style suits you best.
If, after following these tips, you’re still struggling to write, try writing about one of these ideas:
- A musician you love
- Your daily schedule
- Your body
- Your colleagues at work
- Your kid’s teachers
- Your favorite food
- A recent change you made in your life
- A recent achievement
- Your current challenges
- Something you recently learned
- Something you recently bought
Evaluate Yourself as Often as Possible
Whenever you learn something new in school, there’s usually some kind of an assessment of that new knowledge, to gauge exactly what you learned. The same thing applies when you’re developing a new habit; you have to evaluate yourself regularly. To do so, ask yourself questions like:
- Am I feeling different than I used to?
- Has my happiness increased over time?
- Has my interaction with other people gotten better over time?
- Am I more positive than I used to be?
If, at any point, you feel you have not made any progress, then go back and review some of the things you wrote earlier, and compare them to more recent journal entries. You’re sure to notice a difference. No matter how little that difference might be, try to appreciate yourself for making the commitment to maintain this good habit.
Benefits of Starting a Gratitude Journal
As I said earlier, there are a lot of benefits associated with journaling. Some of them include:
- It helps you become more conscious of things around you. When you get into the habit of writing a gratitude journal, throughout the day, you will constantly think of things to write about, and this will cause you to be more mindful of the little blessings in everyday life.
- It can help you stay calm, especially at night.
- It gives you a new perspective about what is most important to you in life.
- It helps you become more self-aware.
- It is private, so you can write anything you want without worrying about being judged.
- By learning more about yourself, you’ll gain clarity on what you do and don’t want to do in life.
- As you enumerate what you’ve learned and done, this will increase your sense of accomplishment.
- It helps you to feel the connection between every detail in your life.
- You can read through your journal any time you feel sad. Looking back at previous entries will help you approach problems in a new light, learning from past mistakes.
Don’t get discouraged when you start a journal. It takes a while to build a new habit, so give yourself time to grow. Rome wasn’t built in a day. See your journal as that one friend you can tell anything without the fear of being judged, even if you say something silly. Write as much as you want to, however trivial or significant.
Start writing today and, trust me, you won’t ever regret starting a gratitude journal.