How to Start a Gratitude Journal and Why You Need One

Gratitude journals can be a great way to focus on the positive and boost your mood. Here is how to start a gratitude journal and why you need one.

Have you ever heard of a gratitude journal? A gratitude journal is a place you write down things you are thankful for, but it can. Gratitude journals are great for those of us that don’t have a lot of time to devote to long journal entries. They are also amazing for children and teens, to help them develop a sense of gratitude from a young age. If you are curious about how they can help you, here how to start a gratitude journal and why you need one.

Why You Need a Gratitude Journal

It helps you find gratitude on days where it seems hopeless – Hopeless feelings are hard to overcome, but if you are able to see things you are grateful for, even if they seem small at the time, you will start to develop a more positive attitude about life. Additionally, on days that seem extra hopeless, you can go back to previous entries and read them to remember things you are grateful for.

It helps banish negativity – When we focus on positives more than negatives, we will naturally start to become more positive in our thinking and processing. Doing this on a daily basis can actually change how we deal with stressful situations or even everyday issues that come up.

It helps with goal setting and seeing progress – If you want to get to a place of positivity or see a goal come to fruition, a journal can help you look back and see it happening. You can even use your gratitude journal to write down your goals for positive thinking.

How to Start a Gratitude Journal

Get a notebook that you will love writing in – One of the best ways to make a habit like this something you want to do is by making it fun at first. For many of us, that means getting a crisp new notebook or even a nice leather-bound journal to start the journey in.

Be consistent in writing in your journal and make it a habit – They say it takes 30 days to form something into a habit. This means it may be hard to be consistent with it at first. Try setting aside a scheduled time each night before bedtime to write in your journal. This is an excellent alternative to sitting on your phone and night and may even lead to better sleep. If you have a hard time remembering, set an alarm on your phone.

Try to be as specific as possible when writing – When you write down each thing you are grateful, try to be descriptive on the ‘whys’ when it comes to your feelings of gratitude. This will help develop a stronger sense of gratitude and help you remember more when you read your entries later.

Write at least 3 things you are grateful for each day – It may be hard at first, but try to at least write 3 things you are grateful for every time you make a new entry in your journal. This helps you think about your world around you in a more complex way.