The Joy of Gratitude Journaling

The Joy of Gratitude Journaling: Be Thankful Every Day

11/23/2017

The healthiest yet rarest of human emotions is gratitude. As we travel through our life, sometimes we act as though we are in a race to the finish line. From the weekly food shopping to your job, the hustle never ends. We create lists of to-do’s for the day and hastily tick them off as we complete each task. If you stop, take a breath and become more present in the moment, you’ll find beauty and discover gratefulness in the most common places.

The trick of extracting happiness from life is to find it within common occurrences. If you were to summarize your day, would you recall the journey or just the errand? Can you remember a single face from the store? The smell of the crisp Fall air? Don’t miss the world’s beauty or allow outside pressures to control how you feel. When you take control of your emotions and actions, you create a life journey that fills you on the inside, which in turn will translate into experiences on the outside. Once you begin to practice gratitude every day, rather than just one day of the year, you begin to realize that what you show gratitude towards will appear more frequently.

One of the ways you can practice gratitude more frequently is by starting a gratitude journal. This journal is only for the positive acts you feel, are thankful for, observe, or practice. It can act as a documentation of thoughts that propel you in the right direction. This journal is your personal way of noticing the world around you and become a more courteous, compassionate and aware being. You can write in sentences or bullet points; this is your outlet so find what works for you and begin!

The Benefits of Documenting Positive Energy:

Gratitude journaling can help prioritize by discovering what is really important. The briskness of life can occasionally cause a distorted view of the world. We’re constantly thinking about what we need and what we are compelled to complete, but what about the things want to experience? These activities are often delegated to the bottom of our schedule, yet these activities are usually the most important to live a fulfilled and powerful lifestyle. Embracing your journal as the novel of your life will allow you to review your positive emotions, realize the acts that produce those feelings, and make them a priority in your life.

You’ll also experience a natural and automatic change in your disposition. It’s easy to get sucked into negativity with all of the disturbing acts and events happening around the world. It’s important to remind ourselves of the light that lives in the darkness. After writing down your positive experiences, you will eventually train your mind to find the positivity in life. In turn, you will develop a more positive outlook.

Keeping a journal of gratitude can also help change your negative perceptions of others. When you are starting your journal you will be seeking the positive acts you receive and view in your daily life. You will notice the stranger who buys a sandwich for the homeless man on your morning commute or the morning text from a loved one wishing you a blessed day. Embrace each and every act of kindness you receive and witness. Each act demonstrates the magnificent effect we have on each other. You will begin to appreciate those around for the role they play in your life.

Conversely, writing a few lines of gratitude a week you can create a happier, more powerful you. Focus on your accomplishments, what it is you are grateful for, and how you will create a valuable tomorrow. You will begin to enjoy each morning as a unique journey and be more present in your ‘today,’ rather than worrying about what is to come.

Tips on Starting Your Gratitude Journal:

The aim of your journal is to create a more positive mindset, to be grateful, and to enjoy the little moments in life. Here are a few tips to start a powerful and fulfilling journal:

1. Find what works for you. Write in your journal once, or five times per week if you feel the need to. Various websites recommend writing down a specific number of things you are thankful for. You may occasionally fill the page some days, and you might hit a brick wall other days. Don’t punish yourself! Gratitude journals are about quality, not quantity.

2. Get Personal. Don’t only write about what you are thankful for, but how each act made you feel.

3. Write in-depth. When you review your journal and read through the little or large moments, it will trigger a memory. The more in-depth you write, the stronger your memory will appear, and so will the emotion.

4. Don’t forget people. Yes, we all have our material possessions that put a smile on our faces, but the feelings we gain from the people who envelop our lives are completely different and are often more powerful than the ones we get from our ‘toys.’

5. Leave out the negativity. If you want to document your emotions and daily life, consider keeping a regular journal. This book will be a documentation of the positive energy you have experienced.

Researchers have discovered truly committing to a new activity takes on average 21 days. Give yourself a chance to turn this into a habit and don’t give up! Remember, this is a positive activity that benefits your mindset.

We would love to hear if any of you have already started a gratitude journal and how it has helped you live a more positive lifestyle. So, don’t forget to connect with us on social media!

Still feeling stuck? No worries!

We’ve created a Daily Gratitude Journal Worksheet just for you! Print several copies and put them in a folder or binder. When it’s time to journal, grab a daily worksheet and write with ease!

About The Author
Jade Owen

Jade is Love U Magazine's Blog Manager. She is a fashion writer and photographer, who highlight's key issues within todays society and shows how fashion is providing a great platform to create unity.