Why you should keep a gratitude journal
Most people would probably agree that focusing on the positives in life is better than focusing on the negatives. Cultivating gratitude doesn’t take up much time, doesn’t cost anything but the benefits can be great.
There have been a number of studies to explore the benefits of gratitude. It has been shown to improve psychological health, improve self-esteem, enhance empathy and improve your sleep. You can read more about this in the Forbes article 7 scientifically proven benefits of gratitude.
Practicing gratitude is a way to shift our thoughts from what negatively affects our wellbeing to what we find valuable in life. By practicing focusing on what’s positive in your life you become better at appreciating those things instinctively. It’s like with any habit, the more you do it the easier and more intuitive it becomes.
How to get started
Starting a gratitude practice could be as simple as simply mentally acknowledging a few things you are grateful for each day. However, I would advice writing them down in a journal. It will be more concrete and will provide you with a list of blessings in your life that you can look back on during times of difficulty.
Get a blank notebook and start filling it with a list of things you are thankful for in life. This can be anything from your family and friends, to the good book you just finished, a nice meal, a stranger offering you help or support, or something good you accomplished at work.
Gratitude journal template
If you want something a bit more structured, a printable gratitude journal might be for you. The Gratitude Journal product will provide you with two different layouts for your journal writing. One layout with one week per page, and one with one day per page with guided prompts for the morning and evening.
Paperback Gratitude Journal
You can now also buy my gratitude journal as a printed book from Amazon. The book has space for 365 days of gratitude journaling and has room for 2 entries per page.
Below are a couple of examples of the cover designs I have available.
The inside of the book looks like this:
A few more cover options. You can find all my books on my author page: Neat & Tidy Press on Amazon.
