How to start a gratitude journal.
Cultivating a Positive Mindset for Improved Well-Being
In our previous blog post we have explored the role of using a journal to capture, diffuse and reframe thoughts. Here we look at an altogether simpler but very effective way of using a journal to support our mental health.
Why is nurturing gratitude so good for us?
Gratitude is a feeling or attitude of appreciation and thankfulness for the positive things in one's life. It involves acknowledging and recognising the good things that we have received or experienced, and feeling thankful for them.
People who use a gratitude journal report experiencing a range of benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, better sleep, increased resilience, and improved relationships.
Gratitude can be directed towards people, things, experiences, or even abstract concepts such as opportunities, blessings, or good fortune. Practicing gratitude has been linked to a range of positive outcomes, including improved mental and physical health, greater happiness and life satisfaction, and stronger relationships
Reported benefits of starting a gratitude journal include:
Positive emotions - Gratitude helps us cultivate positive emotions like joy, contentment, and happiness. When we focus on the good things in our lives, we are more likely to feel positive emotions and experience greater well-being.
Improved relationships - Gratitude can improve our relationships with others. When we express gratitude to those around us, it can strengthen our social connections and increase feelings of trust and closeness.
Better mental health - Gratitude has been linked to improved mental health outcomes, such as decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety, and increased resilience.
Physical health benefits - Research suggests that gratitude can have physical health benefits, such as improved sleep quality, lower blood pressure, and a stronger immune system.
Increased motivation - When we feel grateful for the good things in our lives, we are more likely to be motivated to take care of ourselves and pursue our goals.
Why should I try to cultivate a positive mindset?
Cultivating a positive mindset has a plethora of benefits for our mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
By focusing on the positive aspects of our lives, we can reduce stress and anxiety, build resilience, improve our relationships, and even experience better physical health outcomes. Moreover, a positive mindset can promote greater happiness and life satisfaction, leading to an overall improvement in our quality of life.
By actively cultivating positivity and choosing to focus on the good things in life, we can create a more joyful, fulfilling existence for ourselves and those around us.
Sounds good? Lets look at the simple steps of starting a gratitude journal.
This journal is a simple yet powerful way to cultivate a positive mindset and improve your overall well-being.
It is not a place where one churns through thoughts and feelings looking for insights or profound conclusions, it is an all together simpler process.
Here are some steps to help you get started:
Get a notebook or journal - You can use any notebook or journal you like, but choose one that you enjoy writing in and that you will look forward to using.
Decide on a frequency - You can write in your gratitude journal every day, once a week, or whenever you feel like it. The important thing is to make it a regular habit.
Set a time - Choose a time of day when you can sit down and write for a few minutes. Some people prefer to do it in the morning, while others prefer to do it at night before bed. Find what works best for you.
Start with a gratitude list - Begin your journal by making a list of things you are grateful for. Start with three things, and then add more as you become more comfortable.
Be consistent - Make a commitment to writing in your gratitude journal regularly. Even if you don't feel like it, take a few minutes each day to write down something you are grateful for.
You can stop there. But if you want to add more you can carry on as below.
Write a brief explanation - After writing down what you are grateful for, take a moment to write a brief explanation of why you are grateful for each item on your list. This will help you to focus on the positive aspects of your life and appreciate them more fully.
Remember, the goal of a gratitude journal is to cultivate a positive mindset and increase your overall sense of well-being. By taking the time to focus on the good things in your life, you will begin to see more positivity and joy in your daily experiences.
Capturing a moment and re-reading.
It may be that you want to capture moments at different times of the day. There are no rigid rules here. Rather, the focus is on developing the ability to recognize and appreciate positive aspects of life. In reviewing these recorded moments, one can experience a profound sense of warmth and appreciation, from the simple pleasure of observing daffodils peeking through the frozen earth to the feeling of the sun's warmth on one's face. These moments of gratitude need not be grandiose, but rather serve to train ourselves to recognise and cherish happy moments in our daily lives.
Struggling with what to write?
Simply write a list of three of the most wonderful things that have happened to you in the past 24 ours or special moments that made you smile. It may be learning a new word, finding something you’ve been looking for for ages, the kindness of a stranger, hearing a blackbird song. You can write more than three things if you want. Adapt your journal to work for you.
Write in your journal even on the most bleak or low days.
Try to keep going with your journal no matter what your mood is that day. It may well help you navigate your way through some of the tougher of times.
A gratitude journal serves as a powerful tool for directing our attention towards positivity. No matter how challenging our day may be, there are always moments of goodness to be found, as long as we make the effort to seek them out.
Lisa Johnston
CBT Therapist
Director of My Therapist Online
Evidence base for the use of gratitude in promoting positive mental wellbeing
Positive emotions: Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377-389.
Improved relationships: Algoe, S. B., Haidt, J., & Gable, S. L. (2008). Beyond reciprocity: gratitude and relationships in everyday life. Emotion, 8(3), 425-429.
Better mental health: Wood, A. M., Joseph, S., & Maltby, J. (2008). Gratitude predicts psychological well-being above the big five facets. Personality and Individual Differences, 45(5), 490-495.
Physical health benefits: Mills, P. J., Redwine, L., Wilson, K., Pung, M. A., Chinh, K., Greenberg, B. H., ... & Chopra, D. (2015). The role of gratitude in spiritual well-being in asymptomatic heart failure patients. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 2(1), 5-17.