The daily stresses of life can wear us down, leaving us feeling overwhelmed or burned out. Studies have shown that gratitude can counteract these negative feelings, and a gratitude journal is a great place to start.
These handy gratitude journal prompts will help you tap into what you’re thankful for, alleviate stress and establish a sustainable daily gratitude routine.
What Is Gratitude Journaling?
Gratitude journaling involves writing down what you’re grateful for. Most people who use gratitude journals write a short entry each day. These daily entries can help you feel grateful for the things in your life—from simple pleasures to complex emotions.
As you work on your journal, you’ll notice gratitude becoming a personality trait. Practicing gratitude can make life easier, prompting you to step back and appreciate the good things. In addition, research suggests gratitude journaling can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and even benefit heart health.
You can create your journal from scratch or use a gratitude journal template to help you get started. Journal templates typically use daily gratitude prompts to inspire you, and there are plenty of ideas online to get your ideas flowing.
How To Get The Most Out Of Gratitude Journal Prompts
To avoid making this another obligatory item on your to-do list, frame gratitude journaling as a beneficial activity—reminding yourself of the intellectual and emotional value of focusing on the good.
You can use these prompts daily or weekly to help you feel better, less stressed and more appreciative. To get the most out of the gratitude journal prompts in this roundup—and to maximize your journaling time—try these tips:
- Pick a form of journaling you enjoy: You can respond to your gratitude journaling prompt in a traditional notebook, digital app or even a voice recording. Just pick the easiest and most sustainable format for you.
- Choose the right time of day: If you’re a morning person, set your alarm five or 10 minutes earlier. If mornings are crazy or you barely remember your own name before noon, set a reminder on your phone to journal before bed.
- Keep the entries simple: You don’t have to write a novel. Just a couple of sentences may be enough to get your feelings across.
- Be specific: Go beyond listing what you’re thankful for. Identify specific reasons why you’re thankful for someone or something.
- Find gratitude in challenges: If you’ve had a particularly challenging day, try to find something positive to write about.
- Reread your entries: Looking over something you wrote a year ago can help you feel more positive on tough days.
Try These Prompts To Help You Feel Thankful
When writing in your journal, whether daily, weekly or monthly, try some of these prompts to help identify what you feel gratitude for:
Journal Prompts To Help You Feel Gratitude Toward Others
- Which family member or friend inspires you to be a better person? What traits do you wish to emulate?
- Consider the teachers, professors and mentors you’ve had over the years. Which of them are you most thankful for and why?
- Express your gratitude for the people you don’t know but who make your day-to-day life easier.
- Which person in your life is most reliable? Express your gratitude for their presence in your life.
Start Reaping The Benefits Of Grateful Reflection
Ready for a new state of mind? Explore how expressing gratitude daily using these prompts can help alleviate stress and improve your outlook. Find a method and frequency that feels sustainable and don’t overthink it. Make a routine of your journaling ritual, let the prompts be your guide and you’ll be well on your way to a more appreciative, happy and fulfilling existence.
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