One of the best ways to have a daily gratitude practice is to write your gratitude in a journal. This can be a journal used only for gratitude, or in another journal or planner you use every day. If you’re a beginner, here are some super easy tips that will help you get started with your gratitude journal.
Designate a Journal to Gratitude Only
While you can use a journal you have for other things, your intentions can sometimes get a little jumbled. This is why we recommend getting a journal or notebook used only for your gratitude. At least in the beginning, so your focus is only on thinking about what made you happy or brought you a sense of calm, and writing it down. Over time, you might find that you can add this to your daily journal.
Always Keep it Positive and Uplifting
Remember that you are not journaling your feelings or writing down what happened to you during the day. This is only for gratitude, so you want to keep it positive, optimistic, and uplifting. Any time a negative thought pops in your head during this process, push it out of thew ay with something good that happened to you.
Maybe you are bummed because your invoice is being paid late, but instead of focusing on that, you think about how this morning your kids helped make breakfast. That is a wonderful thing to think about and show gratitude for.
Write 5-10 Things You Are Grateful for Each Day
The simplest way to start is just to make a list of what you are grateful for. Think of any moment during the day that made you happy, gave you a sense of relief, or was a positive surprise. This can be something small or something big, a nice gesture from a stranger, or kind words from a co-worker. A simple pleasure you enjoy every day, or a big surprise you weren’t expecting.
Set no Limits or Rules
As with other forms of journaling, there shouldn’t be any rules, limits, or guidelines for writing gratitude. You don’t need to worry about how long you write for, using proper spelling and grammar, or how you structure your gratitude. This should be kept secret, so nobody will ever read it but you.
Write in it Every Day
The only “rule” you need with a gratitude journal is to try to write in it every day, even if that just means repeating the same 3 things you wrote in it the day before. With more practice, you will likely be able to think about your gratitude throughout the day so by the time you write it down, you already have it on your mind.
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