Why start a gratitude journal?
Practising gratitude is a way of bringing mindfulness into your everyday life. Mindfulness is connected to positive outcomes in our mental health and overall well-being. The science behind mindfulness shows that it helps with emotional regulation and calming the part of our brain that handles stress.
This then suggests that mindfulness practices, such as gratitude journalling, can reduce stress responses, improve your mood, and enhance focus and memory.
So where do you start?
To practise gratitude through journalling, use prompts focusing on the positive aspects of your day, important people, nature, personal strengths, past happy memories, and future possibilities.
Write about the little things. Simple pleasures. Moments of peace. Challenges you’ve overcome. This helps to foster a mindset of gratefulness. Remember to acknowledge small acts of kindness, appreciate your body’s functions, and reflect on how challenges offer learning experiences.
Prompts for Gratitude Journalling
Everyday – ia ra ia ra
Prompts can be something small that contributes to your daily routine, but that you don’t always acknowledge. You might be grateful for the roof over your head, a good internet connection, or clean water. The things you journal can be simple pleasures like the warmth of sunlight on your skin, the taste of your favourite food, or even the comfort of your bed. It could be a phone call with a friend or the coffee right in front of you now. Acknowledge these small sources of happiness and think about why each one stands out to you, regardless of how insignificant it might seem.
- What was the highlight of your day – why are you grateful for it?
- What is something that made your day better?
- What brought you a sense of calm today?
- Did you see, hear or experience something that reminded you of the beauty of life?
- What are you looking forward to in the coming week / month?
Relationships & People – whakawhanaungatanga
Is there someone you could take a moment to be grateful for (or even thank who’s had a positive impact on your life? It could be anyone – a colleague, friend, family member, or even a stranger. What specifically did they do that made a difference?
- Who is someone you love, and why do you appreciate them?
- What act of kindness did you receive or see today?
- Write a thank you note to someone who has positively impacted your life.
- What qualities do you appreciate most in your friends or family?
Self-Reflection – huritao whaiaro
What personal qualities, achievements or parts of your character do you value? It could be your sense of humour, your ability to show resilience in hard times, a recent accomplishment. How do these traits impact on your life?
- What is a personal strength you are grateful for?
- What is one thing your body has done for you today?
- What do you take for granted that you can be thankful for?
- What new habit did you form in the past year that you’re most proud of?
There are times where it’s hard to find something about yourself that you feel truly appreciative of, especially when you are just starting out with gratitude practices. For those times – or on any day you feel like acknowledging how amazing you really are, try finishing these:
I’m grateful for…
- my hands because they… (help me to write my journalling posts, hold my children, brush my hair)
- how my eyes sparkle when I smile because… (the stranger who walked past….)
- being able to see patterns because… (I can help my son with his math…)
- how friendly I come across because… (Jin trusted me with her news and now…)
- the growth I’ve seen in myself because… (In the past year….)
- that I am a good listener because…
- that I understand…
- that I have learnt…
- that I will see…
Past & Future – inanahi ki te āpōpō
Let yourself travel back in time to a happy memory. Describe the sights, sounds, and sensations. What made that moment special? How did it make you feel? What life lessons or lasting joy did it leave you with? What have you brought with you from that happy moment and what will you carry forward into the future?
- What is a recent happy memory that brings you joy?
- What challenge have you overcome recently, and what did you learn?
- What is one thing you can do today that your future self will thank you for?
Nature & Surroundings – te taiao
What elements of the natural world do you find the most captivating or calming? Is it the tranquillity or scale of a forest, the majesty or flow of the ocean, the beauty and promise of tomorrow that comes with a sunset, or the sweet sound of the manu / birds. Perhaps its the calming sound of raindrops on the roof, the release of a downpour or scurrying of a skink. Consider what it is about these aspects of our natural world that are special to you and how they affect your mood, thoughts, or perspective on life.
- What do you most enjoy about nature?
- What part of your home or neighbourhood makes you feel comfortable and peaceful?
- What things in nature have you seen today that brought you a sense of wonder?
How to get the best from journalling
Be Specific
Say I’m grateful for *insert name* and explain what you appreciate about them rather than generalising with a comment like ‘I’m grateful for my friends’.
Describe in detail why you are grateful for anything you note. Don’t just list.
Reflect
Remember to celebrate the small things!
Look for the lessons in challenging situations and acknowledge that these more testing times can give us valuable learning experiences.
Remember to stop and notice the abundance that surrounds you when you look back, and for when you look forward too.
Mindfulness, meaningfulness, and behavioral activation are connected with enhanced happiness and reduced anxiety and depression symptoms. Moreover, mindfulness is linked to increased sense of purpose in life, which was revealed to be associated with greater activation and engagement with valued activities. To some extent, the relationships between mindfulness and salutary outcomes could be accounted for by factors such as meaningfulness and behavioral activation, which were identified as mediating variables. Here, the findings may contribute to suggest psychological pathways aiming to reduce mental health disturbances and promote a happy life.
Crego, A., Yela, J. R., Gómez-Martínez, M. Á., Riesco-Matías, P., & Petisco-Rodríguez, C. (2021). Relationships between Mindfulness, Purpose in Life, Happiness, Anxiety, and Depression: Testing a Mediation Model in a Sample of Women. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(3), 925. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030925