13 Powerful Lessons From Keeping A Gratitude Journal
The average person is focused on the big things and big goals in life. We are busy and there’s no time to pause, reflect, and take stock of what we have and what we’ve achieved already and celebrate that. We take a lot of things and people for granted and live on auto-pilot.
This is where journaling comes in. Journaling is a great way of expressing yourself, taking time to reflect and focus on yourself and what you’re going through, and being in the present moment.
Taking it a step further, a daily gratitude journal is a great way to develop a positive outlook on life and leads to positive mental health.
I started the habit of writing in a gratitude journal, and the emotional impact this had on me was amazing. So, I’m sharing my 13 Powerful Lessons From Keeping A Gratitude Journal to encourage and motivate you to do the same and reap the same (or even more) rewards.
What is Gratitude?
Gratitude means, “the quality of being thankful; a readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” It’s a conscious positive emotion you express when you feel thankful for something.
This sounds great, right? Can you believe that gratitude can turn your emotions from negative to positive? The more you use it, the more positive you’ll become!
Being intentional about noticing the different things that are good in life is a powerful tool that can be used to change your perspective on life.
Grateful people value what they have and can find everyday sources of pleasure. They make great friends and companions because of their positive mood. They offer more help and are healthier physically mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
I want to be a more grateful person. Don’t you?
How I Started Gratitude Journaling
The first time I kept a gratitude journal, I committed to 30 days.
When I began my own gratitude journal practice, I was having a hard time seeing the blessings in my life. Things were a little rough, and I was feeling stuck.
I loved my husband, but I wasn’t liking him very much at the time. My kids were giving me such a hard time, or so I thought. Things just didn’t seem to be going right or the way I had planned.
Every day, for 30 days, not missing a single one, I wrote down three things I’m grateful for, but they were in specific categories. One gratitude area was about my kids, one was about my husband, and one was about everyday life.
This is where I was struggling so I picked those specific categories to focus on for the month. The main purpose of the practice of gratitude was that every day, no matter how I felt about any of those things at the time, I had to find something I was thankful for to write down about my husband, my kids, and my life.
I was specific and intentional about them, and, wouldn’t you know, in the following days my thoughts and feelings toward them began to change. The good news is that at the end of the 30 days, I saw my boys and husband in a new light, and I felt happier overall.
The problem wasn’t them at all. Turns out it was me and my negative perspective and lofty expectations.
It was my negative mind, and what once bothered me so much, all the little annoyances I had, didn’t seem to really matter as much any longer. That’s the power of gratitude! It leaves less room for grumbling and negativity and gives you a completely new positive outlook on your life.
I’ve kept a gratitude journal for quite some time now, and almost daily, I write down at least three things I’m thankful for. This is a great reminder to myself about the good in my life.
It helps me put into perspective the trivial things I’m dealing with because, even though they seem insurmountable to me at the time, they are minor in the grand scheme of things. Gratitude helps me see that I have a great life already!
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13 Powerful Lessons From Keeping A Gratitude Journal
If gratitude journaling is a new habit, you may want to decide on a schedule you can stick to daily and a place where you’ll be writing. The more specific you are about what you’re grateful for and connect to the emotions, the more you’ll be consistent and stick to the process.
Gratitude prompts help you get started and think of what to write in your journal. They’re a guide and as you use them, they’ll spark new ideas of what else you can be thankful for.
After my personal experience of keeping a simple gratitude journal, l decided to reflect on what l had learned from the whole experience. I certainly had stronger feelings of gratitude and knew that this was not just something l wanted to do during the Thanksgiving season. It had to be a daily routine.
So here they are. I’m sharing the 13 Top Lessons From Keeping A Gratitude Journal. This habit has had a significant impact on my life and I’m sure it will do the same for you.
Lesson #1: I have it so good!
The fact is life is good, and I am blessed! Finding just three things I’m grateful for at the end of the day was just the start.
Looking deeply at even the smallest things showed me how truly blessed l am and made me appreciate God more for his many gifts and blessings. We don’t deserve anything God gives us and it’s all because of his wonderful love and amazing grace.
Lesson #2: Things could always be worse
We might not have everything we want in life but we have everything we need. The practice of gratitude teaches us contentment and greater appreciation for what we have. We realize that things could be much worse. I started complaining less because l focused on the amazing things and people around me.
Lesson #3: A grateful attitude is a choice
Developing positive thoughts, actions and attitudes is a skill that can be acquired. It takes conscious effort.
Life experiences lead to us developing negative emotions and thoughts but we can choose to be grateful even in the tough times. Starting small with 1-3 things you’re grateful for daily will develop into a regular practice of gratitude journaling.
Lesson #4: It’s hard to be negative when keeping a gratitude log
Even if I was toxic at the time I started, by the end I had developed good feelings. The daily gratitude practice led to life satisfaction even on bad days.
Lesson #5: Gratitude is the key to true joy
My gratitude journal serves as a mood lifter. When I’m feeling down, I can go back to it and read through all the things I’m thankful for, and my mood magically lifts.
Developing the attitude of gratitude was a simple act that led to greater happiness, a better mood, and an overall positive mental state. My family saw the change and would tell me that l was a joy to be around which really made my heart melt.
Lesson #6: It helps me to focus on what is truly important in my life
As a mom and wife, it’s normal for me to feel overwhelmed by what’s on my plate. A daily gratitude journal helped give me perspective. I gained clarity about what is most important in my life and about things I can and should let go of.
I learned that I was not grateful for the material possessions I owned. Rather it was the experiences and people in my life that truly mattered. So, l focused more on fostering those relationships and less on acquiring more stuff.
Lesson #7: It helps me see others in a positive light
No one is perfect even though we sometimes expect them to be. Only God is perfect. I learned that it’s important to see others in a positive light and be grateful for their strengths and presence in my life.
I’ve become more loving and forgiving. I’m quicker to forgive the wrongs against me when I write down positive things about the person who wronged me.
Over time l developed compassion for others and learned to love them in a new way. This extends to friends, loved ones, coworkers, and even strangers.
Lesson #8: You learn to let go of stress and worry
Gratitude lists gave me a positive attitude and I started embracing peace in my life. You realize the power of letting go and letting God take over and trusting him with all the big things and little things.
Then you start letting go of stress and worry and can truly enjoy your present life. Over time as you practice this rewarding habit, it decreases depression and anxiety.
Lesson #9: Being grateful made me humble
Keeping a gratitude journal helped me take note and appreciate the small things, gifts, and blessings that I usually overlooked and highlight the big things as well. I became humble realizing how blessed l am.
Thinking of the good things in your life as gifts helps you avoid taking them for granted. Try to enjoy and savor the gifts you’ve received.
Lesson #10: Keep a daily gratitude journal led to better sleep
One of the benefits of gratitude is it leads to improved sleep. I slept better and longer because of the positive emotions and thankful thoughts l had at the end of a long day.
Reflecting on the good that had happened that day helped me wake up refreshed and ready to start the day.
Lesson #11: I became more motivated and productive
Doing gratitude exercises in the morning is an effective way of starting the day with positive thoughts and a positive mood.
This encouraged me to tackle my to-do list, focus on my goals, and take on new challenges. The great thing was that l became more productive and I stopped procrastinating on tasks.
Lesson #12: My perspective shifted
For the first time, l could positively see even negative things. Instead of focusing on what went wrong, l was able to reframe situations in my mind and focus on the good that came out of something bad. I was able to see things from a new perspective.
On the rough days when l feel like l have nothing to write in the gratitude journal, looking back on what I’ve written before reminds me once more how blessed l truly am and shifts my mood and mind to the positive in my life.
Lesson #13: I learned to stop comparing myself to others
In the era of social media, it’s so easy to feel like your own life is not as glamorous as that of your friends and family. But as l started having a grateful attitude l had little time to be consumed with the daily lives of others.
I experienced personal growth and learned to be content with my life and what l have. Beyond material possessions, my life is full and rich with love, friendships, health, peace, purpose, and more.
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An attitude of gratitude will take you far in life. It leads to more joy, better health, better sleep shifts your perspective, and even more rewards.
Having a daily gratitude journal is a great way to keep track of the positive things happening intentionally and consciously in your life. Your life will be transformed as you consistently write in the journal.
These are my 13 Powerful Lessons From Keeping A Gratitude Journal. I hope they encourage and motivate you to start your own journey of reflecting on your days and finding the good in them.
