The Power of Keeping a Gratitude Journal

The word “gratitude” has its roots in Latin grata or gratia. A dictionary definition would be ‘gifts outweighing exchange’.

My first introduction to a gratitude journal was during a work-related seminar. It was highly recommended as one of the best ways to show thankfulness on a daily basis. Although, as a writer, I’ve always loved the idea of journaling and did a lot of it during my teenage years, I have to admit that I had not journaled much in my adult years.

I loved the idea of taking the time to be thankful for the things we have in our lives. However, time for journaling is scarce given today’s busy lifestyles. keeping the journal is easy and involves simply making notes of the things that you are grateful for each day. It is up to you how long your list is or whether you prefer to do it in a bulleted list or paragraph form and how much detail you want to go into. The best thing is that it’s an easy habit to form and after a while, you are left with a treasury of inspiring and uplifting material of your own to look back at.

So I decided to implement the recommendation and get myself a pretty journal (available at most department stores or stationery stores). First, it felt good to be getting something “for me”; I was already feeling grateful for that. I decided to do mine in a bulleted form, reminiscing about my day before I went to bed and jotting down the events I felt grateful for. This proved to be a very personal activity that allowed me to be present with my own achievements.

What I didn’t realize would happen…

I didn’t realize that spending just a few minutes before bed writing down a few grateful sentiments could help me have a much better night’s sleep. By thinking about the positive experiences of the day or reminding myself of what I have to be thankful for, I am much less likely to think about my worries and clear my mind for a good night’s sleep.

I didn’t realize that showing gratitude means I am acknowledging the goodness in my life. By writing these things down, I am able to feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, and build strong relationships–all are a recipe for a much happier life!

Researchers have found that people who write about gratitude are more optimistic and feel better about their lives in general.

I also didn’t realize that I went about my days looking for things I was or would be grateful for so I can write in my journal that night. I had forgotten how much journaling can provide clarity for life.

The gratitude journal is a habit I will keep.

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