A gratitude journal is a wonderful mindfulness and self-improvement tool. The idea behind mindfulness is to become aware and be present at the moment instead of worrying about past or future events. It involves detaching from everyday stresses so that you can focus on what’s important – your life.
Practicing gratitude can help you overcome negative thoughts or feelings such as sadness, stress, anxiety, and fear. It’s impossible to experience joy if your thoughts are consumed by negative emotions, such as guilt or sadness. Rather than focusing on the negative aspects of your life, expressing your gratitude allows you to recognize and embrace the positive things. Gratitude is a key pillar to achieving mindfulness.
How journaling can affect your daily life
Research suggests that practicing gratitude has many benefits. Gratitude journals are great because it gives us a glimpse into how we think about ourselves. They offer us the opportunity to express ourselves at any time, making them a powerful medium for both meditation and self-improvement. Using gratitude journals and affirmations are an effective way to reach your peace, harmony, and balance goals. If you’re already into journaling, consider adding statements of gratitude and positive affirmations into your daily practice. If you’re brand new, then they are really easy and straightforward ways to get started with very little effort.
Most importantly, mindfulness creates a sense of awareness that helps you become more attuned to yourself, which naturally motivates you to change for the better. By making mindfulness an important part of your daily routine, you’ll be able to act out of love rather than fear or confusion. And isn’t that what matters?
Here are 16 reasons you absolutely need to start a gratitude journal:
1. It will enhance how you view your life
A gratitude journal is a great way to elevate your mindfulness and self-improvement efforts. It provides a platform to acknowledge the little things that make life enjoyable while also allowing you to reflect on your positive thoughts and experiences.
2. You will develop a greater appreciation for what you already have instead of the things you don’t
You will realize how much there is to be thankful for. This makes you appreciate what you already have more than you would if you didn’t keep a gratitude journal! Studies have shown that it can help reduce materialistic values and makes people more satisfied with their lives. It even helps people who’ve suffered major setbacks like losing family members or being diagnosed with life altering diseases. Grateful people can find meaning in such hardships and remain positive about the future or find happiness in the present.
3. It will help you deal with stress
Gratitude helps you navigate stressful situations better because it helps you to understand things could be much worse. Although stress won’t magically disappear, you’ll live a more optimistic life, enjoying what you have, and welcome what’s to come. Expressing your gratitude takes away the fear, anxiety, and worry that are an inevitable part of everyday living.
4. It will make you less self-centered
It turns out that gratitude—the ability to appreciate what we—or others—have—is a critical component of emotional intelligence (EQ). EQ describes an array of mental abilities that, together, determine our success and satisfaction in life. A grateful person realizes that there is more to life than just their own needs and problems; they can empathize with other people’s problems and feel compassion for others instead of being self-interested at all times! Gratitude is the most underestimated tool in the social-skills shed.
5. Your new mindset and perspective can help improve others
Your relationships are more likely to last if you keep a gratitude journal because it helps you understand yourself better and see what kind of person you want to be when interacting with others! Also, people who express gratitude are less materialistic than those who don’t. They don’t compare themselves to others and tend to focus on their own lives instead. So not only would your friends appreciate this new side of you, but skeptical friends will see how you have changed for the better and will hopefully be inspired to become more mindful as well. Positivity is contagious!
6. It will help you solve problems more easily
Gratitude not only makes you happier, but it also helps you reason things out more clearly! Grateful people don’t just sit around and complain about their problems; instead, they use their positive outlook to find solutions to their problems, whether through setting new goals or coming up with alternate plans of action!
7. You won’t become complacent
People who keep gratitude journals often realize what matters in life. They see how many simple pleasures there are that we take for granted every day. However, people who reflect on blessings may derive greater benefit than those who focus on burdens. An expansive body of research suggests that a focus on the positive is associated with more happiness, better relationships, and superior achievements. It will motivate you to improve your life or do something meaningful and not just complain about the small problems in your life!
8. You will have better physical health
Gratitude has been linked to increased physical activity. This is because grateful people feel a sense of duty towards their community and avoid becoming isolated from others. This was noted in studies as well. In one study, some participants were repeatedly prompted to consider things they were grateful for, while others considered hassles; those who took time each day to remember what they were most thankful for experienced increases in energy during the subsequent week.
Also, grateful people are more likely to eat healthier foods and share their happiness with others instead of overeating.
9. You will have better mental health
Gratitude has major positive effects on depression and anxiety. Research suggests that feeling grateful can have profound benefits for us. People who exhibit an attitude of gratitude enjoy stronger emotional health, enhanced relationships, increased levels of happiness, life satisfaction—and even longer lives! This is great news because when most people think about journaling, they only imagine its benefits regarding physical health!
10. You will discover new ways to express yourself
By starting a gratitude journal, you will be more aware of what is happening in your life every day. Whether you decide to write about the smallest things or big events, expressing yourself and determining how you feel allows you to become a more well-rounded person than ever before. Keeping a gratitude journal can be as simple as paying attention during the day and then documenting one positive event each night before bedtime.This makes an individual less likely to dwell on their negative feelings but see other perspectives with an open mind instead.
11. It boosts self-confidence
It might sound counterintuitive since gratitude helps us realize that we don’t always need to chase after material things. Still, this very change of perspective causes us to see ourselves much more positively. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude can have the effect of boosting self-confidence and altering our priorities, leading us to re-evaluate what is truly important in life and feel great about it.
12. You will be thankful for the little things in life you never noticed before
It’s easy to forget about the little pleasures that come our way every day when people focus too much on huge goals or desires. Many people feel grateful for all sorts of big things, but what about the small things. There are so many things for you to write about in your gratitude journal. Your next meal, the roof over your head, loving friends and family, and not to mention that last breath you just took while reading this! It’s wonderful to appreciate the really big blessings. It’s also useful to appreciate the little ones that we take for granted each day.
13. Your ability to create new relationships will improve
Even small expressions of gratitude can go a long way in building and maintaining healthy, positive relationships. In taking time to recognize what’s going right, we can create deep connections or reinforce them. Interestingly, studies have also shown that those who kept gratitude journals were more likely to perform acts of kindness. They expressed appreciation and affection towards others as well.
14. You will notice how interconnected we are with everything around us
When practicing gratitude, it’s impossible not to see how connected everything is. When we look for the good in life, connections between seemingly unrelated things become apparent. Think of a time when you found yourself thinking about something pleasant and suddenly realized a connection with something else. This is perhaps one of the largest benefits of keeping a journal and writing down your feelings regularly. Taking time each day to observe the blessings surrounding you will make you realize how important every action is in everyday life.
15. You won’t be afraid to dream big anymore
Gratitude can give you the courage to believe that dreams can come true, even if at first they seem unlikely or impossible. When we feel thankful, there’s no room for fear or despair. This also increases how likely you are to be patient and work hard for your dreams until they come true. Add in some positive affirmations to tie your gratitude journaling together and the confidence will make you feel unstoppable!
16. You’ll have a more authentic career path
Most people don’t realize that it’s possible to find fulfillment in their careers and have a fulfilling life. While some may consider happiness and success to be common enemies, there is a link between the two. Being grateful helps us take advantage of opportunities that come our way — even when we least expect them.
Final Thoughts:
The benefits of a gratitude journal are numerous and benefit both your mind and body! A little bit of self-care goes a long way for those who feel they don’t have enough time or energy to take care of themselves. It’s a very quick and easy way to begin your journey into practicing gratitude. If you’re looking for some gratitude inspiration for your new journal check out our app on iOS or Android. There are tons of affirmations with a focus on gratitude to help jumpstart your journey!