Gratitude is not something you just practice during one season of the year. It’s a transformative daily habit that you need to adopt today.
Growing up, I dealt with trauma in my household because of my parent’s tumultuous relationship. I learned early on how to bottle my emotions and never let outsiders see what was really going on inside of me.
For me, putting on a facade of always being calm in the midst of the storm, while I was actually dying inside, became my coping mechanism. You may have done this or are doing this right now in your life too.
It’s a form of protection that we use because we don’t want to be vulnerable or judged and it has its time and place. But at some point, you have to let all of that shit out and journaling is one of the best methods to do just that.
Today I want to help you understand what journaling is, how journal prompts can help you, and why you need to adopt a gratitude journal practice like yesterday.
I’ve also created 25 powerful gratitude journal prompts to help you add a daily journal practice to your self-love treasure box.
Bonus, there’s a free download at the end of this article, because I want to make it as easy as possible for you to start taking care of Y-O-U.
This article is dedicated to 25 gratitude journal prompts that you should start using today.
Daily Gratitude Practice
What is Journaling?
Journaling is a therapeutic method to help you release pent-up aggression, emotions, and past traumas. It’s also a means to reflect on where you are, where you’re going, and what you are thankful for. Which can help you to continue to see hope in your future.
Most people journal by writing. This is the easiest and oldest method to get started with. All you need is some pen and paper, a laptop, or even the note app on your phone will do.
Other people enjoy video diaries, anyone remember YouTube back when it first started in 2005? It was indeed a treasure trove of people’s struggles, journeys, and I’ll say it, worst nightmares aka conspiracy theories, ha!
Today we have podcasts, forums, and social media that people turn to, maybe a little too often, to publicly share their experiences and sometimes just to vent.
All of these are different forms of journaling, some are more private while others are a part of a larger community. Any form you choose is valid, as long as it helps you to release, reflect and start the healing process.
What is a Journal Prompt?
A journal prompt is a question or statement that helps guide you on what to write in your journal.
Journal prompts really help when you are feeling stuck and you know you have so much that needs to be let out but the words aren’t flowing for you.
A good journal prompt will inspire you and surprise you as you find yourself releasing thoughts or emotions that you may have pent up inside for a long time.
Gratitude journaling is one of the best ways to start a journal practice because when we are reminded of the abundance that is already present in our lives, we open ourselves up to accept even more.
Why is Gratitude so Hard to Practice?
If you are a grown adult human being with bills, trauma, and social media addiction, I feel you, see you, and am you. It can be so hard to focus on gratitude when it feels like the world is constantly falling apart and rent is still due on the first of each month.
Living with the constant cognitive dissonance that our reality is these days is overwhelming, to say the least. It is so much easier to focus on the negative because there is a lot of it in this world.
This is why adopting an “attitude of gratitude” is so hard for a lot of grown-ups. But even in the darkness of the day, that sometimes feels all-consuming, there is still something to be grateful for. This is where gratitude journaling is here to help remind you that all is not lost.
Looking for help adopting more healthy self-care habits? Check out my tips on the best Self Love Habits to practice today and a guide on how to Love Yourself More.
Why You Should Use Gratitude Journal Prompts to Practice Gratitude Daily
As I mentioned above, it’s really easy to live your life focused solely on the negative things around you. I’m not a psychologist, so don’t ask me why, but we are hardwired to focus on the bad in our lives more than the good.
That is why gratitude is always talked about as being something you practice. You practice it because, it may not be something that comes naturally to you, and that’s ok.
This is where gratitude prompts come in handy. When you already operate from a more pessimistic point of view, finding things to be grateful for and writing them down daily can feel like a chore. And that’s not what we want journaling to feel like.
So, give yourself a shortcut and use the gratitude list at the end of this post. I have written a variety of prompts to help guide you on your journey to be more grateful in your everyday life.
Journaling itself is a practice and a commitment to yourself. So, start small and maybe give yourself the goal of tackling just one of these prompts this week. Then maybe next week you’ll journal about two prompts, and before you know it, you have a daily gratitude practice!
Benefits of Practicing Gratitude
The greatest benefit of practicing gratitude daily is that you are reminded that there is always an opportunity for something good to happen in your life. This is because you can clearly look back and see in your journal each day, that you are surrounded by so much to be grateful for.
When you use these prompts and reflect on every good thing in your world, it helps the bad things feel smaller. Gratitude alone won’t heal the deepest of traumas though. That’s where self-work and therapy come in babe.
But, practicing gratitude can be your first step to changing your perspective and help you open yourself back up to hope and possibility.
How to Use a Gratitude Journal
Gratitude journals are best used daily or as often as you can commit to writing in them. If you’re just getting started, take it slow and start small as I mentioned above.
I personally find that I journal more when I’m going through a really hard time. It helps me to get the slurry of thoughts and emotions out of my head, which oftentimes can end up being very heavy or negative.
So, I like to end an emotional journal entry with at least one thing I am grateful for. I force myself to see the silver lining in my life. I’ve been writing in my journal this way since I was a young girl and it truly helped me process some hard traumas growing up and still helps me today.
The same can work for you. Gratitude is there for you whenever you choose to practice it and take the time to reflect on yourself and how far you’ve come.
There is no right or wrong way to use a gratitude journal. Just jump in, let the abundance surround you, and be reminded that you are not alone and the sun will shine again!
Is it Better to do Gratitude Journaling in the morning or at night?
It is entirely up to you when you like to do your gratitude journaling. Some people prefer first thing in the morning whereas others enjoy writing at night, right before bed.
Whichever you choose, try to be consistent in order to adopt it as a daily practice. This is how it will become a habit and the attitude of gratitude will start to pay off in your daily life.
25 Powerful Gratitude Journal Prompts
- What about today made you smile?
- Name someone in your life you are grateful for and why.
- Write about an obstacle in your life that you overcame and why you’re grateful for that experience.
- Name a book you have read recently that you are grateful for and why.
- List a podcast or blog that has helped you recently and what you learned from it.
- What do you love most about this time of year?
- What lessons have you learned recently that have helped you?
- List 5 things you love about yourself and why.
- Think about your childhood, what is your happiest memory?
- What’s your favorite thing about your home and why?
- Name 3 good things you can say about someone else in your life and then go tell them 🙂
- What luxury in your life are you most thankful for and why?
- Name something you’re excited about for tomorrow.
- List 2 things in your life that you are proud of.
- What are 5 things you are excited about for this year?
- Write a note of gratitude to someone special in your life and then give it to them 🙂
- What is one of your favorite traditions and why?
- Write about your favorite part of the day and why it’s so special to you.
- Name the greatest gift you ever received and why it means so much to you.
- Think about something beautiful you saw today, what was it?
- List 3 opportunities you’ve had in your life and why you are grateful for them.
- What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
- List 3 reasons why you are thankful to be exactly who you are.
- What inspires you about your future the most?
- Name 5 people in your life that you love and why. Now, go tell them how special they are to you 🙂
This is your complete guide to gratitude and gratitude journal prompts, don’t forget to grab your free download below.
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