How (and Why) To Start Gratitude Journaling

You probably know that practicing positive thinking is, in general, a better idea than letting yourself spiral into negative thoughts. But when things feel like they’re not going well, it can be hard to focus on the positives.

Maybe it’s time to consider a gratitude journal. This simple but powerful tool can help you see the good in your life rather than focus on the bad.

“Gratitude isn’t a magic wand, but it can create a meaningful shift in perspective and mood,” says psychologist Susan Albers, PhD.

Dr. Albers explains what gratitude journaling is and how to start.

What is a gratitude journal?

A gratitude journal is a place to write down specific things you appreciate, from an important relationship to a small moment that made your day easier.

“This practice helps interrupt the brain’s tendency to scan for problems,” Dr. Albers explains. “Gratitude journaling adjusts your mind’s lens so you see the whole picture, not only what went wrong throughout the day.”

A gratitude journal can take whatever form works best for you. You might use a traditional journal or notebook, the journaling function on your smartphone or a specialty app designed just for this purpose.

The writing itself can take different forms, too. Some people write freely, while others use prompts to guide them. What’s most important is choosing something you’re likely to continue.

An end-of-day entry in your journal could be as simple as:

• A kind gesture someone made.
• Three good things that happened.
• A moment that made you smile.
• Something your body helped you do.
• One thing that made a difficult day a little easier.

“Authentic gratitude doesn’t have to be anything grand,” Dr. Albers says.

Benefits of journaling

Regularly focusing on positive experiences may benefit your mental health and emotional well-being. Dr. Albers delves deeper into some of the benefits of adopting a gratitude journaling practice.

May improve mental health

An analysis of studies on gratitude found that people who practiced gratitude had fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression and better overall mental health.

“Gratitude doesn’t erase difficult feelings,” Dr. Albers says. “It reminds you that something good can exist alongside them.”

Helps shift your perspective

When you’re feeling sad or stressed, it can be easy to focus on what’s going wrong. But gratitude journaling encourages you to notice the good alongside it, such as:

• Things you’re thankful for
• Positive experiences
• Funny or meaningful moments
• Supportive relationships

Let’s say you start gratitude journaling at a time when you’ve been feeling especially overwhelmed. “Writing down one good thing every day isn’t going to change your circumstances,” Dr. Albers notes. “But it may help you start to notice that stress isn’t the main character in your story.”

Combats ‘negativity bias’

The human brain is wired for survival, always looking out for any threats in our environment. In ancient times, that tendency helped keep us alive. But in the modern era? Not so much.

“Our natural tendency to give extra attention to threats and problems is what psychologists call the ‘negativity bias,’” Dr. Albers explains. “Regular gratitude practice trains your attention to notice positive, supportive and meaningful experiences.”

The more you do it, the easier and more automatic it becomes to recognize those experiences. “What we repeatedly notice becomes easier for the brain to see,” she adds.

Improves mood

Research indicates that gratitude journaling can help improve mood, something Dr. Albers says she sees play out in her practice.

“This is one of my favorite techniques for helping people shift their mindset and boost their mood,” she shares. “It’s free, it can be done anywhere and it doesn't require any special tools. A little bit of conscious effort can be a big investment in your mood.”

Gratitude journaling also gives you a record to look back on. That can help lift your spirits and improve your mood at times when positive memories feel hard to channel.

Changes your overall outlook

Regular gratitude journaling builds a new habit that can ultimately help shift the way you see the world.

“With practice, people start to spend less time searching for what’s wrong, and more time naturally noticing what is meaningful, comforting or going well,” Dr. Albers says.

“Gratitude becomes less of an exercise you have to remember to do and more of a lens through which you experience your day.”

Encourages mindfulness

Journaling with gratitude encourages mindfulness, bringing your thoughts to the present moment. And writing them down is a big part of that.

“Our thoughts move quickly,” Dr. Albers says. “But writing makes us slow down, choose our words and remain with an experience long enough to absorb it.”

In that way, gratitude journaling also brings an element of mindfulness, slowing down and appreciating the moment.

How to start a gratitude journal

Trying to figure out where to begin, or how to keep going? Dr. Albers offers these tips to help you get into — and stick with — the practice of gratitude journaling.

• Choose your medium. Decide what feels right for you, whether you write in a journal or notebook, use the journaling function in your smartphone or download an app specifically for gratitude journaling.
• Use “habit stacking.” Pair journaling with something you already do, like making coffee or brushing your teeth. “Your brain remembers new habits more easily when they’re linked to established ones,” Dr. Albers explains.
• Follow the rule of three. You don’t need to pen a whole laundry list of things you’re grateful for. “Listing three things is enough to shift your focus without making the practice feel like another chore,” Dr. Albers says.

But now that it’s time to write, you might be feeling a little stumped. These additional tips can help you start to see the world through more thankful eyes.

• Zoom in, not out. Specific memories have bigger emotional impact than vague ones. So, instead of “I had a good day at work,” try “I got positive feedback from my boss.” Instead of “I’m grateful for my family,” try “My son called to say hi.”
• Add the “because.” Identifying why you’re grateful deepens the psychological effect, Dr. Albers says. Instead of “I appreciated my friend’s text,” expand it to “I appreciated my friend’s text because it made me feel remembered.”
• Tap into your senses. Mindfulness helps gratitude move from a thought into an experience. Pause and mentally replay a specific moment using your senses. What did you see, hear or feel?
• Notice the ordinary. Identifying the little things — a strong cup of coffee, a green light when you’re in a hurry or a cozy bed to crawl into after a hard day — helps teach your brain to spot everyday moments of goodness.
• Try “fresh gratitude.” Repetition can put your brain on autopilot, but novelty engages your attention. So, even if every day seems pretty similar, look for something new to be grateful for each day.
• Don’t force positivity. You don’t have to fake feeling happy. “Gratitude should make room for pain, not cover it up,” Dr. Albers acknowledges. “You can be grateful and still feel sad, stressed or disappointed.”
• On hard days, look for what helped. Instead of asking “What made me happy?” ask “What helped me get through today?” Sometimes, gratitude is simply recognizing support or things that went well.

Examples of gratitude journal prompts

These journal prompts can help you find moments of gratitude throughout your day:

• What made me smile today?
• What’s something I usually take for granted?
• What did my body help me do today?
• What was one moment of comfort I experienced today?
• What was the most enjoyable aspect of the day?
• What is something that went right today?
• What is one thing I’m looking forward to?

But on difficult days, even these answers may feel hard to find. When things feel especially tough, try these:

• What helped me get through today?
• What made today a little easier?
• Who showed me kindness?
• Who supported me when I needed it?

Final thoughts

The more you practice gratitude journaling, the more accustomed you become to feeling grateful.

“Gratitude is often a passing thought,” Dr. Albers says. “Instead, when you write it down, it gives it a place to land. A grateful thought can quickly float away, but writing it down helps it stick in your brain.”