Soul Routines

How To Keep And Write A Gratitude Journal

Reading time: 2 min

“Living gratefully begins with affirming the good and recognizing its sources. It is the understanding that life owes me nothing and all the good I have is a gift, accompanied by an awareness that nothing can be taken for granted.”- (Dr. Robert Emmons, The Little Book of Gratitude)

7 Tips on how to get started

  • 1. Take your time 

- Write as often as possible. A daily practice works best. However, don’t be too hard on yourself. Be sure to commit to a regular time in your week that feels good to you and your routines.

  • 2. Step by Step

- Start with the small things in life, sometimes it can be hard to find something you are grateful for. Therefore take the time to find a specific thing or detail in your life - however small it might seem. If you found one tiny thing and nothing else comes to mind: Great, you're done for the day! 

  • 3. Make a conscious choice

- Make a conscious choice to change your life. Committing to yourself and this practice shows that you made a choice to become more content, happier, and grateful.

  • 4.Depth is key

- It’s better to take the time to express your emotions toward the positive experience or what you are grateful for than to just check off a list. Dive into the depth of what you are grateful for and why.

  • 5.Try subtraction, not addition

- Another way you could go about this practice is to write down and reflect on what your life would look like right now without the gifts you have.

  • 6. Sunrise, surprise

- Take the time to write down all the surprises that might have occurred and savor them. Look at the suprises as gifts to be grateful for in your life.

  • 7. No perfection needed

- Don't stress yourself with an idea of what your journal should look like. This is just a practice for you. It can be as big or small as you see fit for your life. Write when you feel like it and stay true to yourself. Also know you can always adjust this commitment. The routine shouldn’t create stress. Occasionally, form a new commitment to writing when you feel it is right for you. You will benefit most from this practice when it is adapted to your needs, rhythm, and flow.


Remember there's no wrong way to start. Just picking up the pen and writing something is a big step and often the hardest part. Keeping a journal will establish a sense of creativity and flow when you might otherwise feel in chaos and despair. It will help you bond and create a better relationship with yourself. From time to time you can sit back and go through the filled pages of your book of life, reflecting on all the good there is and was.


If you would like to deepen this experience or have some questions about this practice, know that you can always reach us on our chat from 10:00am-6:00pm

Your Soulchat Team

Author: Nallely Courtney

References

Emmons, R. A. (2016). The Little Book of Gratitude: Create a Life of Happiness and Wellbeing by Giving Thanks. The Little Books. Gaia. 

Emmonse, R. A., & Mccullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377-389.

Network For Grateful Living. (2018). Everyday Gratitude: Inspiration for Living Life as a Gift. Storey Publishing LLC.