Why Gratitude Is So Important and How a Daily Gratitude Journal Changed My Life
An attitude of gratitude isn’t just fancy wording anymore. People are experiencing the benefits of gratitude every day, and today I want to share how a daily gratitude journal changed my life (seriously). Moreover, it keeps doing it.
What is Gratitude?
Gratitude comes from the Latin word “gratus” which means “pleasing, thankful” and expresses “a strong feeling of appreciation to someone or something for what that person has done to help you”. (Source)
Let’s dig into that!
Summer Allen, Ph.D. writes in The Science of Gratitude that one of the best ways to understand gratitude is if we split it into two parts: 1) “recognizing that one has obtained a positive outcome” and 2) “recognizing that there is an external source for this positive outcome”.
Gratitude is that warm and soft feeling that untangles the nerves in one’s stomach and instantly removes negative emotions and thoughts. Deep gratitude can transform one’s life and brighten up even the cloudiest day. No matter how you think of it, gratitude is the first step of finding happiness within you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you sign up or make a purchase I might get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my business. See full disclosure.
Benefits of Gratitude
Some of the most interesting and significant benefits of gratitude are better physical and psychological health, a positive perspective on life, less materialism, better sleep, improved digestive system, increased overall happiness, and even practicing better habits. Yes, start with the habit of gratitude and all other good habits will naturally follow.
Some studies even suggest that practicing gratitude could prevent burnout, one of the modern days’ diseases we really should take seriously.
Gratitude also cultivates patience, humility and kindness. (Source)
How To Feel Grateful Every Day?
Now that you know WHY gratitude is so important, it’s time to go through the few ways to express and feel gratitude every day.
Writing a letter of gratitude
Writing a gratitude letter is one of the first and most popular ways to express gratitude. Just think of Thanksgiving and all the cards you send to everyone you know. What about Christmas cards?
Gratitude letters are very similar to those little cards. You could send the gratitude letter to its recipient (if it’s a specific person you express gratitude to).
Alternatively, you could just tuck the letter into your desk drawer – benefits are equally great if you wrote it to a person, God, the Universe, or life in general.
Say it out loud
Verbal expression of gratitude is a wonderful way to approach the process if you aren’t eager to sit and write letters (or use journals) every day. Try saying a few gratitude sentences before rising from your bed in the morning. Another great experiment is to talk to yourself in the mirror and list a few things you are truly thankful for. Sounds awkward, but nobody cares ’cause nobody’s listening to you.
Gratitude daily log
This is simple journaling for gratitude, and you could do it as often as you wish or as often you remember.
This is my favorite type of journaling. I love writing, no matter if it’s on the computer or with pen and paper. However, regarding gratitude, I’ve found that the actual pen-to-paper way is more beneficial and brings positive emotions faster.
You could use any type of notebook, build your own journal or use this Happiness journal.
How a Daily Gratitude Journal Changed My Life and Can Change Yours Too
I use gratitude in two ways.
Firstly, as a gratitude log where I sit and express my gratitude for things in life or whatever happens on a specific day. This is a very pleasing, effortless, and eye-opening process that amazed me day after day.
If you are just like me, you’ve probably noticed that expressing gratitude and appreciating life in all its forms and colors is often challenging. Sitting on the desk (or in my bed, most likely), opening my journal, and pushing my brain to bring the good under the spotlights is what keeps me appreciative. There are way too many things I should be grateful for than I actually write, and if you think I exaggerate, you haven’t tried it hard enough.
I’ve written this post on 100 things to appreciate in life in less than an hour and it’s very long. I was amazed by the simplicity and the flow of goodness that streamed into my mind once I sat with the intention to write it.
Even writing the post you read right now is easy and requires almost zero preparation, because gratitude has stuck into me and flows into my veins for that long. At the same time, I also understand that I could always add more and more things to be grateful for. And I should.
Am I convincing you I am the most grateful person walking on this Earth? Of course, not!
I am far away from where I want to get, but the start of the process is also far behind me, and I am not ashamed to be proud of myself. If you have practiced gratitude for a while, you should be proud of yourself too. It’s self-love and not selfish.
My secret on how gratitude changed my life
The second way I use gratitude is to manifest the life I want to built for myself.
I’ve manifested feelings, emotions, people, events, business and personal success and I keep manifesting more of those.
Do I always get what I manifest? Yes!
Does it happen fast? Absolutely not.
Does manifesting through gratitude is the only thing you need to do to get what you want? You know that the answer is No.
But I am sure that expressing gratitude for the things I have right now and for the things I want to have is the best way to motivate myself to work hard for what I want.
Inside Of My Happiness Journal
Inside Of My Happiness | Journal for Living an Intentional Life
Scared of journaling?
Journaling has so many benefits, and you've always wanted to stick to it but never did. It looks and sounds complicated. You think that there are some rules you know nothing of and can't see the magic everyone talks of.
Inside of My Happiness is your go-to journal for the morning and the evening. Get inspired in the mornings, reflect on yourself in the evening. As simple as that.
How I changed my life through gratitude
It’s easy to say that it happened fast and that all I did was writing a few pages. The truth is that it took me over four years, going through self-damaging depression and re-discovering self-love and what it means to get to the conclusion that I’ve changed my life. And then there are all the lessons we learn along the journey, but we can’t summarise even in a book.
Gratitude as a Way of Life
This is a point where most people imagine one would have to be a saint to live a life full of gratitude.
I am far away from living my life only through gratitude, but I walk towards that place and I am eager to get there.
Am I able to wake up and say Thank you for being alive? When will I stop comparing myself to others and measure our lives in numbers and sizes? It doesn’t matter how much I would like to hide that I do it; it wouldn’t sound fair nor realistic.
We are only humans, and growth is our journey. Without working on ourselves, we have no reason to be here. Mere existence doesn’t suit me and I want to leave this world being a better person than when I came. And I know that gratitude is a great way to start and accompany the process.
My question is: do you live with gratitude in mind? Do you write the letters, sign the cards, log into your journal or simply whisper at least once a day how grateful you are for being here and being You?
The question isn’t how gratitude has changed my life, but how it could change yours… and are you willing to chase and stick to the process long enough to see and breathe through the benefits of appreciation?
Pin for later
How a Daily Gratitude Journal Changed My Life
Blogger, dreamer, procrastinator, and lover of everything soul-touching. My mission is to make you laugh, provoke your thoughts, light up your day and inspire you to fall in love with life and yourself.
