Writing down what one is grateful for each day can positively impact the way the body and mind function—from quality of sleep to boosting immunity and happiness. A gratitude journal serves as a personal outlet to reflect on what one is grateful for in life. “Gratitude journals may allow individuals to better organize their thoughts and tasks, potentially leading to improved organization and clarity," says Leela R. Magavi, MD, a psychiatrist and Regional Medical Director for Community Psychiatry + MindPath Care Centers. Spending a few minutes a day or even a week to acknowledge and absorb the positive attributes of life can make a significant impact on one’s overall well-being. Here are the best gratitude journals on the market. This weekly guided journal includes 52 weeks of new exercises, meditations, and self-reflective writing sessions. Each day includes a prompt or question to motivate readers to recognize small blessings and acquire a more positive mindset. Examples of writing prompts include, “I appreciate that I live in a part of the world where anyone can…” and “which challenges are you proud to have overcome?” The journal also includes an artistic portion, with 15 coloring pages to help readers kick-start their creativity and embrace daily gratitude. This daily ritual guides readers through up to five years of gratitude reflection and inspirational quotes. Serving as a personal time capsule, the journal documents a reader’s personal growth and evolution throughout the years. Thought-provoking entries include a list of goals and intentions for the future, as well as daily writing prompts like “music I enjoyed listening to today,” “things I did for myself today,” and more. Incorporating these practices helps provide balance and positivity in everyday life. With ten minutes a day, “Happy Journal, Happy Life” aims to get the creative juices flowing and help people harness gratitude and happy thoughts. This journal is for writers and artists of all levels, and it guides readers in using drawing and doodling as mediums for expressing what brings joy into their lives. Through the “Happy Journal” experience, participants will also learn how to combat negative mindsets and focus on the high points in life, both big and small. Spend anywhere from a minute to a day completing the various pages and projects depicted in this beautiful 224-page book. Introducing kids to a gratitude journal at a young age demonstrates that one can appreciate even the smallest things in life. This daily practice could guide them toward a lifetime of positive thinking. The book serves as a blank canvas to reflect on what one is grateful for each day, through short journal entries and blank drawing pages. Additionally, each page includes a new motivational quote. “The One-Minute Gratitude Journal” is extremely time-efficient. With just one minute and three to five sentences a day, readers can begin to reap the benefits of regularly expressing gratitude. In addition to daily quotes and space to jot down the things you’re grateful for each day, the journal has a weekly gratitude checkpoint, where you can reflect back on all of your recent blessings. Lastly, we know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but the design on this one is especially nice.
Structure
There is no single correct template for the structure of gratitude journals, and Magavi recommends choosing one based on your story and personality. “Some individuals fare better with more structure and guidance, while others excel with more space and freedom to be creative and fluid,” Magavi explains. “Some individuals enjoy journaling freely, while others prefer completing daily tasks and gratitude worksheets.”
Cost
A good gratitude journal needn’t be costly. “An inexpensive notebook can do the trick for those who enjoy creating their own prompts, or free-association gratitude journaling,” Magavi says. And ultimately, what you get out of a gratitude journal depends almost entirely on what you put into it—not whether it has heavyweight paper, a visually appealing cover, or fun fonts.
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Emily Stone’s research has led her to a deeper understanding of how the brain functions as well as what feeds into happiness. Gratitude can often be drowned out by the day’s headlines or an unpleasant encounter. By taking even one minute in the morning or before bed to reflect on the positive, we can significantly benefit both physically and emotionally. Gratitude journals not only provide an outlet for identifying and acknowledging aspects of our life we’re grateful for, but they also give us the chance to express ourselves in different ways. For example, Magavi says that some individuals even draw pictures linked to the content and share their journal and gratitude with others. “The key is to have a specific, sacred space that is designed solely for the expression of gratitude,” Manly says. “You can use a journal that offers prompts, you can create your own prompts, or you can simply go with what pops into your mind. Keeping a consistent gratitude journal is a wonderful, ongoing reminder of the importance of living in gratitude.” Magavi advises her patients to complete short journal entries on a daily basis, without fixating on grammar and punctuation, and to journal at a specific time of the day, which helps create a routine. “I advise individuals to write letters to themselves and others, and short positive messages and lists,” she adds. “Some individuals benefit from picking two or three things they are grateful for each day and writing these things down." But for those who do believe they are getting something out of writing in a gratitude journal, there are a variety of different benefits. “Journaling helps individuals gain clarity and understand themselves better,” Magavi says. “A gratitude journal can allow individuals to pinpoint the positive aspects of their day-to-day life, and consequently, dissipate negative and distressing sentiments. Individuals can rejoice about any small victory.” By allowing people to learn how to prioritize their needs and emotions over society expectations, Magavi says that writing in a gratitude journal can help alleviate anxiety and boost a person’s mood. “Using a gratitude journal can be very beneficial to overall mental health by creating a more mindful way of being,” Manly explains. “Gratitude journaling increases a state of inner calm due to the focus required to turn inward for self-reflection. This, on its own, engages the calming parasympathetic nervous system.” In general, Manly says that it’s best to be as specific as possible when writing in a gratitude journal. “Specificity allows the mind and spirit to focus on the uplifting details that are often missed when we are busy or stressed,” she explains. “Journaling reflections focused on relationships and life’s unexpected joys often yield significant mood-boosting results.” For example, Manly says that rather than writing, “I am grateful for my best friend,” a more specific reflection might be, “I feel so blessed to have Erika in my life. She is a constant source of support and kindness. I am so grateful to have a friend who has such integrity, compassion, and love in her heart.” This more specific type of journaling generates a more intentional, uplifting focus. Gratitude can make life’s challenges feel smaller and manageable. Additional reporting by Elizabeth Yuko. As a seasoned health writer and editor with a special focus on mental health and well-being, Elizabeth Yuko understands how powerful stress-relieving activities can be for many people—as well as the fact that they’re not one-size-fits-all. With decades of first-hand experience dealing with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, she’s always on the lookout for new (and research-backed) products, techniques, and services that can help people cope with stress and other mental health challenges.
