Many people will have been struggling with uncertainty about their future over the last few months. I don’t have to tell you what kind of unusual times we are living in. You’re heard it all before.
What I have found that has helped me keep a pretty level head is writing down my gratitudes every day and reading them the next day
Gratitude journaling is a sound way of taking control of what’s going on and appreciating the best things in your life right now. You might think you don’t have much, but if being on lockdown has taught me anything, it’s to appreciate all the things I took for granted before: birds singing, really green grass, long walks, a roof over my head, my gorgeous cat, Moko. There’s loads of things.
Years back, I wrote a few entries for a while, but I didn’t stick with it. I was puzzled why it didn’t work (whatever it was) because the benefits online about writing down three gratitudes every evening were all over the place.
I changed the system to something that was more practical and suited me:
- I didn’t (just) write my journal in the evening like everybody was talking about
- I wrote my entries throughout the day
- I added photos and links of the things that made me smile and appreciate my life
- I noticed more of the good stuff throughout my day
- I often recorded more than three entries every day
I use an app called Day One on my iPhone and Mac, to record my journal entires. This makes it easier look out for positives daily as I always have my phone with me – especially on my walks.
But the most powerful outcome of writing a daily gratitude journal is recall.
Every morning before I start work, I read entries from the day before.
Reliving positive moments, people and good feelings puts me in a great mood to start the day.
And it works every day.
Do you keep a gratitude journal or thinking of starting one again?
