5 Ideas of What to Include in a Gratitude Journal

There are many reasons to keep a Gratitude Journal. Whether you're on a healing journey or want to add thankfulness to your day to live a freer, more contented life, writing down your thoughts is a powerful tool. This is why Gratitude Journals are so popular.

 

If you've ever wanted to get started writing a Gratitude Journal but are stuck for ideas of what to write about, try these ideas out. You'll have plenty to write about in no time!

 

Enjoy the Details

 

It's easy to write about how much you're thankful for your home or best friend. The problem? You'll quickly run out of material or be stuck repeating yourself if you list the same people daily. Instead of talking about the people or things in your life you're grateful for, dig down into the details about what exactly you love about them. For example, maybe you love how your best friend sat up with you all night when you needed someone to talk to. 

 

Get Into the Moment

 

Take a minute to center yourself. By using mindfulness or meditation to pause and empty your mind of thoughts, you start paying attention to where you are right now emotionally, physically, or even spiritually. Once you're relaxed, let your mind drift where it will. Look for things to be thankful for. For example, you might hear the sound of wind chimes outside or smell dinner in the over, which are both things to be grateful for. Write about these things.

 

Ask Why

 

If you already have a grateful thought, try digging down a little to find out what about this makes you feel so much gratitude. Ask why you feel this way, and keep asking why until you find the root. For example, you might be writing about how you're grateful for chocolate chip cookies and discover you love them because your grandmother always made them for you. Express your gratitude for these ‘buried treasures.’

 

Change Directions

 

If you've been writing about the same things every day, look for ways to discover gratitude in other areas of your life. Maybe you've been focusing on family for a while. If so, try turning toward work, past experiences, or nature for new inspiration.

 

Do Something Else

 

If the thoughts aren’t coming, give yourself a break. This isn’t a race. Walk away and do something else for a bit, such as emptying the dishwasher. Let your mind drift through this activity. What about this job can you be grateful for (clean dishes? The time you shared with your family cleaning up the kitchen together after dinner last night? The meal you’re going to eat next on these dishes?) Come back and write about these things.

 

It's sometimes surprising to see just how much there is to be grateful for, isn't it? The best part? The more you journal your gratitude, the more your own attitude will shift to one of compassion and kindness. Truly, a grateful heart is a happy one! 

 

Reasons Why You Should Keep a Gratitude Journal

Spending just fifteen minutes a day writing in your gratitude journal can do amazing things in your life! Scientific studies have proven that showing gratitude on a consistent basis makes people happier and healthier. One of the best ways to get into the habit of cultivating gratitude is by keeping a journal. Here’s a short list of how a gratitude journal can change your life for the better:

 

Achievement 

 

A gratitude journal will help you note those simple things you achieve. You'll also be aware of both big and little things in life that you have to be thankful for by recording in your journal.

 

Happiness 

 

A gratitude journal keeps you happy because it keeps you focused on the good things that exist in your daily life.  Once you start a gratitude journal, you are “on the lookout” for good things—both big and small. Imagine what your life would be like if you focused on the positive instead of negative! 

 

Good health 

 

Dis-ease is negative energy that has been stored up from your negative beliefs and memories. You can quickly counteract dis-ease by concentrating on the good in your life over the bad.

 

Earn more respect 

 

Keeping a gratitude journal gives you the chance to understand the values of life. It makes you approach things in a more organized way thereby improving your level of respect and confidence among friends and colleagues. 

 

Relationships 

 

Keeping a gratitude journal improves your relationships with people around you because you look for things about others to appreciate. It’s easy to find fault, but once you start showing appreciation for the people in your life, your relationships will grow.

 

Enhance sleeping 

 

People who keep gratitude journals tend to sleep better because they often reflect on their day before bed, which gives them a sense of calmness.

 

Less stress

 

Whether you’re living in a stressful situation or just thinking back to one, your body doesn’t know the difference. It will still fire off all of those stress hormones and create the same physical, mental and emotional tension, whether or not the event is currently happening. By focusing on the positive, you avoid the stress reaction.

 

Resiliency

 

You can think of gratitude as being a mental and emotional muscle that you can build with daily exercise. If stuff goes wrong in life and your gratitude muscle is weak, you’ll struggle to find a silver lining in those storm clouds. But if you already have an excellent daily gratitude habit, then your gratitude muscle will be resilient and well-trained, meaning life’s challenges don’t knock you off course as much.

 

How To Get The Most out of Gratitude Journaling

If you have recently started gratitude journaling, you may be wondering if you are getting the full benefits from your daily ritual. And this is something which you must decide for yourself, but there are several things you can do to get the most out of your journaling. Below are some simple ways to receive the maximum benefits from your journaling practice. 

 

Try Different Formats

 

When most people think of journaling, they think of writing letters to themselves or simply writing sentences about their feelings. But this isn’t the only format you can journal in, and the truth is, it may not be the most effective for you. Consider changing up your journaling format, or better yet, employing more than one format in your journaling. This will make sure you are getting the most out of your journaling time. Other formats when it comes to gratitude journaling can be lists, diagrams, or tables. 

 

Write Yourself Compliments

 

In gratitude journaling, people tend to write about all the things or people they are grateful for in their lives. And there is nothing wrong with this, just make sure you don’t forget to be thankful for the most important person, yourself! It’s best practice to write a few things you like about yourself each day as you journal. This way, you can reflect on how your day went and watch your transformation as you become a better version of yourself.  

 

Don’t Forget The Lessons

 

No one’s life is perfect, and when gratitude journaling, you may find that sometimes you have days where you make significant mistakes that you are embarrassed by. And this is okay, and even something you should be thankful for! Instead of approaching your mistakes as setbacks instead, include them in your gratitude journaling as lessons and approach them with an open mind and be grateful for the lesson you have had the opportunity to learn. This will help keep you from making the same mistakes again. 

 

Wherever you may be in your gratitude journaling journey, you are most certainly benefiting from the practice. But if you want to make sure you are getting the most from it, try playing around with the format a bit, don’t forget to compliment yourself, and don’t be afraid to approach your mistakes. After all, your gratitude journal is a safe space for you to express everything you are grateful for without any outside judgment.  

5 Benefits of Daily Optimism

There is increasing evidence that being optimistic about life has measurable benefits, not just for your mental health, but your physical well-being too. Scientific studies have shown that as you become more optimistic, your life will improve in all sorts of ways. You’re even likely to have a longer life, just from being more hopeful and positive. 

Among the many benefits of being optimistic are:

 

1.    Optimists are healthier

 

Optimists not only rate their own health and wellbeing as better, but studies have also shown that optimists have better mental and physical health than pessimists. In a study of the effects of positive psychological well-being, optimism was found to be the biggest predictor of improved heart health. Optimists also have lower blood pressure and cholesterol and a lower risk of developing heart disease.

 

2.    Optimists live longer

 

A study by the University of Pittsburgh found that of the 100,000 women studied over eight years, optimists were less likely to die from any cause than women with a more pessimistic outlook.  That was confirmed by a later Harvard study that showed the women who had a positive outlook had a much lower risk (nearly 30% less) of dying from serious illnesses. 

 

3.    Optimists are happier

 

It might seem obvious that an optimist would be happier than a pessimist. But it has been shown that optimists are not just sunnier in their dispositions, but they are measurably happier in their relationships, jobs, and life in general. They deal better with stress, are more resilient in bad times, and produce less cortisol, the stress hormone that leads to inflammation and a lowered immune system.

 

4.    Optimists have smoother career paths

 

Researchers from Duke University found that the optimistic MBA graduates they studied were more likely to find a job, earn a higher starting salary, and have more frequent promotions than the pessimists in the group. Optimists also deal better with negative feedback, seeing it as an opportunity to improve and increase their chance of promotion in the future. 

 

5.    Optimists roll with the punches

 

Life’s adversities do not crush an optimist; they remain hopeful about the future. Optimism helps you deal with whatever limiting beliefs you have developed and shows you a way out. Being positive about life’s possibilities means you focus on what you can do. It boosts your confidence and makes you more likely to look for constructive solutions. It stops you feeling stuck or at the mercy of other people. If you’re optimistic, you know you can do it!

 

6 Ways to Cultivate Optimism Each Day

You might be surprised to hear that optimism is not an innate quality. Optimism and pessimism are ways of looking at yourself and the world through a positive or negative filter. Once you think of them as reflections of your mindset, it becomes much easier to believe you can change. Like any new behavior, you need to practice every day for it to become a habit. Try these six suggestions to cultivate your optimism every day. 

 

1.    Keep a journal

 

Journaling or keeping a diary allows you to process events and to get a different perspective on them. It encourages self-reflection and captures insights into your thinking and behavior. You can write down what happened during your day and document, not just the bald facts but how you did it, what you did to make it happen and what you did right. And, importantly, how it felt while you were doing it. Don’t just record the good things (a promotion, a presentation or meeting that went well), remember to write down the thing that didn’t go so well and reflect on what happened, how you dealt with it, and what you might do differently next time. 

 

2.    Laugh

 

Consciously notice the funny side of things and write them down. If the technology didn’t work, and you had to give the presentation without the slide deck, or the power went out, or there was a fire drill in the middle of your crucial meeting. What can seem like a disaster at the time can also be looked back on as a comedy of errors.

 

3.    Write to your future 

 

Write a letter or a journal entry that sets out the future you want. What job are you doing? Are you running your own business? What have you learned? What has changed? Imagining how your future life looks and feels can be a powerful motivator.

 

4.    Keep a kindness list

 

Have a page in your journal where you note down kind gestures. Write down when you are kind to someone, or when someone is kind to you. Even little things count, like opening a door for someone or letting them go first in the line for coffee. You’ll be surprised at how quickly they mount up, and your ever-lengthening list will give you a different perspective on things.

 

5.    Say thank you

 

Write a letter or email, phone or visit someone (a person outside your family) who has been genuinely kind to you. Tell them how much you appreciate what they did or said and how it has affected your life. 

 

6.    Choose positivity

 

Make the positive choice to develop and maintain an optimistic outlook. Do this every morning when you wake up. Decide that today is going to be a great day. Everyone will have some level of suffering in their life. Choosing to be optimistic will make it easier to bounce back from the bad times and to enjoy and be certain of the good times. 

5 Ways To Boost Emotional Growth

Emotional growth, also known as emotional maturity, is being wise enough to understand your feelings and apply that understanding in your life. People with emotional maturity are good at handling difficult situations in a calm, non-invasive manner.

 

They also know when to reach out for help or acknowledge that they need a break for fear of burning out. This level of self-awareness allows you to identify your emotions and those of others around you. Thus, it will enable you to enjoy better relationships and live a more fulfilling life.

 

Several studies have been carried out on the value of emotional growth, especially in the workforce. Their findings show that the highest performers were those who displayed high levels of emotional maturity.

 

So, it’s not just about regular intelligence anymore. Emotional growth is just as important in both your professional and personal lives.

 

Let’s take a look at five ways to boost emotional growth.

 

Become More Self-Assured

 

Emotionally mature people know how to communicate their thoughts and beliefs in an assertive yet respectful way. They earn people’s respect because they know they come off as neither being too passive nor too aggressive.

 

They’re good at being direct and getting straight to the point. Still, they consider others’ opinions and respect what they have to offer.

 

Learn to Listen

 

There’s a difference between hearing someone speak and actually listening to what they’re saying. Most people just nod their heads as they wait for their turn to speak.

 

But actively listening means you pay close attention to what someone is saying before offering a valid response. It also means you hone in on the speaker’s nonverbal clues. This helps avoid any misunderstanding or mix-up that might take place during the conversation.

 

Maintain a Positive Mindset

 

Your thoughts determine your outlook on life, which determines your behavior. Hence, being aware of your mood and doing what needs to be done to have a good day is a great way to boost your emotional growth.

 

For example, you’re late for a meeting because you got stuck in traffic. Rather than complain and fuss all day over what happened, you can choose to keep an open mind.

 

One way to do that is to write down an uplifting quote that makes you smile and keep it at your desk. You can also practice mindfulness meditation or just go for a walk during your lunch hour.

 

Be Your Own Motivator

 

People who work on their emotional intelligence are self-motivators. They recognize that success comes from the inside. They don’t wait for others to cheer them on or for circumstances to magically align in their favor.

 

Instead, they set goals, and they work hard to attain them. They also remain steadfast in the face of challenges and don’t let setbacks get them down.

 

Empathize with Others

 

Learning how to empathize with others isn’t easy. First, it requires that you take a close look at your own emotions and self-worth, which can be intimidating at first.

 

Yet, once you get past those initial barriers, you’ll find that it’s quite liberating. Empathy is also more about empowerment and emotional strength than anything else.

 

There’s nothing better than being able to relate to others. It’s a great way to find common ground based on mutual respect, despite any differences in opinion or belief people may have.

 

A Final Note

 

Emotional growth, or maturity, is being aware of your feelings and subsequent actions. It’s how you interact with others and listen to what they’re really saying. It’s also your ability to empathize with others and identify with them on a basic human level.

 

By boosting your emotional growth, you have a better understanding of how you see yourself and those around you. As a result, you can achieve more, learn to be proud of your accomplishments, and give yourself the encouragement you need to do even more!

 

Healthy Coping With A Traumatic Event

Traumatic events tend to trigger all sorts of feelings, like stress, nervousness, sadness, anger, and more! These events can be personal, like an assault or abuse. They can also be a global crisis, like a flood or a pandemic.

 

Nevertheless, these experiences can leave an emotional and mental toll. However, if dealt with in a healthy way, the symptoms can slowly get better. Keep reading to find out more.

 

Symptoms Brought on by a Traumatic Event

 

Unfortunately, most of us will be exposed to traumatic events during our lifetimes. In response, we suffer from what experts refer to as ‘traumatic stress.’

 

Sometimes, we’re not the victims of the events but mere witnesses. Yet, we can still suffer from traumatic stress just the same.

 

Below are some of the ways this stress can manifest itself.

 

Emotional symptoms, such as:

 

• Disbelief and shock
• Sadness and grief
• Feeling jumpy and nervous
• Anger Irritability
• Shame or guilt
• Helplessness

 

Physical symptoms include:

 

• Getting flashbacks and intrusive thoughts
• Aches and pains
• Cold sweats
• Increase or loss in appetite
• Shallow, rapid breathing
• Feeling dizzy or nauseous

 

Coping with a Traumatic Event

 

Some people find outlets for their symptoms, and with time, they usually get better.

 

Others, however, develop acute stress disorder. This is when the symptoms are much more intense, thus, much more difficult to go away on their own.

 

The good news is that psychologists and other medical experts have rounded up a handful of healthy ways to cope with the aftermath of a traumatic event.

 

Embrace Your Emotions

 

Often after going through something traumatic, the last thing we want to do is rehash our thoughts and feelings. But avoiding your feelings isn’t a healthy way to deal with what happened.

 

While taking some time for yourself is normal, too much avoidance can be disruptive. It can even prolong your stress and delay your healing.

 

You can face your feelings on your own by writing in a journal. The other option is to talk it out and find support from loved ones, peer groups, or mental health professionals.

 

Find what makes you comfortable, and slowly but surely, you’ll find yourself getting back in the groove.

 

Prioritize Self-Care

 

After a traumatic event, especially after that first month, things like good sleep, healthy eating, and exercise can easily slip your mind. All you want to do is stay in bed under the covers out of harm’s way.

 

However, the best thing you can do to push through this difficult time is to make a conscious effort each day to get up and do right by yourself.

 

Studies show that regular physical exercise releases stress and anxiety. It also signals your brain to release feel-good hormones, which improve your mood. So, why not start with something simple like taking a 15-minute walk outside?

 

Other self-care ideas include:

 

• Eating well-balanced nutritious meals
• Getting quality sleep each night
• Spend time in nature
• Practice mindful meditation
• Do yoga
• Find a creative outlet, like music or art

 

Establish a Routine

 

There’s safety and comfort in the familiar. That’s why getting back to your daily routine is important.

 

Some people can get back after a few days, while others need several weeks. The important thing is to structure your days in a way that there are set times for certain things.

Even if your work or school schedule is disrupted, you can create and maintain a new schedule to give you a feeling of security and control.

 

For example, get into the habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. It may take a few days to get the hang of it, but getting quality sleep each night will make you feel less anxious and speed up the healing process.

 

It also pays off to create a schedule for your meals, workouts, and me-time. Having that structure and sense of control can help minimize your feelings of helplessness and anxiety.

 

A Final Note

 

It’s normal to have a strong reaction after going through a trauma. Yet, the good news is that there are healthy coping mechanisms to get you through a traumatic event.

 

Remember to take one day at a time. Also, give yourself the love and empathy you need to heal and recover. Then, as the days pass, your symptoms will begin to improve, and you’ll start feeling like your normal self.