“Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.” – Margaret Cousins.
Have you ever heard the term ‘Count your blessings’? That is what comes with the concept of Gratitude. Gratitude is being thankful for possessions instead of focusing on what is missing in life. No matter how less or small our belongings are, we should always feel grateful for that. Researches reveal that feeling appreciative of someone/ something increases the relationship with that person and expands our view of the world. It also fosters psychological well being.
Journaling is a good practice. It allows us to express our immediate emotions by writing them down. Gratitude journaling is for listing down the things that make us a sense that we are truly blessed. Be it owning a house, having a cup of hot tea, or helping a person in need – these are some of the acts, not to mention a lot. Practically, it is not viable to contemplate all the items in the wit. Rather than that, it would be more feasible to frame them out on a page. The gratitude journal should include acknowledging significant persons in life, places, an act of kindness or helpfulness, health, habit, universal affairs, and whatnot.
There are some quick tips to remember before journaling –
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A person should find a quiet place to write the journal to facilitate better thinking. A silent place ensures that the writer has a clear reflection of his/her thought.
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The prime task of beginning a gratitude journal involves recognizing the incidents or persons for which/whom the writer identifies him/her being grateful.
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It all takes either a personal diary or a workbook or smartphone notepad to jot down a list of things. The gratitude diary or workbook should be maintained hereafter.
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It is requisite to try to experience the same feeling as original as possible while putting down the items.
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The next step includes noticing physiological changes (pounding of heart, breathing, flush of cheek, smile) after recalling each of the events.
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It is advisable to keep the points short and simple. Remember to go deep into explaining the reason behind those feelings. On the other hand, also keep in mind that too many words would lead to discarding the inclination to journaling.
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We can insert bullets wherever needed. Some days we seem not good enough to take out our diary and start writing, so the idea of bulleting down the items reduces stagnation and pushes the writer a little. Here is the situation where a gratitude workbook comes into play because there is no need to write too many words as it is already customized for you.
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Research shows that journaling is effective in both ways – when written daily as well as when written once or thrice a week.
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The success of journaling rises when preceding items have been thrown a glance along with adding the new elements. Also, the habit of reading the former things in a journal improves self-esteem.
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It is preferable to mention the date before setting about journaling at each time. So when an individual looks back to the dates later, it might help the person realize the growth and persistence.
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One should aim to be specific and genuine about the events. Also, adding details about why that particular thing/ event/ person seems worthy of thankfulness expands its essence.
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A gratitude journal is most useful when written continuously. Try to pick the time that suits you most. Studies have shown that journaling before going to bed at night is significant since this helps the writer to wake up the next day with the same positive vibe with which he/she slept. Also, maintain consistency.
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To bring out interest, the gratitude journal can be colorful. To make the bucket list more appealing, an individual can favor making the words colored.
Here are some of the benefits of journaling-
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Gratitude journaling reduces stress.
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It results in better sleep.
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Regular journaling helps fight depression.
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Pieces of evidence reveal that giving thanks to others improves self-esteem and greater self-worth.
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It also increases resilience.
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Keeping a gratitude journal induces a satisfying relationship with others.
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Practicing gratitude journal correlates to an improved immune system, improved cardiovascular system, and causes a boost in overall health.
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Research proved that journaling has an impact on the psychological effect of physical pain. It causes reduced symptoms of physical pain.
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People who spend a little time feeling grateful, are automatically happy for other people’s success. They stop envying others.
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More satisfaction with life.
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It results in a more positive mood and less burnout.
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Generates a push in the overall level of happiness.
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Fosters the development of patience, wisdom, and humility.
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Feeling of less fatigue, more calmness.
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More optimism.
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It encourages strong bonds of friendship and belongingness.
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Enhanced communication.
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It broadens our vision and makes us able to see good everywhere.
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Regular gratitude journaling leads to growing a feeling of empathy for others.
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Produces improved social support and raises prosocial behavior.
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Those who are grateful for even small things of their lives are subjected to feel more connected to the Universe.
So, here is one of the powerful secrets of being happy. If you haven’t tried gratitude journaling yet, start it today. Keep exploring. Discover your source of joy. Happy journaling!
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
About MindTribe.in.
MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.
About the Author.
Sharmili Ghosh is a team member at MindTribe.in.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.