No but really, do you?
If you don’t gratitude journal or haven’t heard of one, the concept is pretty self-evident; it’s a journal where you write down things you are grateful for. As the practice goes, you spend a few minutes at the end of your day writing moments that brought you joy. You set a goal and write between 3-5 things you are grateful for that day. You do it every night.
The way your tea tasted.
The people you work with.
Going for a walk and feeling the sun on your face.
The simple things, big or small. Trying to be both specific and changing.
Humans are quite the silly beings – mostly, we have an easy time forgetting the compliments or small victories and an easier time holding on to the negative or missteps. Psychologist Adam Grant says, “We focus so much on building great relationships with others, and yet we often form terrible relationships with ourselves.” By consciously writing down what you are grateful for, you allow yourself the ability to find the positives in each day. It helps build resilience through testing times, bringing strength through the lows and grounding during the highs.
For moguls like Oprah, Arianna Huffington, and Tony Robbins – they swear by it. The three of them say that listing what you are grateful for helps encourage success both personally and professionally.
If your night time routine is already filled with thinking of all the amazing things you did that day, then maybe the gratitude journal is not something you need. Yet, for the majority of people it would be beneficial to spend time writing at the end of each day, being consciously mindful of joy and gratitude. Allowing yourself to move away from running through the negatives.
Today, I’m thankful for spending time writing. And, I’m grateful for you reading.
Sara
