HEALTH+FITNESS
The Positive Power of Gratitude Journaling
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Sometimes life can get crazy, leaving us feeling negative, down in the dumps and drained. However, more and more research shows that the simple step of writing down things we are grateful for can have tremendous benefits on not just our mental health, but also our physical health.
Keeping a Gratitude Journal is a great way to reflect on the people, things, or experiences in our life that make us happy – and best of all you can spend as much, or as little time on your Gratitude Journal as your life allows.
According to Positive Psychology, the benefits of Gratitude Journaling include lower stress levels, better sleep, and greater self-awareness. UC Berkeley’s Greater Good magazine shares keeping a Gratitude Journal leads to fewer symptoms of illness and greater happiness in both adults and children.
Although many people keep their Gratitude Journal beside their bed and journal daily about things they are grateful for, Greater Good reveals that journaling once or twice per week about five things you are grateful for may be more beneficial.
Experts recommend starting a Gratitude Journal and sticking with it for 60 days to make the habit stick. Entries don’t have to be long, or in-depth – they can be something as simple as “relishing my morning cup of coffee.” Greater Good also shares writing about a person you are grateful for, as opposed to things you are grateful for can have a more positive impact.
While there are specific Gratitude Journals on the market, you don’t have to spend a lot of money or buy anything fancy. A simple notebook is all you need.
“Aesthetics really don’t matter,” Robert Emmons, a professor at the University of California, tells Greater Good. “The important thing is to establish the habit of paying attention to gratitude-inspiring events.”
