Gratitude journaling is an incredibly quick and easy way to increase positivity, optimism, and self-esteem, while lowering stress, anxiety, and depression!
We know, journaling sounds like a deep commitment; the great news is that gratitude journaling only takes 5 minutes or less! At the end of the day, when we’re stuck on everything that happened, we could use a breath of fresh positivity to break through the negativity of the day! In fact, the more we focus on remembering good things that happen to us, the more likely our brain is to naturally focus on the positive aspects of life!
When we practice gratitude, our hypothalamus, which controls essential bodily functions, like eating, drinking, and sleeping, as well as your metabolism and stress levels, becomes incredibly active! Then, our bodies release dopamine, which not only makes the body feel good, but it rewards it for feeling good, making your body more likely to focus on the positive!
By journaling about what you are grateful for, you are making a great positive change in your life!
How to Start a Gratitude Journal
- Buy a nice journal that really resonates with who you are. If you love nice things, get a nice leather-bound book! If you’re a free-spirit, get a journal that features your spirit animal! If you’re on the go, get a small book that fits in your bag. If you’re an artist, create a book from scratch with perfectly selected papers!
- Every night, spend just 5 minutes remembering only the good things that happened today and write them down.
- Remember to go back and read them often. You’ll quickly begin to see just how much you’re worth!
Copyright 2015 Jennifer “Aurora Moone” McDonald / All Rights Reserved.
So true! I started mine beginning of May and the act of expressing gratitude has brought about amazing change. Truly magical.
Karla!
I’m so glad to hear it! It works wonders, especially if you do it every day! If you’re having a week of happiness, still practice gratitude; it reinforces good feelings! However, if you forget to write, it’s easy to pick back up and it’s just as miraculous!
– Aurora Moone