Gratitude Deep Dive
You Can’t Gratitude Journal Your Way to Wellbeing
But you CAN us it as a powerful catalyst for change.
I started the year out by telling you that if you want to improve your wellbeing you should avoid a gratitude journal — and I stand by that — but, there is a powerful role for the gratitude journal within your wellbeing journey.
So if you just can’t quit your gratitude journal habit — here are a few things that I learned that might help you level up and dig a little deeper.
(If you want to try yourself I lay out the activity here).
Timing is important.
The guidelines reccomend completing the activity in the evening before you get too tired. For me this was incredibly true — but I think that I would add the caveat that timing is very individual and can vary by the day. The most important thing about timing would be to be as close to consistent as possible and when you have the most brain energy and space to complete it. That’s going to look different for all of us.
My Tip: Before you commit to the activity take a day or two to observe your energy levels. Do you have more energy to devote to something like this in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Pick a time within that zone and try to be as consistent as possible.
Guided prompts are helpful but variety and novelty are key.
There was a point in the journal that I found myself grateful for the repetition. Life outside of the journal had become a lot busier — I was tired and definitely not priotitizing looking after myself. It was nice to know what to expect when it came to the journal. But at the same time… it felt more like checking a box off of a list. A fulfillment of a comittment. There may have been gratitude in there, but it was more of a box check. I think this also goes hand in hand with the above point of not being too tired to complete the activity. When you automate an activity you are no longer really learning or engaging many different parts of your brain. If your goal is to unlock a more grateful way of being this isn’t the automation you are looking for. Remember state gratitude is about actions like this — trait gratitude is about changing the lens through which you see and interact with the world.
My Tip: Gather questions and prompts from different sources that you find inspiring and write them in your journal for yourself. That way you will maintain the reflective habit — but keep enough variety and novelty to engage your brain. (Extra Bonus: Share them here in the comments to start crowdsourcing content!!)
Less is more.
Some days I felt like I could keep writing — other days there was no way. I mean I definitely could have phoned it in and written about how much I am grateful for caffeinne (which I am we have a love affair that runs deeply within my soul…and veins) — but that would have diluted the authentic gratitude that I had just shared.
You can have fun and be grateful for what seems like a small thing — but make that a whole category unto itself. Don’t follow a deeply personal reflection of gratitude with 3. And I love coffee! Lol! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
My tip: Don’t hold yourself to a strict number. Set out with a goal of at least 3, but if you only end up with 2 or even 1, don’t stress. Quality over quanity.
You can’t gratitude journal your way to wellbeing.
Honestly, I enjoyed the gratitude journal activity. I felt myself looking forward to it — even if I forgot about it — and when I look back and re-read some of the entries I feel true gratitude course through my body.
But is that enough?
Not really.
For me, the gratitude journal acted as an incredible tool to reset and broaden my perspective. It’s a spark. An opening window of opportunity to jump on a bit of dopamine. One that we should capture and nurture like a glint of hope for the warmth of the fire.
The power in the gratitude journal lies in this spark. This bright shiny glint of hope that can turn us around when we need it the most.
But like a real fire, that spark needs to be nurtured.
Bringing about change in our lives — even if it is positive change can be difficult in part because stopping a moving train, whether it be real or thought is energy-consuming. If we can do it with an activity that is enjoyable — it takes less energy and we are more likely to stick with it.
But stopping and resetting the train is only one step in bringing about change.
If you like the gratitude journal? KEEP IT UP!!! But don’t let it settle into the mundane routine of ‘Things I do in a day’. Try these tips and keep open to different and new experiences.
Unlocking the benefits of gratitude means shifting from DOing gratitude to BEing gratitude. And that takes more than a gratitude journal could offer.
Exactly what it takes?
Let’s find that out together shall we?
Join the conversation by sharing a comment below — or make sure you hit subscribe to continue on this journey into gratitude!
