We all want to live happier and more fulfilled lives. We want to be happy with what we have. We want to be content and at peace with where we are at in life. Alas this can be a very tall order in this day and age. Happiness seems to elude many of us as we compare our lives to those around us and find reasons why the grass is greener on the other side. Yet a simple little tool can help us to feel more happy and contented. It’s a gratitude journal and it can be a powerful way to find peace about yourself, what you do, and where you are at in this journey called life. If becoming a happier and more content person is one of your personal self-improvement goals, this is something you’re going to want to try.
The Power Of Gratitude
Why does gratitude have such a beneficial effect on our health and mental wellbeing? Study after study shows that when we spend time contemplating the things we are thankful for, we increase our level of contentment. But it goes deeper than that. Practicing gratitude has shown to lower blood pressure, and even reduce physical pain and anxiety. The end result is that we feel better allover.
In addition, practicing gratitude helps us focus on the positive. It’s nice to review the good things that are happening to us on a daily basis. Our brain tends to have a negative bias. This means that we’re more likely to remember and think about negative thoughts and events. Gratitude helps us bring balance by focusing our thoughts and attentions to the positive. The law of attraction says that like attracts like…what we choose to think about and focus on becomes what we attract more of. Focusing on positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into your life. Which do you choose to attract more of?
Why Write In A Journal?
We’ve established that becoming more grateful is good and something that can help us increase our overall happiness. The question now is how can we make it a regular habit. That’s where the journal comes into play. It’s a physical reminder to focus your thoughts each day. Get in the habit of writing three things you’re grateful for. This could be done first thing in the morning, or as part of your evening routine. Find a time and place that works for you and make it a daily habit.
Writing it down focuses our thoughts and makes us really think about the people and things we’re grateful for. You can’t jot down a fleeting thought. You have to put some effort into formulating it. The physical act of writing it down enforces the thought and makes it stick out in our memories. You’ve experienced this fact when you’ve written down a grocery list and forgotten it at home. It’s much easier to remember the items on it when you’re at the store than if you’ve been trying to compile a mental list.
Last but not least, keeping a gratitude journal creates a lasting record of everything you have to be grateful in your life. It’s nice to go back and read some of your past entries. After a few weeks of writing in it regularly you have a powerful and lasting proof of everything good and positive. It will be a great resource to lift your mood and increase your contentment on days when it’s hard to feel happy otherwise.
Try: Instant Happy Journal: 365 Days of Inspiration, Gratitude, and Joy
