By 
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, it’s a great time to reflect and think of all of the small things you’re thankful for this year. Restaurants re-opening, small gatherings taking place, dating, and events resuming are just a few things that come to mind. Can we also take a moment to appreciate all of the beautiful nail art flooding our Tik Tok feeds- yes ladies you can toss out our at-home manicure kits and leave it to the professionals again.
Let’s face it, we are grateful for so much life sh*t that’s happening right now, but if you asked us how we cultivate gratitude six months ago our answer may have been a little different due to not only our circumstances, but perhaps our inability to look for a silver lining.
Cultivating gratitude is a skill that we think should be practiced. “Practicing gratitude can be a beneficial daily habit both for physical and mental health,” according to Bethany Fulton. Some of these physical and mental health benefits include: reducing the risk of heart failure, easing symptoms of anxiety and depression and improving relationships.
Gratitude practice can take many forms; however, one of the major key players that helps us practice gratitude every day is journaling. The type of journal you use may be different and isn’t limited to a physical journal. You can also journal in the notes section on your phone. Maintaining a gratitude journal is a simple practice and studies reveal, it increases positivity, improves self-esteem, helps you sleep better, and makes you happier. We also know that journaling helps manage stress.
There is no wrong way to journal, but if you find the process intimidating here are a few prompts to help you get your gratitude juices flowing:
- What is your favorite moment of today?
- Did you experience a random act of kindness from a stranger?
- What is something nice you did for someone else?
- What brings you joy in your life?
- Did you have any pleasant surprises today?
- What are five personality traits that you are most thankful for?
If you are new to journaling give yourself time to get use to the journaling process. Start small and allot five to ten minutes out of your day to focus on writing in your gratitude journal. You can build from there, but the main goal is to avoid overwhelming yourself and creating unattainable journaling goals. If you find you’re really stuck and at a loss for words, these gratitude journals may be a great tool to use to get your started.
What are some things you are grateful for this year?
What do you think?