KEEPING A DAILY GRATITUDE JOURNAL

"Acknowledging the good that is already in your life is the foundation for all abundance."~Eckhart Tolle

Possibly the single most powerful action you can take to greatly increase your daily happiness and satisfaction with your life is to develop an attitude of continuous wonder and gratitude.

When you become grateful for what you already have, you become more connected to your own sense of self and you begin to recognize and even seek out the things, experiences, and people that bring a sense of joy to your life. Further, you will find that the things that you express gratitude for will begin to appear with more frequency and to expand with seemingly little effort from you.

Keeping a gratitude journal will create a shift in your entire perspective. Each day (or however often you choose) when you write in your journal you will record, reinforce, and create a means for reminding yourself of the things that have given you authentic pleasure, comfort, love, laughter, or any other positive feeling.

Maybe you've thought of keeping a gratitude journal, but just didn't know how to get started. It's very easy. Just get a notebook and a pencil or pen and start writing.

The notebook in the photo above is of one of my gratitude journals - the one I just finished. I am offering you a look at my journal to show you just how simple a gratitude journal really is.

Don't wait to start because you can't seem to find the perfect book for keeping your gratitude journal. If you already have a beautiful book that is just the right color or has a textured cover or pattern on the cover that you love, that is certainly good. But if you don't, then just get started with what you have. You will see in the photo that the journal book I was using was just a regualr 5 x 7 spiral bound notebook. As I progressed through the book, I added a few floral stickers to the cover and back. Feel free to decorate your book but don't wait until you've decorated it, or until you have found just the perfect book, before you start your gratitude list. Let it be a work in progress.

I'll show you an example of the inside pages of my gratitude journal. As I make each entry, I write the date and the the words "I AM GRATEFUL" and then start a new line for each gratitude entry. When you write your entries, you can use this format or you can create a format that feels more natural to you.

 

It helps to set a target number of entries for each day (or week or however often you choose to write in your gratitude journal). I'll suggest starting with either 3 or 5 things that you are grateful for. When I first started my journal, I faithfully wrote five things almost every day. After some time, I made the shift to writing as much as I wanted each day. Keeping to a set number in the beginning helped me to develop a good habit of meditating on the day until I remembered five things that I was grateful for.

My personal style is to write brief entries that finish the statement "I am grateful..." You may prefer writing in paragraph style or even in a daily journal style.

If you feel stuck and not able to think of anything to write, then try the present moment. Look around. What is right in front of you? Are you grateful for your coffee mug? Your computer? The photo of your smiling child? Knowing that your husband is in the next room? I've even felt grateful for my favorite pencil.

"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude."  ~Cynthia Ozick

You may also find inspiration in thinking of small, specific things. Did you see a beautiful flower? Do you really enjoy the color of the notebook you use at work? Did you hear a favorite song? Did your child say a cute word?

The opposite can work too - switching to a broad view of your world. Are you grateful to have smooth, well-maintained roads in your city? A house with a good roof? A car that gives you reliable transportation? A husband that treats you well? A healthy child?

Writing entries in your gratitude journal will get easier as you learn the art of daily gratitude. In fact, it is likely that this practice will become something so positive that you will look forward to getting your journal and recording your moments of gratitude.

Leafing through the pages of your journal when you are feeling a little depressed or when you are having a less than good day will most certainly help you to lift your mood.

Learning gratitude opens your perspective of the world. You begin to appreciate what you experience and what you already have. You understand yourself a little more. The details of your life are more vivid, more colorful, more joyful. You realize that in the past you have been absent-mindedly coasting through life, unaware and unappreciative of all the blessings and delights that surround you.

Now, find that empty notebook and begin your journey of gratitude.

"If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get."~Frank A. Clark

 

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Turn Pain to Joy: 11 Tips for a Powerful Gratitude JournalBy Louise Jensen

“Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot” ~Hausa Proverb

In my early, dark days of first acquiring a disability I didn’t feel I had an awful lot to be thankful for.

It was like I had spent my whole life getting to the point where I had a thriving holistic therapy practice I loved; an amazing social life with great friends; my beautiful dog, who I would regularly take into the country for long walks and my adrenaline pumping exercise routine.

Life was perfect. I had so much to be grateful for, but then it was suddenly snatched away.

I was left with constant pain, immobility, and three children who I felt I couldn’t care for properly. So what did I have to be grateful for, right?

Well I was alive, yes. Some people may say that’s enough but they are probably either people not dealing with chronic pain on a daily basis or those with a far more positive mindset than I had at that time.

I thought back to all the advice I had given to my therapy clients over the years on healing emotional pain and moving forward, but even though I knew it worked from the positive feedback I’d received, I couldn’t apply it to myself.

The problem was that I was very good at talking it, but, as I had always felt good about my life, I had never actually had to put it into practice.

The previous ten years had been the best I had ever experienced and I was naturally appreciative of all I had. After my accident, appreciativeness soon turned to hurt, anger, self-pity, and eventually self-loathing.

I caused myself more pain by resisting the enforced lifestyle change and couldn’t see a purpose in anything. It was at this point I knew I had to make a change.

I looked at the handout sheets I had previously given to clients (practical tips for living a positive life) and since I love writing, gratitude journaling seemed to be an obvious starting point.

That night I sat with my journal, intending to start with three things I was grateful for that day. Just three. Piece of cake, right? After an hour, I gently closed the

cover on the tear-stained, still blank first page and cried myself to sleep, mentally adding “failure at journaling” to all my other perceived shortcomings.

A couple of days later I decided to try again. Determinedly opening up the book, I quickly wrote my children, my home, and food to eat. Feeling a smug sense of satisfaction, I replaced the pen lid. I was done, right? Objective achieved.

The next day I opened the book and froze. What could I write? The three things from the day before were all I could think of. I couldn’t repeat them, and yet nothing else came to mind.

I laid the incredibly crumpled but virtually blank book down again and rested my head against the window. I watched a robin tentatively sitting on the garden fence, anxiously watching all directions while trying to keep an eye on the birdseed my son had put on the feeding station before school.

For half an hour, this beautiful bird made several trips, came back with friends, and triumphantly cleared all that we had offered.

It dawned on me that while I had been watching, I hadn’t felt sorry for myself once. I had felt in awe of nature and how beautiful it can be.

Excitedly I reached for my book again. I ripped out the first page and discarded it. Yes, my children, home, and food were things to be grateful for, but I just wrote them for the sake of reaching my goal. I wasn’t really feeling anything at the time I wrote them, and I knew the exercise had been an empty one.

That little tiny bird, with its beautiful red breast had evoked a truly positive emotion, and from that I started to become more and more aware and recognize these precious moments as they occurred, which they generally do if you watch for them, each day.

It hasn’t been easy. It is now five years on and journaling has become an important part of my life. It has really helped me change my mindset and move forward.

There is joy everywhere but that can be overshadowed by pain if you allow it.

When I have a bad day now, I read back over my journal and I remember that life has so much to offer. I still such a lot to be grateful for. Yes, I am one of the lucky ones. I have a life and I love it.

If you want to start a gratitude journal I recommend the following:

1. Don’t just go through motions. Make a decision to be consciously more grateful.Don’t reluctantly journal because you think you should. Feel what you write. Believe it.

2. Don’t set yourself a minimum number of things to write per day.This is a toughie. Many sites will recommend five or so things per day. In my experience, there are days I have less, and that’s perfectly okay. On balance there are days I can fill a page. Don’t put yourself under pressure to stick to the same amount each day. Be flexible and don’t take the joy away by being too regimented.

3. Don’t wait for the right time.I try to integrate this into my bedtime routine, but if I have a joyful experience, I often write it down straight away. This reinforces the positivity felt and ensures I don’t forget anything.

4. Elaborating on why you are grateful allows you to really explore your feelings.If, like me, you intend on flicking back through your journal, make it clear why you are grateful for the items you add. For example: For the first entry, I put “my children.” On day two, I wrote, “my children for putting on a sock puppet show after school and making me laugh.” That triggers so many memories each time I read it and always makes me smile.

5. Focus on people rather than things.

As much as I love my iPod, it can never give me the same warm, fuzzy, loved feeling my partner instills by making me a surprise breakfast in bed.

6. Don’t rush; savor every word.Don’t see this as another chore to get through. The fact that you can make a list of things that make you feel grateful should make you feel, umm, well, grateful!

7. Include surprises.Unexpected events often elicit a greater emotional response. They’re also wonderful to look back on when you feel that life is mundane and the same old routine all the time.

8. Keep the negative out.If you want to keep a diary to record how you feel, this can be constructive, but leave your gratitude journal as a purely positive only exercise.

9. Mix it up. Don’t put same thing every day.Expand your awareness. The more you do this, the more you’ll start to really appreciate what a gift life is. The world is beautiful. Learn to really experience it.

10. Be creative.Who says a gratitude journal has to be full of lists? Mine contains everything from concert tickets, to photos and restaurant receipts. Have some fun with it.

11. Give it a fair chance.It takes, on average, 21 days for a new habit to form. Don’t give up or dismiss it as not working before then. Commit to just three weeks and then see how you feel. What have you got to lose?

I would love to hear how you get on.

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." - Oprah Winfrey quotes ...

Tonight, I’m grateful for sluggish mornings, reminding me to slow down and stay in the present moment. I’m grateful for beautiful clothes and snuggly warm coats that bring a smile to my face and keep my body warm on cold days.I’m grateful for my electric water pot that heats so efficiently for tea and morning oatmeal. I’m grateful for freeze-dried strawberries that make a sluggish morning just a bit easier. I’m grateful for small packets of pistachios that fit so nicely in my purse.I’m grateful for a beautiful drive up the coast, and the local classical radio station that provided a soundtrack for the drive. I’m grateful for the sun that fills my soul and body with warmth and energy. I’m grateful for ears and eyes to drink all the beauty in.I’m grateful for the body shop that fixed the last pieces of the car today. I’m grateful for the head mechanic who complimented me on my eye makeup and perfume. I’m grateful for the kindness of the shop in offering to wash my car. I’m grateful that when I couldn’t take them up on the offer due to a previous engagement, I was invited back at any time for a free car wash.I’m grateful for such a lovely practice today. I’m grateful that I managed to stay warm despite a cold building. I’m grateful for everyone who participated in the rehearsal, and that the piece sounds so beautiful. I’m grateful that it’s easy enough for me to play that I can just relax and lose myself in the music.I’m grateful for my community of fabulous women who gathered today. I’m grateful for the love and support that I always feel from them. I’m grateful for the spiritual transformations, insights, healing, and moments of awe I always experience whenever we gather. I’m grateful for the seeds that were planted today, and the certainty of their growth.

I’m grateful for a healthy body.I’m grateful for a joyous spirit.I’m grateful for my beloved soulmate.I’m grateful for sisterhoods.I’m grateful for Mom.I’m grateful for love.

For years I've been advocating the power and pleasure of being grateful. I kept a gratitude journal for a full decade without fail—and urged you all to do the same. Then life got busy. My schedule overwhelmed me. I still opened my journal some nights, but my ritual of writing down five things I was grateful for every day started slipping away. 

Here's what I was grateful for on October 12, 1996: 

1. A run around Florida's Fisher Island with a slight breeze that kept me cool. 2. Eating cold melon on a bench in the sun. 3 . A long and hilarious chat with Gayle about her blind date with Mr. Potato Head. 4. Sorbet in a cone, so sweet that I literally licked my finger. 5. Maya Angelou calling to read me a new poem. 

A few years ago, when I came across that journal entry, I wondered why I no longer felt the joy of simple moments. Since 1996 I had accumulated more wealth, more responsibility, more possessions; everything, it seemed, had grown exponentially—except my happiness. How had I, with all my options and opportunities, become one of those people who never have time to feel delight? I was stretched in so

many directions, I wasn't feeling much of anything. Too busy doing. But the truth is, I was busy in 1996, too. I just made gratitude a daily priority. I went through the day looking for things to be grateful for, and something always showed up. '

Recently, in the process of building a television network, I got so focused on the difficulty of the climb that I lost sight of being grateful for simply having a mountain to climb. Only when I began feeling gratitude for the opportunity to serve a new audience in a new way did a shift happen. Viewers started saying the most amazing things—things that aligned exactly with my vision of what OWN can be. 

My life is still crazy busy. Today, though, I'm continuously grateful for having the stamina to keep going at this pace. Nothing I do can be "phoned in"; when I show up, I have to bring 100 percent all the time. The week I did this month's interviews with the Obamas and Romneys, I was in eight cities in seven days (from Santa Barbara to Chicago, with Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, and Sun Valley, Idaho, in between). 

The difference is, I'm back to journaling—electronically—and whenever there's a grateful moment, I note it. I know for sure that appreciating whatever shows up for you in life changes your personal vibration. You radiate and generate more goodness for yourself when you're aware of all you have and not focusing on your have-nots. 

In the next few weeks, we'll all be getting ready to cast a vote for the candidate of our choice. But I've learned from

experience that if you pull the lever of gratitude every day, you'll be amazed at the results.

Tonight, I’m grateful for an early morning chat with a dear friend. I’m grateful for the encouragement she offered and the helpful information and resources she gave to me. I’m grateful that I have company in the “not-sure-what-to-do-next” phase. I’m also grateful for the trust that is present in the uncertainty…that everything is moving exactly as it should and that life really is wonderful.I’m grateful for taking a car load of donations to the donation center, and the sense of relief and freedom that came with it. I’m grateful that my abundance can help someone else in need. I’m grateful for the fabulous people at the pet shop who know my kitty almost as well as I do, and always have exactly what I need. I’m grateful for the assistance in carrying my load out to my car.I’m grateful for the package of organizational supplies that was at my door when I returned home. I’m grateful for the fun in opening the package and getting everything put together and ready to use. I’m grateful for having a plan for the rest of this week, and that it’s do-able. I’m grateful that so much stuff that I’ve wanted to do is getting done. I’m grateful for the help that synchronistically appears just when I need it.I’m grateful for a beautifully warm and sunny day, and for a drive along the ocean. I’m grateful for the smell of pine, eucalyptus, and cedar after the rain. I’m grateful for my garden that keeps blooming and flourishing. I’m grateful for the incredible sunset and the breathtaking color of the ocean after the sun set. I’m grateful for eyes to be able to appreciate such beauties.I’m grateful for hugs.I’m grateful for support.

I’m grateful for passion.I’m grateful for opportunities.I’m grateful for freedom.I’m grateful for safety.I’m grateful for love.

Tonight, I’m grateful for a warm place to sleep, cozy blankets, food in the kitchen, hot tea, hot showers, Epsom salt baths, and electricity to light the apartment after the sun goes down.I’m grateful for the generosity of a particular chef who makes the most amazing hashbrowns/latkes and fluffy eggs that I’ve ever eaten. I’m also deeply grateful that this particular chef doesn’t mind doing the dishes, as I mind tremendously.I’m grateful for the opportunity to spend a bit of time at Lake Tahoe this last weekend, one of many favorite places. I’m grateful that the weather was so beautiful and that the drive was easy and rather enjoyable. I’m tremendously grateful for the visitor’s center that was not only open, but also had a working, clean restroom as the vista restrooms were closed for the season. All of them. I checked. I’m grateful for the rejuvenation I experienced, and the new memories I am making in the Sierras.I’m grateful for the abundance in my life… the joy, the release, the transformations, the acceptance, the love, the appreciation, the opportunities, the potentials, the creativity, and the freedom.I’m grateful for risk.I’m grateful for the smell of pine and juniper.I’m grateful for the familiar laugh of the Canadian goose.I’m grateful for brilliant winter sunsets.I’m grateful for hugs.I’m grateful for snuggles.

I’m grateful for giggles.I’m grateful for Love.

Tonight, I’m grateful for a very mild June gloom and the gift of warm summer, sunny days. I’m grateful for a town that is bursting with flowers and color, making my walks around town so delightful.I’m grateful for all the ways that exist for connection, and that so many people I love want to stay connected with me even though we live so far away from each other. I’m grateful for three beautiful phone calls this week, all with people who I have known since school days. I’m grateful for the amount of safety and honesty in these conversations which allow for deeper, intimate connections between us. I’m grateful that in each of these conversations both of us felt heard, valued, understood, and most of all, loved by the other.I’m grateful for a delightful week at a temporary part-time job, and for the new people I’m meeting. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn so much in this position, and that the people I work with are so kind, communicative, easy to work with, and have wicked senses of humor.I’m grateful for the unexpected insights and revelations that come in the most inopportune moments. I’m grateful that the people who are with me in those moments are understanding of my need to process the new information. I’m grateful for the support three dear friends and my mom provided me today as I worked through the feasibility and possibilities of another “next step.”I’m grateful for a friend’s referral to a car mechanic and that he was willing to work on my car. I’m grateful that the tow-truck driver spoke highly of the mechanic as well. I’m grateful that there was enough money to cover the repairs and that my trust for financial security and support from Divinity is increasing.

I’m grateful for the incredible generosity of so many people in both the seemingly small and large ways. I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to practice receiving these beautiful gifts without feeling guilty or shamed or obligated in any way.I’m grateful for a deeper awareness of what it means to slow down and enjoy the journey.I’m grateful for the opportunity to release more of the “not good enough” belief structure.I’m grateful for kitties who greet me on my walks.I’m grateful for the wagging tails when I arrive home.I’m grateful for hugs.I’m grateful for abundance.I’m grateful for gentleness.I’m grateful for love.

Tonight, I am grateful for a beautifully sunny and warm day. I’m grateful for time spent in the sunshine as I ran errands today, and that there were parking spots in front of all the businesses I visited. I’m grateful that all the errands I set out to do were easily completed. I’m grateful that on the way home I stumbled upon something I had been needing, and was given it free.I’m grateful that once I have a plan in my head I can quickly and easily accomplish a task. I’m grateful for the insight and stamina in purging, sorting, and re-organizing files. I’m grateful that they are finally finished. I’m grateful for places that will shred my unneeded papers securely. I’m grateful for the courage to face a difficult situation this morning, and that it resolved quickly and easily.I’m grateful for the incredible generosity and support from so many people. I’m grateful for the little notes of encouragement in unexpected places. I’m grateful for the energetic hugs I feel from my brother just when I need them

most. I’m grateful for a phone chat with a dear friend this evening, and for the light heart that followed our conversation. I’m grateful for a book loan from a friend who understands my taste in literature (high and low). I’m grateful to be engrossed again in a well-told story that keeps me up late reading.I’m grateful for the stunning peach-colored orchid which is bursting with flowers. I’m grateful that the squirrels left my bulbs alone this winter, and that all my ranunculus and tulips bloomed this spring.I’m grateful for my mom.I’m grateful for the ocean breeze.I’m grateful for silence.I’m grateful for understanding.I’m grateful for self-forgiveness.I’m grateful for hands to hold.I’m grateful for love.

Tonight, I’m grateful for my new juicer. I’m grateful for all the fresh produce from the Farmer’s Market and that it’s organic. I’m grateful that the juicer can produce such a wonderful elixir that tastes so delicious. I’m grateful for the incredible energy Green Juice gave me today.I’m grateful for the lovely local pet store and all the super helpful and kind people who work there. I’m grateful that they work so hard to keep Macavityfeeling good and happy. I’m grateful for running into an amazing friend there, along with her three Border Collie therapy dogs. I’m grateful for their unbounded joy at seeing me and their love they so freely shared with me.I’m grateful for the local hardware store that has such kind and helpful employees. I’m grateful for the help I received from several of the employees, and the creative problem-solving skills of the manager. I’m

grateful for the spray paint that came home with me, and the promise it holds to help me transform a piece of my bedroom.I’m grateful for continued inspiration and conversations with my spiritual guides and team in the higher dimensions, and the messages of love and encouragement that come through to me throughout the day. I’m grateful for their help in writing and planning and dreaming and wishing and creating my greatest happiness. I’m grateful for the certainty that my greatest happiness already exists and that I can access it at any time.I’m grateful for more clean-up work in the garage and a car filled with bags for the donation center. I’m grateful that I have so much that I can share with others. I’m grateful that the garbage bins were empty enough to hold everything I wanted to throw away. I’m grateful for all the stuff that I had that I once wanted so much. I’m grateful that I was able to achieve that dream and that it came to me. I’m grateful to have grown beyond its need into a new dream. I’m grateful that I can release it with gratitude and joy.I’m grateful for the gift of imagination that allowed me to pretend I was driving around town in my new Fiat…and sitting in front of a fireplace as I ate dinner…and cooking in a fabulously designed kitchen…and sitting in a hot tub before climbing into bed.I’m grateful for abundance.I’m grateful for the present.I’m grateful for life.I’m grateful for joy.I’m grateful for Macavity.I’m grateful for my Beloved.I’m grateful for love. 

Tonight, I’m grateful for the beautiful twinkle lights that fill my home and my town during this dark time of year. I’m grateful for all the inventors of the twinkle lights, and the creativeness that goes into developing new and magical ways to celebrate this time of year.I’m grateful for the opportunity to help a friend do inventory for her store. I’m grateful that she let me do inventory, since such activities energize me to my core. I’m grateful for all the fun I had cleaning and organizing her store, and attending to the details…it truly is one of my most favorite things to do.I’m grateful for the beautiful red/burgundy/gold/magenta/orange scarf my mom knitted for me. I’m grateful for my sister, who showed my mom how to use this newly developed yarn. I’m grateful for YouTube for filling in the gaps to her learning how to knit this amazing yarn. I’m grateful for the wee bit of sass it brings into my step whenever I wear it…which is pretty much every time I can get away with it.I’m grateful for all the pine greens in my home that give it such a lovely scent, and the lovely flowers that share their beauty with me unstintingly  I’m grateful for my neti pot and for its help in combating the rare smog my town inherits from L.A.I’m grateful for unexpected financial blessings simply from giving out of my abundance. I’m grateful for the joy and giggles that always escape after bouncing around on my yoga ball. I’m grateful for the newly sprouted leaves on a plant I thought dead. I’m grateful for the fairies for assisting me in caring for my plants. I’m grateful for greetings from a friend through my mom. I’m grateful for all the magical travel vehicles in the form of a Fiat

500C that are now appearing around me every day. I’m grateful for the hope that I will soon get to drive one again.I’m grateful for magic.I’m grateful for life.I’m grateful for community.I’m grateful for abundance.I’m grateful for support.I’m grateful for compassion.I’m grateful for hugs.I’m grateful for radiance.I’m grateful for love.

Be Thankful. Thankfulness is an attitude that you can practice and develop. Cultivating gratitude as the norm in your life will make keeping a gratitude journal much easier.