A Month of Gratitude Journal Prompts

Last week, you learned a step-by-step night-time self-care routine, which included a reference to keeping a gratitude journal. Ever have that sensation that your life is actually pretty great, but you still feel unfulfilled? Besides doing a complete overhaul of your life activities, there are some other ways you can find more meaning in your life. One simple way is to keep a gratitude journal. Here’s why you should keep a gratitude journal, how gratitude journaling works, and 31 prompts to complete a month’s worth of gratitude journaling.

Why You Should Keep a Gratitude Journal

It might surprise you to know that there’s actually a lot of psychological research on the benefits of gratitude. Spending 5 minutes a day keeping a gratitude journal increases happiness by 10% — that’s the same as doubling your income!! It also encourages us to be less materialistic, makes us more likeable, improves our relationships, improves our self-esteem, helps us manage stress better, makes us more creative problem-solvers, improves our physical health, helps us sleep better, and makes us more optimistic. Dive deeper into all the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal in one of the first articles I ever wrote online.

How Gratitude Journaling Works

You can go all fancy and start by getting a gratitude journal. One of my favorites is created by Craig Smith, a social worker who’s tuned into your mental health. Grab his on his website or on Amazon.

But you can also just grab a piece of paper or the Notes app on your phone.

Anywhere you can document a few quick thoughts will do.

Once you’ve got a place to write, you’re ready to get started with these prompts.

Gratitude Journal Prompts

Here are 31 prompts so you can log a full month of gratitude journaling with no repetition! They’re designed so you can repeat them each month with new insights or experiences. Then, you can keep your gratitude journal going indefinitely! Some have extra hints or comments because I just felt compelled…

1. Write down 3 things you’re grateful for.

These can be big things: Your health, your thoughtful spouse, a stable income. Or small things: The feeling of sliding into clean sheets, the sound of the dryer tumbling, the smell of fresh-cut grass. Or everyday conveniences: Electricity, indoor plumbing, recliners. Or some of your favorite things: Wagging tails, a capella music, true crime TV shows. Or helpful people: The people who pick up the trash on the sidewalks, the people who bake sandwich bread, the people who answer 911 calls.

2. Write a compliment to yourself or someone else.

3. Plan a random act of kindness.

Consider something you can do tomorrow as a random act of kindness. Could be something big, like paying for someone’s coffee, or something small, like holding the door open for someone, offering a genuine smile, or wishing someone a nice day.

4. Identify kindness you witnessed today.

Think through your day and see if you can remember a moment when someone did something kind for someone else. Maybe you overheard a coworker compliment someone, maybe your dog was extra patient with your toddler, or maybe you saw someone online defend a stranger.

5. Recall the best moment of your day.

6. Name something that made you smile or laugh today.

7. Name someone who had a positive influence on your life.

8. Make a list of 3 things that cheer you up when you’re feeling down.

9. Name 3 everyday comforts that add value to your life.

Your favorite slippers, your fancy silk pillowcase, your coffee warmer. Extra things that just make life more comfortable.

10. Recall a difficult situation from your life. Name a hidden blessing or a lesson learned.

11. Name the best gift you ever received and what made it so special.

12. Share some positive news.

Go to GoodNewsNetwork.org and find an inspirational story. Write down the headline and a 1-sentence synopsis.

13. Identify something about your body you’re grateful for.

Your arms help you hug your children, your hands help you pet your dog, your feet help you walk wherever you want to go.

14. Name something you accomplished today.

15. Write about a happy memory.

16. Name something that makes you feel safe in your life.

17. Write an inspirational quote.

18. Share the best advice you ever received.

19. Identify your favorite scent and what you love about it.

20. Identify your favorite sound and what you love about it.

21. Identify your favorite food and what you love about it.

22. Name something you purchased recently to make your life easier.

23. Name a famous person (from today or from history) that inspires you and why.

24. Name 3 things that help you relax.

25. Identify 3 things you love about one of your family members.

26. Describe a tradition from your family or your culture that you value.

27. Describe a holiday or event you look forward to every year.

28. Name something you are looking forward to over the next week.

29. Name 3 good things that have happened to you this year.

30. Identify a piece of knowledge you’re grateful to have.

31. Name a skill you’ve developed that adds value to your life.

Grab all the prompts in an easy-to-reference PDF for your bedside here:

Keep Your Gratitude Journal Going

It’s relatively easy to start a gratitude journal but can be difficult to keep it going. Check out this article (and its free PDF!) about how to establish good habits, and stay tuned for more content about establishing and maintaining habits.

And if you like the idea of journaling more broadly than just gratitude journaling, grab my general journal prompts here:

Coming Up Next

You’re probably interested in gratitude journaling because you’re stressed. So up next, let’s dive into stress relief activities. I’ll give you some strategies for relieving stress that are actually proven to work. Don’t miss it.

Talk to you soon,

Dr. Finch

P.S.    Remember, this is education, not treatment.  Always consult with a psychologist or therapist about your mental health to determine what information and interventions are best for you.  See the disclaimer for more details.