10 Tips For A Gratitude Journal + Experiment: Week 1

2 months left in 2019! Where did the time go? Did you have a good Halloween? I had a rather bad couple of weeks in October, my little black dog has been giving me a hard time. The world is grayer and my eyes leakier than usual. But everything is fine – I’m managing to compartmentalize that part of me into a sad little dog that stood by me through thick and thin.

Part of me wants to stop writing, but I have enough presence of mind to not go down that path at the moment. So, I’m looking to suffuse November with a hefty dose of thankfulness to avoid a downward spiral. It’s the month of Thanksgiving after all.

Apparently, one study found that writing in a gratitude journal once a week for 6 weeks can make happiness more accessible. It improves sleep, overall well-being and can even lower physical symptoms of pain.

Now, I don’t know if it really works, but 6 posts aren’t too difficult. It doesn’t hurt to try and it gives me something to write about – win-win! I know I won’t stick to it if I don’t do it here. So, I’ll be posting 6 entries over 6 Saturdays. Each post will contain 3-5 things I’m grateful for.

After some research, I learned 10 tips for keeping a gratitude journal.

10 Tips for A Gratitude Journal

According to the Greater Good Magazine by UC Berkeley, keep these tips in mind when writing in your gratitude journal:

1. Keep the writing frequency to once a week. If you write more often than that, the benefits diminish.
2. Begin with the intention that you want to be happier.
3. Take your time when writing in your gratitude journal. Make it a mindful experience. Feel each item on the list.
4. Be specific and dive into each item. It’s quality over quantity so it’s better to understand how an item moves you rather than gloss over 10 superficial ones.
   Ruminate on how each event/person/item made you think and feel and write them down.
5. It’s better to write about non-material things than material things.
6. See each item on the list as a gift. That way you don’t take it for granted.
7. Switch up your perception, think about how life would be like without the thing you’re grateful for.
8. Unexpected events can create a deeper experience.
9. Some ideas:
   – Relationships or things that happened in the past
   – Observations of your surroundings that made you feel grateful
   – Things that happened more recently, obviously
   – Opportunities and unexpected events
   – Big and little things
10. There’s no right way to do it so don’t worry about “rules”. These tips are just that, tips!

Want to do the gratitude journal experiment with me? Grab a pen and a notebook, or even printing papers. And maybe a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate. There’s never harm in giving thanks!

Gratitude Journal: Week 1

1. Fall

I’m thankful for the chance to see the trees change color as the season changes. It’s such a beautiful sight, one that I’d never have experienced in tropical Singapore (which is a great country too). Interestingly, the colors of the surroundings have crept into my mood and themes for this post.

The change in color is the trees’ ways of preparing for winter, they break down the chlorophyll in them to conserve energy. Thus losing their green color. But it feels like the world is coming to life a second time! After the heat of the summer, fall is refreshing – both to the body and the eyes. I’m thankful for the experience.

2. Toaster

I was cleaning the toaster the other day. Well, just cleaning out the trays and shaking out the crumbs. Surprisingly, I felt an appreciation for what the toaster does for me every morning. I mean, I’m grateful for the farmers who planted the wheat and the people who made the bread, but the toaster is so visible in my daily life. It toasts our bread, frozen pancakes, bagels, and rolls.

Okay, I realized I’ve personified the toaster. It’s just an electrical appliance… but that’s how I feel with the rice cooker and microwave too! Ah, I’m strange. It’s a good feeling though, and the best part is, it makes cleaning them a much less tedious process. I’m giving thanks after all. It’s a good exercise in gratitude.

3. Mateo and Lisbon

Last Sunday, we went to visit a sweet newborn. His name is Mateo and he’s a true bundle of joy! I’m looking forward to meeting him again when he gets a little older so I can hold him. I’m one of the paranoid kind who’s afraid of transferring germs to newborns.

He has a furry brother who’s protective of him. Said brother is Lisbon, a friendly little Yorkshire Terrier with the cutest face.

I’ve never met Lisbon before, but he bounded onto my lap without any hesitation – as if he’s known me for a long time. Now, I know dogs are friendly in general, but it still feels so awesome when you get acknowledged this way. Who doesn’t love a lapdog? I was elated.

If I had a little dog I’ll probably be holding it all the time. That said, I love big dogs too! It’s just that if they sat on my lap I can’t see anything else, still, I won’t stop them from doing that. Also, I still love cats – don’t think I had a change of heart. I have lots of love to spare yet. 🙂

I’m grateful for the chance to meet baby Mateo and his brother Lisbon!

I hope no one would take offense in that my first gratitude journal doesn’t thank any special person in my life, but instead, I included a season, an electrical appliance, a baby and a dog. But hey, it’s my gratitude journal. That brings me to my last points.

Bonus Tips

Here are my final tips for a gratitude journal for you:

• Give thanks without judging yourself, not mentioning something in an entry doesn’t mean you’re not grateful for it.
• There’s nothing too small or stupid to be grateful for.

Thanks for reading! Do you keep a gratitude journal? Do let me know if it has improved your life and wellbeing!

If you have a blog and want to do this experiment too, let me know. I’ll drop by to read your entries. Also, please share if you found the tips useful!