How to harness the power of your gratitude journal in difficult times
In difficult times, you may feel like you don’t have a lot to be thankful for, or it may seem as if the positive things in life are few and far between. This is where your gratitude journal comes in. Gratitude journals are a great idea in trying times, because they help you to realise that there is happiness, joy and positivity everywhere – you simply have to look closely for it.
When starting a brand-new gratitude journal, you should consider the following in order to truly harness the power of positivity:
1. Make a conscious decision to be more grateful
Don’t simply take to your journal just because you think that you should. You should do so because you BELIEVE that you should. Feel the positive energy exerted in what you write, even if it is gratitude for the smallest of things.
2. Don't set a minimum number of positives per day
While many experts recommend trying to find at least three (or perhaps even five) positive things to write about each day, it can be more beneficial to simply focus on each individual positive as-is. If that means you encounter less than five positive things to write about each day, that’s perfectly fine. Life is about balance, and for each day that you can only find one or two positive things, there will be other days where you’ll fill page after page. Embrace this.
3. Write when you feel like it
When keeping a gratitude journal, some people find it beneficial to integrate their writing into part of their daily routine (at bedtime, for example). However, it can be easier to capture your feelings of positivity in the here-and-now of the moment. If you’ve experienced something positive, it makes sense to write in your gratitude journal straight away.
