The act of gratitude is an art form― one that puts you in charge. You make all the rules and call all the shots.
When you’re thankful for the things in your life, both physical and non-physical, you’ll begin to actually appreciate everything and develop a deeper understanding of their purpose. No one can really teach you how to be grateful. They can, however, suggest a few tips for you to follow.
A Goals and Gratitude journal will ultimately be your guide and assistance in your personal development journey. It gives you a confidential platform to list all the things you’re grateful for in your life. But let’s explore the purpose of being grateful.
What we choose to focus on expands.
If you go through life not appreciating the things that are available to assist you, you’re unfortunately missing out on a whole world of abundance. Everything you need is already waiting for you to acknowledge it.
All the situations you’ve been in —good and bad— are all valuable lessons that have rewarded you in some way and given you an extra push to achieve your goals and dreams.
The size of what you’re grateful for doesn’t actually matter.
For example, you could be grateful that you were able to drink a glass of clean, fresh water this morning to quench your thirst and, in the same breath, you could also be grateful that you have family and friends who truly care and love you unconditionally.
You might view these situations as being drastically different from each other but the universe sees them as the same.
Taking the time to be appreciative of what you have, have done and what’s been done for you sends a thank you note to all the spiritual beings and ancestors looking out for you.
Regret and shame block your understanding and hinders your personal growth.
What is the purpose of a gratitude journal?
Keeping a gratitude journal not only forces you to think about things that you’re thankful for, and it also forces you to reflect on your life from an observer’s point of view.
When we revisit the past, we are able to analyze each situation without the fear of uncertainty. We already know how the situation turned out because we’ve already been through it.
Being grateful for all the situations in your life will leave you with a renewed understanding of what it means to truly be alive.
Writing brings the thoughts from the world inside your head and materializes it in the physical plane. That is ultimately the first form of manifestation. You think it, and then you brought it to life by writing it down.
Reflecting and listing the things you’ve experienced like getting an education or learning how to survive in a dangerous environment, and sharing that knowledge with people ultimately helps you to appreciate how far you’ve come in your life.
I can bet that if someone told you as a child that you’d experience half the things you’ve experienced and come out on top with amazing stories to tell, you’d probably tell them to stop lying.
Our lives are beautiful concepts that we’ve created. Every decision you make today shapes the outcome of your future.
What do you write in a gratitude journal?
The key to writing in your gratitude journal notebook is to be very specific. What you chose to write is entirely up to you.
If you had a great day yesterday, write what made it great and why you’re grateful for it.
If you had a moody day, write what made it moody and why you’re grateful to be able to experience the spectrum of your emotions.
There’s always an underlying meaning for every experience. The more you write, the more it will reveal itself.
“Being grateful does not mean that everything is necessarily good. It just means that you can accept it as a gift.” ― Roy T. Bennett
Here’s an example from my gratitude journal:
“I am grateful that I woke up in a warm comfortable bed feeling refreshed and energized to start my day. I’m grateful that I have the ability to move all my limbs with ease. I am especially thankful for the ability to see, smell, taste and to be able to listen to the silence of the early morning hours. I am thankful that each day I accomplished one more goal, one thing towards my dreams and goals list.”
Whenever you write in your Goals and Gratitude journal, the aim is to dig deep and list everything that has happened in your life and also list the things that you want to happen.
Law of attraction 101. If you’re grateful for the things you want as if they’re already in your life, they will manifest themselves to you. Sometimes even quicker than you think.
Giving gratitude for experiences will always open doors that you’ve never thought were possible or available to you.
The best Goals and Gratitude journal is the one you create for yourself
Books and trinkets seem to carry a special meaning whenever we create them, so my advice is to make your own gratitude journal.
Don’t overcomplicate it, it’s actually very simple.
Here are two ways you can approach making your own gratitude journal:
Use the journal you already have.
If you already have a journal that you write in, block out a section for your gratitude sessions.
Decorate it with stencils or markers to make it stand out so it’s easy to find when you’re doing a re-read.
Get a journal that will only be used as your Goals and Gratitude journal
If you choose to separate your journals instead of keeping everything in one, then a new book would be ideal.
Make sure to keep all your journals together so you won’t misplace them.
Tips for consistent gratitude writing
Create a schedule for your gratitude sessions
Block out a specific time and set your timer for your writing sessions. Your time block can be as short as one minute or as long as fifteen minutes. The goal during that time is to write nonstop until your timer goes off.
Write frequently.
Three times per week should be the minimum but if you choose, you could write daily or multiple times per day.
Be specific about what you’re thankful for.
As I mentioned earlier, it’s imperative that you’re specific with what you’re grateful for. For example, “I’m grateful for the burger I had today at lunch” is not as meaningful as “I’m grateful for the juicy, sweet, and savory mushroom burger I had today for lunch that curbed my appetite and filled me till I was satisfied.”
However you choose to write in your Goals and Gratitude journal, do it with intent, and enjoy the feelings that come flooding back from you revisiting that specific memory.
“Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals. If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more.”― Roy T. Bennett
