The Power of Gratitude: 30 Gratitude Journal Prompts

In this article, we’ll explore different ways to practice gratitude, why it can be hard to feel grateful, and I’ll share 30 of my favorite gratitude journal prompts.

Gratitude can have a significant positive influence on our physical and mental health, but like other healthy habits, even though we know it’s good for us, we often struggle to practice it consistently.

Why is gratitude so hard to practice?

Let’s face it, it’s easier to focus on what we don’t have, our imperfections, and our problems than it is to be grateful for what we have. Between the violence, natural disasters, and divisive political climate, it’s been a rough year for many of us.

We’re inundated with negatives nearly 24/7 from the news, social media, and even in-person conversations. So, we have to work extra hard to find the good in ourselves and the world around us.

Gratitude is an intentional practice

To get the benefits of gratitude, we need to practice it consistently, which means we need to plan a way to incorporate gratitude into our already overscheduled, overstressed lives.

Setting an intention to practice gratitude is a commitment to do it even when we don’t feel like it.

Gratitude is easy when things are going well, but when problems are piling up, the world seems to be falling apart, and we don’t know how we’re going to get through the day, it’s hard to feel grateful.

So, how do we shift gears and focus on the good while also acknowledging that we’re hurting and afraid?

Start small

If you’re struggling to find something to be thankful for, start small. There are always things to be grateful for, even on our darkest days, but we have to look harder for them. Like digging for buried treasure, it takes effort, but the reward is great.

Try to identify one good thing – a supportive person, a comfy sweater, hot water, or even that you’re able to read this article.

Try to stay open-minded. Your first response might still be to minimize the positives and focus on the negatives, but by practicing gratitude we can actually train ourselves to spot the positives.

This means that with practice, it will become easier to identify things you’re grateful for and you’ll develop an open and joyful heart, as well as a greater appreciation for yourself and the world around you.

Gratitude doesn’t make our problems disappear, but it helps them feel more manageable.

Try a gratitude journal

One way to practice gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal. Below are 30 gratitude journal prompts to get you started.

• What’s something that you’re looking forward to?

• What’s a simple pleasure that you’re grateful for?

• What’s something that you’re grateful to have today that you didn’t have a year ago?

• Write about a happy memory.

• Write about someplace you’ve been that you’re grateful for.

• What’s something about your body or health that you’re grateful for?

• Open the door or window and look outside. What’s something you’re grateful for outside?

• What’s an accomplishment you’re proud of?

• What’s a possession that makes your life easier?

• Open your phone or photo album and find a photo that you like. Why are you grateful for this photo? What are you grateful for in the photo?

• What have you been given that you’re grateful for?

• What’s something or someone that makes you feel safe?

• What artist, author, or musician are you grateful for?

• What do you like about your job?

• How are you able to help others?

• What public service or organization are you grateful for (i.e. the library or fire department)?

• What book(s) are you grateful for?

• What piece of clothing or furniture are you grateful for?

• Write about a friend that you’re grateful for.

• Write about a teacher or mentor that you’re grateful for.

• Write about a family member that you’re grateful for.

• What did you accomplish today?

• What’s a tradition that you’re grateful for?

• What’s one of your personality traits that you’re grateful for?

• What mistake or failure are you grateful for?

• What skill(s) do you have that you’re grateful for?

• What’s something that you bought recently that you’re grateful for?

• What’s something that you made recently that you’re grateful for?

• Look around the room and write about everything you see that you’re grateful for.

• Write about 3 things you’re grateful for today.

How to use a gratitude journal

You can go through the list, answering one gratitude journal prompt per day. This makes for a decision-free and possibly challenging experience (you may not feel like answering the prompt that comes up for today, but you’re stretching yourself by answering it anyway).

Or you can pick and choose, writing about only the prompts that resonate with you and repeating them if you like.

Alternatively, you can make a daily practice of listing or writing about 3-5 things you’re grateful for every day – whatever comes to mind when you sit down to write.

All habits are easiest when we do them consistently at the same time of day. So, I encourage you to try to write in your gratitude journal every morning when you first wake up or every night just before going to sleep (or some other consistent time that works in your schedule).

Some people feel more motivated to write when they have nice writing tools — a high-quality, attractive journal or notebook and smooth-writing or colorful pens. If those things don’t matter to you, just find an old notebook or use your computer or phone to collect your ideas. It’s all about finding what works for you!

Variations on a gratitude journal

If you want to try something a little different, you might be interested in trying one of these alternatives to a gratitude journal:

• Photo gratitude journal
• Gratitude tree
• Gratitude jar or box

Tips for practicing gratitude

• Have fun
• Be creative
• Be consistent
• There’s no wrong way to do it
• Start looking for things to be thankful for everywhere
• Share what you’re grateful for with someone else

I hope these ideas help you kickstart your gratitude practice!

©2017 Sharon Martin, LCSW. All rights reserved.

Download a PDF of 30 gratitude journal prompts

If you’d like a PDF of the journal prompts listed above (as well as access to dozens of other free resources), sign-up below for access.

What to read next

• Mental Health Matters: Resolve to Improve Your Mental Health
• Can Journaling Improve Mental Health?
• How to Practice Self-Care When You’re Overwhelmed

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Dr. Sharon Martin

Sharon Martin, DSW, LCSW is a psychotherapist and writer specializing in codependency recovery. For the past 25 years, she’s been helping perfectionists and people-pleasers overcome self-doubt and shame, embrace their imperfections, and learn to set boundaries. Dr. Martin writes the popular blog Conquering Codependency for Psychology Today and is the author of The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism and The Better Boundaries Workbook.