Gratitude Journaling
By Meaghan Falconer
I was first inspired to write in a gratitude journal after seeing it as a trend all over my Instagram feed. Reels that I’ve seen have centered around the “that girl” self-care routine filled my feed and enticed me. The “that girl” routine consists of waking up early, writing in a journal, donning a cute sweat-set, completing a workout, making a nourishing breakfast, and using clean beauty products. This routine is aimed at establishing and continuing a healthy lifestyle, as well as promoting both mental and physical health. Many of these reels highlight an aesthetically pleasing lifestyle as the products often displayed include trendy, clean beauty products from Summer Fridays, and sweat-sets from Madhappy. Another prevalent item in these self-care highlight reels that I found myself most interested in was The Five Minute Journal by Intelligent Change. As part of the “that girl” routine, writing in a journal was a consistent theme through which I became interested in incorporating my own routine. I am always eager to find another avenue to aid me in bettering myself, and The Five Minute Journal seemed like an excellent addition.
Humans are naturally inclined to notice negativity before positivity. Starting off each day with gratitude and happiness is a healthy addition to everyone's life. With the goal of starting each day on a positive note and establishing a healthy mindset for the day, I bought the journal. Though I have a journal on my notes app where I write down all my thoughts, I wanted to establish a more mindful and consistent routine that didn’t involve technology. The journal’s preface suggests keeping the book by your bed so you can write in it when you wake up and before you fall asleep. I write in my journal before I check my phone first thing in the morning and after I put my phone away at night. I like to use these times to reflect and sit with my thoughts for a few purposeful minutes before and after a hectic day. Before each entry, there is an inspirational quote or weekly challenge, followed by a “morning routine” section and a “night routine” section. Each day in the morning you are prompted to write three things you are grateful for, three things that would make the day great, and a daily affirmation for yourself. Then at night you write three highlights of the day and something you learned. You do not need a specific journal to become an “it girl.” Writing in any notebook, on your phone, or even just listing a few things in your head will suffice; all that matters is that you are taking the time to purposely reflect and sit with your thoughts.
I feel that oftentimes I grip onto negative thoughts that tarnish my day or send me into a spiral of negativity. Keeping a gratitude journal allows me to evolve from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance. It is important to reflect on all that there is to be grateful for, even if it is minute. Taking just a few minutes to reflect on all that there is to be thankful for each day is a very healthy and valuable practice. Gratitude journaling allows me to regain perspective on life. Practicing an abundance mindset eliminates negative thoughts. An abundance mindset allows us to be happier, more positive, and healthier people, which is essential in living our best lives.
