GRATITUDE JOURNALS
Gratitude journals have been shown to increase happiness and decrease stress. To get the most benefit from gratitude journaling, follow these helpful guidelines:
- Journal once or twice per week. Evidence suggests that this is more beneficial than journaling daily.
- Pick one or two things that you are grateful for and write about them as specifically as possible. You can journal about pleasant surprises or unexpected events, as these elicit stronger levels of gratitude. You can also journal about negative outcomes you’ve avoided or negative outcomes that have led to something positive.
Focus on people whom you are grateful for, as this has a greater impact than focusing on things for which you are grateful.