If you live in the United States, you probably already know that our society emphasizes and encourages the keeping-up-with-the-Jones’ mentality. At some point in each of our lives, we struggle with being thankful for all of the blessings we already have. It’s easy to spend most of your life in competition with those around you and chasing after everything you don’t have; unfortunately, this mindset is exhausting, sad, and unfulfilling. You don’t have to live bogged down by the weight of seeking happiness in all the wrong places—explore some of the reasons to start a gratitude journal and count your blessings.
Boost Your Happiness and Overall Mood
When you spend your life focusing on everything you wish you had, you’ll be unhappy most of the time. With that said, documenting your blessings and practicing gratitude on a daily basis can boost your happiness and stabilize your overall mood.
I used to be very negative, and I struggled to get through every day and week. I lacked confidence and was always down on myself because I didn’t think I was good enough since I didn’t have the same things my peers did. Once I started my gratitude journal this year, I soon realized just how blessed I truly am—I’m a very happy and positive person now!
Increase Mindfulness
Documenting your blessings is a great way to increase mindfulness in your daily life. When you have a rough day, it’s not always easy to think of something you’re grateful for. However, you’ll become more mindful of the happy things because writing down something every day will force you to see the positives in your life.
Starting a gratitude journal is one of the best daily habits to improve your quality of life, and it can have a beautiful impact on your mental health. Try it for a month and see what it does for your mindfulness!
Reflect on Happy Memories
Practicing gratitude gives you an opportunity to reflect on your happy memories—even the small ones. Although we tend to go through some not-so-happy moments in our lifetimes, choosing to focus on the positives can make the happy moments become more abundant.
Even if you have a pretty terrible day, I bet there’s at least one good memory you can pull out of it to cling to. Write down the happy things you’re grateful for every day—you’ll learn that the little things are sometimes the most beautiful.
Shift Your Perspective
I started my gratitude journal at the beginning of this year, and I rarely even write in it anymore. Now you might be thinking, “why is she trying to get me to do this if she doesn’t even do it?”
I like to encourage everyone to do this because it will genuinely shift your perspective on life. Honestly, I hardly document my gratitude on paper because it has become a natural part of my daily routine. I wake up and thank God for another day, for the pretty blue sky, for things that many people take for granted. I no longer yearn for things I don’t have; instead, I’m abundantly grateful for everything God has given me and allowed me to have.
Counting your blessings isn’t a new phenomenon, but documenting them might be new to you. As you can see, there are many reasons to start a gratitude journal—but will you do it? If you want to see a drastic shift in your happiness, mindset, and outlook on life, you’ll give it a whirl. Trust me; you can’t go wrong with reflecting on your blessings. Giving thanks to God and understanding that all good things come from Him are important parts of walking alongside Him.
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