Gratitude and Acknowledgement Journaling

Anyone who has spent time journaling about gratitude and acknowledgement knows that it has the power to release the old demons of regret.  It can also enhance a sense of well-being.  By recognizing that which we are grateful for, we travel a path of letting go of that which does not serve us and boost those qualities which support our inner strength. 

Gratitude journaling connects us to the past in a positive way, even when past events may have been dark or dreary.  It supports writers to find the light sparks in dark memories and to focus on the silver linings among cloudy skies. 

By gratitude journaling, writers can embrace a positive viewpoint that supports personal productivity and creativity.

---

Being Grateful Brings Satisfaction 
​

Have you ever noticed that when you spend time focused on the negative elements of a situation the solution is hard to find and the dark fog of negativity tends to linger longer?  The same is true for the positive.  When we spend time focused on the positive elements of a situation, solutions are brighter and the light creeps through the cracks to illuminate the clarity within. 

A grateful heart is a happy heart.  When we are grateful, we have room only for compassion, empathy, appreciation, and love.  A person in the mindset of being grateful has no mental or emotional room for dissatisfaction, anger, spite, or regret. 

Gratitude journaling is the act of writing about that which we appreciate, are grateful for, and acknowledge as being valuable.  It brings about a sense of well-being and satisfaction in a short period of time, and when done consistently can aid in alleviating feelings of stress, anxiety, and sadness.
​

---

Looking Back with Appreciation 
​

One of the most interesting elements of gratitude journaling is its flexibility in allowing writers to evaluate any time period.  When we engage in gratitude journaling, we can look at the past to dig out the golden nuggets in our memories. 

When we look at our present, we take stock of everything that is going well for us—work, friends, family, love, pets, and art.  And when we look into the future, we can identify the qualities and skills we have today that will support a prosperous future. 

Everyone has past events they would rather forget or cover up.  Everyone.  But we also have the power to redefine those events but highlighting the positive elements in them.  When we look back at memories and redefine them in positive terms, we stop their power from dragging us down and force them to hold us up instead.  

Today, people are more overburdened than ever before. Political tensions, climate change, and economic instability create the perfect storm for a stressed-out society. If you aren’t yet journaling, get The Simple Guide to Journal Writing and get started.

Acknowledge the Good and the Bad then Move On 
​

Like many people, I have dark skeletons in my closet.  In my early days, I was sometimes less than graceful, polished, and appreciative.  But even in those sad memories, little glimmers of hope were mixed within the dark rubble. 

For example, in my 20s I spent a little too much time messing about and not enough time building strong relationships with good people.  Some of the people I hung out with ended up being fair-weather friends who deserted me when a better offer came along.  But . . . in the end I did connect with a few good people and am still in contact with them today.  For example, I had a friend who taught me so much about looking past social valences to appreciate the inner person, and I am grateful to be in contact with him today. 

I could look back on those days as ugly memories and focus on the lost friendships of the people who lasted a short time.  Or I can focus on the fact that some good people from that time taught me lessons about appreciating people and still reach out to me today. 

In gratitude journaling, we can look at the past or the present, recognize that not all our memories were tulips and roses, then seek out the daisies hidden among the weeds, and focus on those positive memories.  We control our attitudes by controlling what to focus on.  
​

---

Gratitude and Acknowledgement Journaling Prompts 
​

Try out three or more of these journal prompts.  Expand on each one with depth, breadth, and detail.  Try to write 500-2000 words for each prompt if possible. 

1. Who is the person you appreciate most in your life right now? 
2. Who was the person you admired most when you were a child? 
3. Who was the teacher, instructor, professor, or leader who inspired you when you were a young adult?
4. Who is the writer, artist, filmmaker, or social leader that you appreciate? 
5. What are your three best attributes?  How did you develop these qualities?  How might you support them further?
6. What are three characteristics that you would like to develop further?  What do you like most about these elements of yourself? 
7. What have you improved upon in the last year?  What steps did you take to make that improvement and how can you continue to improve upon it? 
8. If you had to leave your home tomorrow, what ten things would you take with you and why?
9. What element of nature are you most grateful for and why? 
10. What challenge have you faced in the last year?  What strength did it bring out in you? ​

---

Gratitude and acknowledgement journaling can be a powerful step of the stress-reduction practice.  When we seek to make peace with the past, we can do a better job of focusing on the present and achieving our goals in the future.  Try out gratitude journaling for a week and see how it changes your overall outlook.​

Is life sometimes overwhelming? Do the blues get you down? Today, people are more stressed out than ever before, but journal writing can help. Jumpstart your journal writing practice with this course, which is designed to help you establish a journal writing practice.

Related Blog Posts