How to start Morning Gratitude Journaling

Why I love journaling 

I love journaling. Over the years it has impacted me and my life in so many ways. For me it is a way to process emotions, to clear my thoughts and reduce stress, to figure out next steps or to reflect on learnings.

I use different types of journaling depending on the situation and purpose. Especially when you are new to this practice, Gratitude Journaling is a great way to start and try it out for yourself. Gratitude Journaling is one of my favourite routines. All you need is your journal, a pen and ideally a comfortable space to sit. Here are my tips on how you can start right away and easily add Gratitude Journaling to your daily ritual, no matter how busy you are. 

Why Gratitude Journaling is so powerful

If you aren’t familiar with Gratitude, it’s a practice that allows you to find the good in everything. It focuses on the positive. It has such a profound impact on how you perceive everything in your life. Especially if you do Gratitude Journaling in the morning, it may completely change the way you look at the rest of your day, at people, at places, at things. Life can be busy, hectic and stressful. By taking just a few minutes for yourself every morning to slow down and think about things you are thankful for, you train your mind to think about the good things in life. Over time, this inherently changes the way you perceive the world, events and your day-to-day. Another great thing about having a gratitude practice allows you to be more vulnerable with yourself, dive a little bit deeper and get to know yourself better. 

How to start Gratitude Journaling 

All you need is a journal and a pen. If you don’t have a journal, a piece of paper will also do. Or just pop your thoughts into the notes of your phone (even though I recommend doing it pen to paper, because handwriting activates our brain in a different way). At best, sit in a quiet, comfortable space, but you can even do this during your daily commute with the train. Consistency is key to start any new habit. So choose a time or moment that you are likely to stick to every day, this may be right after you wake up, in your car right before you walk into the office, or while you have your first morning coffee. 

To get started, think about three things that you are grateful for. It can be people, places, experiences, things… literally everything. No matter how big or small. And also think about WHY you are grateful for them. 

For example: I am grateful to be a Breathwork Teacher because I get to create a positive impact in many people's lives through the work that I do. 

Now, write down three of your own. 

Set an Intention 

Another thing you can add is an intention. An intention is a goal you want to set for yourself. And this can be a really simple one. Maybe, something like “I want to drink 2.5 l of water today”. You can set intentions for a day, a week, a month or even a year or for special events (like vacation). I like to include it every single day in my morning routine to start the day with good energy. And setting an intention at the start of the month helps me to focus my energy on what’s important to me. 

Start your day with optimism and a clear goal 

Starting your day on a positive note with a clear goal for the day for sure is gonna change things for you. It’s gonna change how you perceive things, how you react and how you enjoy your day. 

I can’t wait to hear what positive impact this simple practice has on you and your day-to-day and how it changes things for you over time.

Much love 🤍
Michèle