How to make this happen in 6 steps:
💡 WRITE 2 OR 3 SENTENCES IN A GRATITUDE JOURNAL
Expressing gratitude daily increases your happiness which in turn boosts your physical and mental health as well as your self-esteem. Expressing gratitude also improves your relationships with friends and family. Being grateful and expressing gratitude is something you can train and develop. Here are some steps to help you bring this habit into your daily life:
(This video provides an overview of the 6 steps displayed on this page)
STEP 1: 🏆 VISUALIZE SUCCESS
Imagine how this short, simple task can make you happier in the long run. Your gratitude will positively impact your sleep routine, how you feel when you wake up and how you handle issues throughout the day.
STEP 2: 🔎 ANALYZE YOUR CURRENT DAILY ROUTINE
Think about your routine and when during the day you could set aside a few minutes to write in a gratitude journal. If you can, try and set the time aside in the evening. People who have a gratitude routine in the evening sleep better and for longer, because they go to bed in a more calm and relaxed state.
STEP 3: 🚧 IDENTIFY OBSTACLES
One of the main obstacles to writing in a gratitude journal is simply that people do not give such activities much thought. They mistakenly believe that something that requires only a few minutes a day cannot make much of a difference. You can compare writing in a gratitude journal to brushing your teeth- it’s not a one-off action that gets you the results. But it’s the accumulative effect in the long run that makes an enormous difference. Another obstacle comes from the multiple ways we can be distracted nowadays, particularly by our phones. Reducing the amount of time we spend scrolling on our phones or watching TV by just a few minutes a day, will free up plenty of time for writing in a gratitude journal.
STEP 4: ✏️ HOW YOU CAN MODIFY YOUR EXISTING ROUTINE TO MAKE YOUR HABIT HAPPEN
With awareness and good time management, we can all find a few minutes to write in a gratitude journal. Think about your day. When would be a good time to set aside a few minutes to write in a gratitude journal? If you can, try and set the time aside in the evening. Many people who have a gratitude routine in the evening sleep better because they go to bed in a more calm and relaxed state.
Times you could consider to spare the extra 2 minutes:
- After you have turned your TV off and you’re relaxing before you go to bed
- After you have finished writing your daily to-do list
- When you come back from your evening walk
- After you complete your breathing exercises
STEP 5: ⏰ FIND A TRIGGER
Find a good “trigger” to kick off the new habit. A trigger is a cue that will serve as a reminder to perform the new habit. Test the trigger. A good trigger (or prompt) will help you follow the new routine. Here are some examples of triggers:
After I have taken 5 deep belly breaths before bed, I will write in my gratitude journal
After I have stretched for 2 minutes , I will close my eyes and say out loud what made me happy that day and then write those things down
After I have turned off my phone, I will grab my journal and write about 2 pleasant experiences I had that day
STEP 6: 🎈 CELEBRATE SUCCESS TO MAKE YOUR HABIT STICK
Celebrate success every single time you complete your new habit. It will help the habit stick. The celebration is a positive emotion. Our brains like the positive reinforcement and many celebrations over time make it more likely our new habits become part of our automatic behavior. Celebrations can vary from person to person, so find one that works for you.
Examples:
💪 Tell yourself “good work” after you write in your gratitude journal
🙂 Smile and give yourself a thumbs-up after you practiced your gratitude
What if you fall off the wagon?
If one day you forget to write in your journal, don’t beat yourself up about it, just get back on track the next day. Some habits may take a bit longer to stick, but if you feel you’re falling off the wagon quite frequently, then revisit these steps. If you find you are forgetting to do the new habit on a regular basis, you need to identify a better trigger. Remember that writing in a gratitude journal positively impacts your mental and physical health. The more frequently you do it, the bigger the benefits.
Additional helpful resources: Tiny Habits, BJ Fogg, PhD
If you experience difficulties with implementing these 6 steps into your daily routine, or if you would like more information about habit formation, we encourage you to read “Tiny Habits” by BJ Fogg. BJ developed the Tiny Habits Method to help people build habits in a sustainable manner.
