30+ Gratitude Journal Prompts You Should Try Today!

Journaling is an easy way to increase happiness, gratitude, and mindfulness. It can also help you discover hidden thoughts that are causing stress in your life. There are many different kinds of journals: daily journals, bullet journals, habit tracker journals, etc. However, each type of journal has room for some gratitude!

The past year (or two) has been tough. And it can be really easy to get sucked into the news and social media negativity vortex and begin to feel depressed, hopeless, and helpless. 

But there is an antidote to that! I talked about it in my book with regards to your home. It’s called practicing gratitude or having an attitude of gratitude. 

What is Gratitude?

Gratitude is a positive emotion that involves being thankful for and appreciative of the things in your life. 

Developing a gratitude practice helps you find more of the good in life. It’s like self-care, a simple concept with a big impact. 

Whether it’s journaling, counting your blessings, or simply thinking about what makes you grateful on a daily basis, make sure to be thankful!

Benefits of Practicing Gratitude

The benefits of gratitude are: 

• increased feelings of happiness and better mood
• feeling hopeful toward the future
• better sleep and rest
• increased psychological well-being
• better self-esteem
• improved relationships
• better optimism
• makes us more giving and less selfish
• more effective at our jobs/has a positive effect on our professional life
• reduces blood pressure
• improves psycholoical, emotional and physical recovery
• helps keep depression at bay 
• keeps us focused on the simple pleasures in life

Remember that each moment has its positives and every day holds something to cherish. It’s up to you to find them. 

What is a Gratitude Journal?

Gratitude can be found in the big moments, down to the smallest ones. Your mind is a wonderful tool to help you appreciate the world around you, and the things in your life that you might have glanced over before.

It’s like when you’re on a long road trip and you think about a yellow car. Maybe you’ve seen one or two along your way, but ever since you started thinking about it, you’ve driven by so many. That’s because you’re subconsciously looking for yellow cars now.

A gratitude journal is simply a place to keep notes of all the good things you’re thankful for. And when you’re looking for things to be thankful for, like the yellow car, you will more readily find them. 

What are the Benefits of Keeping a Gratitude Journal?

Although research shows gratitude journaling is most effective when practiced consistently, the journaling process takes time to get used to.

When starting out, set a goal. Your journal can be a place to practice gratitude at any moment. You’ll notice that being consciously grateful for things every day, no matter the size, will end up becoming second nature for you.

What Do You Include in a Gratitude Journal?

If you kept a diary as a teenager it was likely filled with random thoughts and feelings.

A gratitude journal is specifically for keeping a list of the things you’re thankful for – big or small. 

How to Start a Gratitude Journal

Even though you may think you need a fancy notebook or pretty pens to get started, you don’t! Sometimes starting something new can be paired well with fancy tools and accessories, but the best part about journaling is you can do it however you prefer.

• Maybe you’ll choose to start out in a Google document, but someday you’ll switch over to a notebook.
• You can also just grab a scrap piece of paper, fill out your prompt and shove that in a jar to read for later.
• Or you can journal right in the Notes app of your phone. 

Being grateful doesn’t have to be fancy, in fact, it’s almost better to have your journal on your phone or in your pocket so you can journal whenever the urge strikes.

How to Use a Gratitude Journal?

The best way to use a gratitude journal is to get into a rhythm that works for you so that writing in it becomes a habit.

Try writing in your journal first thing in the morning, on your lunch break, or just before you go to bed at night. Then see which one is easiest to do.  

You can write in it for a week, 30 days, or however long you’d like. Or, you can write in it when you’re feeling especially inspired, or when you need an extra dose of gratitude in your life.

After practicing gratitude journaling for a few days or weeks, you’ll see noticeable changes in not only your overall attitude but also your mindset towards life.

What is a Journaling Prompt?

A journal prompt is simply an idea that helps you to focus on what to write and let go of the fear of the blank page. 

Gratitude Journal Prompts

Gratitude journal prompts are great beginning exercises for newbies who want to start journaling and dive into the world of gratitude because they provide structure with room for creativity, too.

Beginner journalers can use these gratitude journal questions as inspiration before jotting down their own unique thoughts or even inspire new prompts they’ll be more excited to write about. Even if you don’t have any answers when you first read the question, that’s okay.

Keep looking within yourself until you find the right answer, or alter the question to suit you better. The best time to start is now. If you don’t feel inspired, steal some ideas from the list below, and keep going. Eventually, you’ll find things that you’ll want to write about each day.

When first starting out, knowing what to write or coming up with daily gratitude journal prompts for yourself can be a bit of a challenge.

No worries, there are plenty of ideas below to get you started and inspired. Here are 30 of the best writing prompts about gratitude so you can begin your journaling journey with gratitude every single day.

30+ Gratitude Journaling Jumpstarts

1. Who is someone who makes you feel loved? Why?
2. Who has made a positive impact on my life?
3. Jot down three things that made you smile today.
4. Name one reason that you love your body.
5. What is your favorite quality about yourself?
6. Name something that made you laugh today.
7. Who or what inspired me today?
8. What is your favorite part of each morning?
9. What’s your favorite part of your daily routine?
10. What is a challenge you’ve faced that turned out to be a good lesson?
11. Share some positive news that you’ve received recently!
12. Name an event that you’re excited to attend or celebrate.
13. What is your favorite memory?
14. Name your favorite hobby and what you like about it. 
15. What is the best compliment you’ve received?
16. Why are you excited to begin or continue journaling?
17. What is one personal strength you’re grateful for?
18. What is one song that you can’t help but dance to? What’s your favorite song?
19. Name something about or in your home that you are grateful for.
20. What is one thing you are looking forward to in the next 24 hours?
21. Name a quote that resonates with you right now, or makes you smile. Why does it have meaning for you?
22. What’s your favorite food or guilty pleasure?
23. How can you show gratitude towards yourself, even if it’s small?
24. Something you love about your job or career path.
25. What’s your favorite quote and why?
26. Your favorite mistake that ended in a great lesson or experience
27. What’s your favorite day of the week, and why?
28. What was your absolute favorite day ever?
29. What is something you have to be grateful for regardless of how your day was?
30. Who has been an inspiration to you lately and why?
31. What is something you’re proud of?
32. What’s one of the most beautiful things you’ve seen lately?
33. What did I accomplish today?
34. Name a song that makes you feel nostalgic. Why does it make you think of this time in your life?
35. What is your favorite smell? What does it make you think of?
36. When has a stranger shared random acts of kindness with you? 
37. When have you shared random acts of kindness with others?
38. What was the best gift you ever got (or gave)?
39. Are there any little moments from your day that deserve a journal entry, but didn’t get one?

There is an abundance of different journaling prompts out there that can help you find gratitude in your daily life.

However, these gratitude writing prompts and ideas are great for beginners to get the ball rolling with their gratitude journals. Any of these can be used by kids and adults alike. You could even make them a family tradition!

How to Use the Gratitude Journal Prompts

1. Download and print the gratitude journal PDF printable prompts.
2. Use gratitude prompts to help start entries in your gratitude journal.

Other Ideas for Using the Gratitude Journal Prompts

• Print them out and cut them into pieces and place them in a jar. Then pull one out when you need to think of something positive. 
• Or tape the prompts to your mirror or somewhere else you’ll see them regularly. 

Daily Gratitude Journal Ideas

If you prefer to make your journal a little more creative here are some options. 

• Journaling supplies like fancy papers
• My favorite pens for journaling and to doodle with
• Simple journals for jotting down your thoughts
• Gratitude journals, specifically designed for practicing gratitude

Some Tips For Your Gratitude Journaling

• Feel it in your heart
• Make it personal
• Be honest with yourself
• Focus on people and events more than things
• Don’t judge what you write
• Focus on the future as well
• Go into tiny details
• Do this when you’re undisturbed
• Revisit your gratitude journal often
• Make it a habit
• Don’t rush it
• Everything counts, no matter how small

More Journaling Posts

• How to Keep a Prayer Journal + a FREE Printable 30-Day Devotional Journal
• How to Bible Journal – Easy Bible Journaling Tips for Beginners to Start
• Bible Journaling Supplies – The Ultimate Guide for Beginners

Have you ever kept a gratitude journal? Is this list missing any gratitude journal prompts you’d like to see included? I’d love to hear about your gratitude journey in the comments below!