Gratitude Journal

The research on gratitude is surprisingly solid – people who regularly write down what they appreciate tend to be happier, sleep better, and handle stress more easily. It's not magic. It's just that actively looking for good things changes what you notice.

The catch

Most people try it for a week, get bored writing "grateful for my family" every day, and stop. The problem isn't gratitude journaling – it's doing it in a way that doesn't work.

How to actually do it

• Be specific. "Grateful for my friend" is forgettable. "Grateful that Alex sent me that dumb meme when I was stressed" is something you'll actually feel.
• Don't force daily. Two or three times a week is enough. Daily can make it feel like homework.
• Include small things. The perfect cup of coffee. A song that came on at the right moment. The small stuff adds up.
• Sometimes note the why. "Grateful for the walk after work because I needed space to think" tells you something about yourself.

Prompts when you're stuck

• What made today slightly better than it could have been?
• Who did something kind for me recently?
• What's something I often take for granted?
• What problem did I have a year ago that's resolved now?

The real point

Gratitude journaling isn't about pretending everything is great. Life is hard and sometimes things are genuinely bad. But there's usually something – even if it's just "grateful I got through today." The practice trains you to notice what's working alongside what isn't.