How to start Gratitude Journaling (and actually keep going!)

Starting a gratitude journal sounds like a lovely idea, doesn’t it? A little moment in your day to focus on the good stuff. But often, what starts as an exciting new habit can quickly become another thing on the to do list, one that gets forgotten or feels like a chore. I get it! Life is busy and sitting down to write every day can feel overwhelming. Maybe you’ve tried before and found it hard to keep going, or you weren’t sure if it was making a difference. Perhaps you’ve even overthought what counts as a “good” moment and ended up stuck.

But here’s the thing:

Gratitude journaling doesn’t have to be hard. It doesn’t have to take ages and it definitely doesn’t need to be perfect.

In fact, the easier you make it for yourself, the more likely you are to keep going. Here are some tips to make it as simple and joyful as possible.

 

1. Keep it brief (seriously, just a few words!)

You don’t need to write pages and pages. Gratitude journaling isn’t about deep reflection or beautifully crafted sentences, it’s about noticing the little moments that bring you joy. A few words, a single sentence, or even bullet points are enough, for example:

Enjoyed a lovely cup of coffee today.
A text from a friend.
Watching the dappled sunlight hit the kitchen table. 

Remember the tiniest glimmers in your day add up.

 

2. Anchor it to something you already do

One of the easiest ways to make gratitude journaling a habit is to attach it to something that’s already part of your routine. This is called habit stacking and it works wonders. Pick a time that makes sense for you:

• When you wake up in the morning
• While having your first cup of tea or coffee
• Before you go to bed (a great way to go to sleep feeling happy!)

It’s about making it effortless, so it becomes second nature.

 

3. Use any journal (but if you want a simple one…)

You don’t need anything fancy. You can jot things down in a notebook, on your phone, or even on a scrap of paper. But if you like a little structure, my Three Happy Thoughts Journal was designed exactly for this - simple, no pressure, just a space to quickly note three happy moments from your day.

 

4. Let go of the pressure to write something deep

Gratitude journaling isn’t about writing deep, meaningful insights every day. Some days, your entry might be something as simple as "Had a really nice biscuit." And that’s perfect! The goal is to train your brain to spot the good things, not to write an essay.

 

5. Miss a day? No bid deal!

If you forget to journal one day (or even a few), don’t worry about it. Just pick it up again when you remember. It’s not about perfection, it’s about the practice of noticing joy more often.

 

Ready to give it a go?

If you’ve been wanting to start a gratitude journal but felt unsure where to begin, I hope this makes it feel easier. Keep it short, keep it simple and most importantly - enjoy it! Noticing the little happy moments can make such a difference in how you feel each day.

And if you’d like a little help, my Three Happy Thoughts Journal is designed to make gratitude journaling effortless. No pressure, no over thinking, just three small moments of joy each day.

Happy journaling!