Why You Should Start a Gratitude Journal

Gratitude journals are often confused with happiness journals or some sort of spiritual journal. In fact, many secular people stay away from gratitude journals because they feel like it may be pushing a religious agenda. The truth is, the idea of a gratitude journal has nothing to do with spirituality or religion. It has to do with well-being and changing your life for the better. If you have considered a gratitude journal, but may find you were wrong about what they are, then consider why you should start one today.

Benefits of Mental Health

One of the leading reasons you need to start a gratitude journal is to work through mental health issues you may have naturally. You can start off by listing one thing a day you are thankful for. You will notice that this helps you move out of depression. For example, if you have depression and feel that there is nothing good left in your life, you can use the gratitude journal to show you that you do have things that are good. This can reduce your depression and give you at least one good thing to focus on. 

Benefits of Overall Health

When you first start a gratitude journal, you may not see how it could ever improve your overall health. Consider a specific example though and how it would apply to your life. You have depression, you aren't getting out much, you find yourself alone most of the time, and you are gaining weight. As you start to list the things you are thankful for you, you will start seeing positive things happen. You are not longer focusing on the triggers of your depression. You are starting to look for the things that are good in your day. This will lead you out of the house to find more goodness and gratitude in others. Eventually you will see that you are more active and happier which leads to reduced stress, reduced blood pressure, and a more positive outlook. 

Increased Positivity

As previously mentioned, you will see an increase in positivity. You may wonder why that is. For the most part it is due to looking for more and more gratitude in life. You will find that posting your gratitude will become like a challenge. You post three things one day, you may want to post five things the next. This will lead to focusing on positive outlooks overall. 


The key point to remember with a gratitude journal, is that you are writing down the things you are thankful for in your day. You are trying to find some good even in a very bad day or series of days. This positive outlook can help you reduce stress, anxiety, and even depression.
