Gratitude Guaranteed: Even though gratitude journaling can seem inconvenient and repetitive at times, it’s a positive way to start and finish your day and will improve your overall mindset

After hitting snooze for the seventh time, I get up with a stretch and grab my olive green gratitude journal to begin filling in today’s page. 

What would make today great? 

Ugh. Not this again. How am I supposed to know what would make today great? It’s 7:30 in the morning. Nothing’s “great” until at least 9:00. 

Forgive my rant, it’s just that this thought goes through my head every single morning as I’m filling out my gratitude journal. At this point, I’m halfway through the book and haven’t missed a day — no way will I start skipping now. 

Gratitude journaling is just one daily regimen of the self-care and mental wellness trend that’s designed to help you improve your overall outlook on life. The user fills out one page of the journal every day upon waking up and then again before bed. 

The morning prompts are to list three things you’re grateful for and three things that would make the day great — whether that be goals or wishes — and come up with a positive affirmation for the day. I always struggle with the affirmation bit because I either end up reusing answers or writing something nauseatingly cliche — I accept myself just the way I am. Gross.

The evening prompts are to list three highlights of the day and what you learned, but sometimes I find it difficult to pinpoint exactly what I learn every day. 

Regardless of my annoyances with it, the journal has somehow become an essential part of my daily routine. There’s something about forcing myself to reflect on my good fortune and brainstorm my goals every morning — no matter how late I’m already running — that sends me out the door with a positive mindset and plan for the day. 

I’ve begun to hold myself to a higher standard throughout the day as the evening reflection looms in the back of my mind — I’m motivated to fulfill the prophecy I’ve written out for myself. On the off chance that I don’t achieve my daily goals or follow my affirmation, it only pushes me to work harder the next day. 

Day after day, regardless of the quality of my answers, I have a predisposed plan and positive outlook on the day ahead, as well as a grounding reflection to sleep on.