Gratitude journal prompts to shift your focus toward the good again

When I was living in New York City as a teenager, my friend Evan introduced me to the concept of “daily joys.” His idea was simple: throughout the day, he would keep a running list of things that brought him joy that day. A morning coffee. A friendly stranger. A particularly good sunset. All of it was recorded in his Notes app. They were often hilarious, and always whole-hearted. I quickly followed suit. I kept with my daily joys for quite some time, posting particularly inspiring ones on my blog to share with others.

This was over a decade ago, and the concept of “gratitude journaling” was foreign to me. But that’s exactly what we were doing. Studies show that practicing gratitude can reduce anxiety, improve mental resilience, and even lead to better sleep. Regularly focusing on gratitude helps you reframe negative thoughts and fosters a more optimistic outlook on life. It’s a gentle reminder of the abundance already present in your world, even on challenging days.

I still recommend daily joys as a great way to practice gratitude regularly, but if you’re up for more of a deep dive, having some gratitude journal prompts can be helpful. xx

I recommend taking these journal prompts on a quiet evening or morning, preferably cozied up under some blankets with a warm beverage. You can write through all of them or just choose the ones that call to you.