30 Day Gratitude Journal Challenge (+ self love journal prompts)
Thinking of starting a gratitude journal but not sure where or how to begin? This 30 day gratitude journaling challenge will show you what to write in a gratitude journal, how to start a gratitude journal, the benefits of journaling for gratitude and everything you need to know about creating a gratitude journal so that you can get started today. Ready to become obsessed? Let’s get started.
What is a Gratitude Journal?
If you’ve heard about gratitude journaling but are not sure where to start then don’t worry. We’ve put together 30 journal prompts for positivity that will help you start your 30 day gratitude journal challenge. They say that a habit takes 28 days to form. So by using these prompts and sticking to journaling for 30 consecutive days, you will be well on your way to forming better mindset habits.
Expressing gratitude is about being thankful and appreciative for what we already have. You might be thinking “Well, I know what I’m thankful for: my health, family, kids, home, etc.” but by diving deeper into the little things that make you appreciative each and every day, you will start picking up on every big and small reason for feeling gratitude.
It’s also important to remember that expressing gratitude and showing appreciation isn’t just about the here and now. If you’ve been going through a difficult time or have been working hard on something in the past, which has manifested itself into where you are now then reflect upon those experiences and show gratitude to the steps that got you to where you are or the lessons you’ve learned from them. In order to get really good at gratitude journaling, aim to look at different areas of your life, not just those that are directly related to your goal or the people and things you see each day. Many women forget to show appreciation for themselves by reflecting on their achievements or practising self-love. However, in order to make gratitude journaling work for you, you have to be open to exploring every area of your life and get comfortable with turning any negative emotions into feelings of gratitude. The more genuine gratification we are able to express, the happier we become.
Tips for Starting a Gratitude Journal
Ready to get started? You can buy a gratitude journal, specifically designed with mindfulness writing prompts and tips on showing gratitude or you can look at making a gratitude journal, using just a notebook and pen. There are many amazing gratitude journals on the market today. We particularly love these:
The 6 Minute Gratitude Journal
The 5 Minute Gratitude Journal
These diaries come with helpful prompts and questions for you to complete yourself. Of course, to get started with starting a gratitude journal, all you really need is a blank journal, a pen, some journaling prompts and 5 minutes of your time. You don’t have to spend hours writing in your gratitude journal, although if you have hours to spend on journaling and you want to journal for hours then by all means go ahead! A few minutes a day is all you really need though, just to write down a few sentences about what you were thankful for and the highlights of your day.
What to Write in a Gratitude Journal
A gratitude journal might seem quite sophisticated but don’t let that overwhelm you! Seeing pictures and content online promoting the gratitude journal aesthetic can make it seem as though you have to be an expert in journaling thoughts and feelings. But starting a gratitude journal is really simple. Knowing what to write in a gratitude journal is essentially just journaling your thoughts and feelings on a daily basis, as well as acknowledging the big and small things you are grateful for each day. This will vary day to day and will look different for every individual.
One day you may have a really big win, such as a job promotion, buying a new house, your children reaching a milestone, or another big reason to celebrate. On other days, as well as on days when things are not going so well, your gratitude list might be far more modest. It’s important to always express gratitude for the big and small things in your life, as well as everything in between, in order for gratitude journaling to really work.
You don’t need to know what to write in a gratitude journal because everybody is already fully equipped with the tools they need to write down a few points each day about things they are grateful for. By being thankful for the smallest things in our daily lives, as well as the big wins, we are opening up our minds to see all the positivity and opportunities that the world has to offer. We all have so much to be grateful for, even if at times we feel overwhelmed with problems. Try to reflect each day on the smallest moments you appreciate, such as your morning coffee, a good night’s sleep, the refreshing feeling of washing your face in the morning, fresh flowers or a scented candle or that homely scent of your dinner cooking.
30 Day Gratitude Journal Challenge
The journal prompts below will help you to get started. Each day throughout your 30 day gratitude journal challenge, pick a prompt to journal about. You can go through these in the order they are listed below or you can shuffle them in any order that you like. The important thing is that you stay consistent with your gratitude journaling and commit to making it a habit at the start or end of each day. Use these self love journaling prompts to navigate your healing journaling process and add at least 3 things you are thankful for each day. Start with just 3 things but you can add more once you get into the flow. You will probably find that as you progress through your gratitude journaling you will be able to list off 10 things you’re grateful for each day. The purpose of creating a gratitude journal isn’t about looking for or buying treats each day. Starting a gratitude journal isn’t about filling your life with materialistic things but to dig deep and express thanks for the everyday things you can be grateful for right now.
Making a Gratitude Journal: 30 Self Love Journal Prompts to Start Your Daily Journal Challenge
Go through this list of gratitude journal prompts and commit to writing about one each day for 30 days. Once you have completed this daily journal challenge, you can either restart this list, try other journal prompts for positivity and gratitude or just create your own gratitude journal by listing at least 3 things you’re grateful for each and every day. Remember that nobody is reading this, so just be honest and open when journaling thoughts and feelings.
Gratitude & Appreciation
1. What are three things you are most grateful for today?
2. Write about someone who brings joy into your life and why.
3. List five simple pleasures that make you happy.
4. Describe a moment recently when you felt truly content.
5. What are three positive things that happened this week?
Self-Love & Confidence
6. Write about five things you love about yourself.
7. What is something you’ve accomplished recently that you’re proud of?
8. How do you define beauty, and how do you see it in yourself?
9. Write a letter to yourself filled with encouragement and love.
10. What does your perfect day of self-care look like?
Happiness & Joy
11. What activities make you feel happiest and why?
12. Describe your happiest childhood memory.
13. If you could plan the perfect day, what would it include?
14. What’s a song, movie, or book that always lifts your spirits?
15. What small things bring you joy in your everyday life?
Vision & Goals
16. What are three goals you’re excited to work toward?
17. Where do you see yourself in five years, and what excites you most about that vision?
18. If you could accomplish one dream without fear of failure, what would it be?
19. What does your ideal future look like, and how can you start working toward it?
20. Write about a time you overcame a challenge and how it made you stronger.
Mindfulness & Positivity
21. Write about a moment when you felt completely at peace.
22. What does happiness feel like to you?
23. How can you bring more mindfulness into your daily life?
24. What are three ways you can bring more positivity into your week?
25. Write about one habit you’d like to create to boost your happiness.
Relationships & Connection
26. Who in your life makes you feel loved and supported? Write about why they’re special to you.
27. What’s your favorite memory with your best friend?
28. What is something kind you can do for someone else this week?
29. Write about the last time you laughed until you cried.
30. Who inspires you, and what have you learned from them?
Once you get into the swing of writing in your gratitude journal, you will love the feeling and it can become quite addictive! You can increase your gratitude journaling sessions to multiple times a day, such as morning and evening or however many times you like throughout the day if you have the time and need to journal more. With that said, just writing in your gratitude journal once a day and at the same time each day (in order to maintain the habit) is more than enough in order for you to enjoy the benefits.
