The gratitude journal is a powerful tool for happiness. It’s even more powerful when you make it your evening routine. I explain why in this article and give you 5 tips for keeping a magical gratitude journal!

What is a gratitude journal? Why have one?

A gratitude journal is a notebook in which we write down, every day, 3 things or moments for which we are grateful.

For example: a sunset, a starry night, a beautiful piece of cake, a friend we’ve met again, an uncontrollable laugh, an interesting conversation, a beautiful piece of clothing we’ve bought, progress we’ve made, a feeling of pride, an act of kindness…

It’s a powerful evening routine, because it has many benefits, including 3.

1 – Keep an evening gratitude journal to make peace with your day

Every evening, when we sit down for 2-3 minutes in front of our gratitude journal, we review our day, with all its good things and not-so-good things.

The aim of this evening routine is to return to the positive, extract it and rejoice in it.

In fact, in the evening, we’ll look back on 3 things, 3 moments that are particularly positive, so that we can fall asleep in peace.

Yes, our day may not have been a restful one, but it was a good one.

“Not every day can be good, but there is good in every day.

2 – Looking on the bright side
Every evening, you’re going to take a few moments to look on the bright side of your day.

We tend to see the negative more easily than the positive. And this evening routine will enable you to rectify this tendency we all have.

Some nights, it’ll be easier than others. But, as the evening goes on, you’ll notice how much easier it gets. That’s because you’ll develop a knack for looking on the bright side.

Too often, in the moment, we’re categorical about events. We say to ourselves: “What a terrible thing that’s happened to me! And then, in the evening, looking at your gratitude journal, you’ll see that, in retrospect, it wasn’t as bad as all that and that, in the end, it even enabled you to do something else.

It’s worth a try, isn’t it?

3 – And to attract happiness
The best thing about gratitude journaling is that it helps you attract happiness.

“It’s not happiness that makes us grateful. It’s being grateful that makes us happy”.

“What we pay attention to grows.

It’s a law of the Universe: the law of attraction that expresses this.

In other words, the more reasons we have to feel grateful for living our lives, the more these reasons will grow in our lives.

So, in addition to putting our minds at rest and developing our ability to see things in a positive light, by keeping a gratitude journal we’re setting up a happiness magnet.

The gratitude journal is therefore a simple and wonderful evening routine. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

1 – Choose a medium we like for a magical gratitude journal

To be sure of setting up a solid evening routine, it’s essential to use a medium that we like.

In other words, to fill out this gratitude journal, you need to like it. You can use whatever you like: sheets of paper, a notebook or a box with scraps of paper. You can also use your phone and create a note just for that.

The aim is for you to enjoy filling it in. So see if you prefer it pretty or rather practical, or both. Experiment. Don’t hesitate to try lots of things and even change your mind. Or even have several at once.

You’re free to do anything!

2 – Finding a strategic place for your gratitude journal

To keep this new evening routine and your gratitude journal, I invite you to find a strategic place for it.

In other words, a place where you can see it every night before going to bed.

In the bathroom, on your bedside table… wherever you like, as long as you can see it and remember to fill it.

3 – Fill it during a strategic moment

The best way to stick to an evening routine is to always do it at the same time. To do this, I invite you to find out what your best moment is.

Is it just before bedtime? Just before or just after brushing your teeth?

Try it out and see what you prefer!

4 – Read and re-read your gratitude journal

The best way to realize how important this evening routine is in your life is to take the time to read and reread your gratitude journal.

That’s why I invite you at least once a month to go through what made you happy in the last 30 days.

And then, whenever you’re feeling a bit sad or stressed, angry or unmotivated, dip into your gratitude journal, for there you’ll find an inexhaustible source of little joys.

5 – Never abandon your evening routine

Sometimes you won’t keep your gratitude journal for a day, two days or even a week. But that’s okay. It doesn’t mean you can’t do it. It just means that it’s time to get back to it.

In fact, whenever you miss a day, you just have to get back to it, that’s all. Don’t jump to conclusions or make final decisions.

This diary is yours. It’s your best ally in happiness. So don’t give up on it.

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover How to reduce stress: 3 writing exercises to calm your nerves
Discover Knowing yourself: 6 simple writing exercises for learning

I recommend this inspiring book:

The Five Minute Journal by Intelligent Change
The Five-Minute Journal is a gratitude journal designed to cultivate a positive state of mind. Through messages and exercises that take just a few minutes a day, the journal encourages individuals to focus on gratitude and develop the habit of recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of life. The structured format helps me easily integrate gratitude practices into my daily routine, fostering a more optimistic and grateful outlook on life.

Once you get into the habit of writing in it every day, you see a difference. It does help you look for the things you’re grateful for in your life and I’ve loved using this book.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself