Practicing gratitude not only makes you feel good mentally, but it can also improve your physical health. Starting a gratitude journal is so easy that anyone can do it with just a few minutes a day. Use these gratitude journal prompts to improve your mind, body, and soul!

Not convinced? Let’s check out the science first. 

How journaling can help you

So, you’ve been hearing about journaling…but it kind of seems fluffy? Kind of like that book you read when you were a kid, Are you There God, It’s Me, Margaret? 

Turns out, there are a lot of science-based ways that journaling can improve your health, especially your mental health. I know that you’re a savvy gal, Gorgeous and you want the facts. 

Here is how journaling can powerfully improve your life:

• Journaling can improve your sleep (woot!)
• Journaling can improve your relationship with yourself and others
• Journaling can actually improve your physical health – who knew that a chat with your diary could lower muscle aches and pains?
• Journaling can help you to overcome trauma and improve your mental resiliency

Nuf said, right? The act of journaling is a powerful thing that I talk about A. LOT. I also practice what I preach and journal regularly. I talk about this more in my post about how to start and why you need a happiness journal; be sure to check out that post!

So, we know that journaling is so helpful…but how do we DO it?! 

How to get started journaling

The biggest tip here? Don’t overthink it. 

If you’re going to go down a spiral shopping for the perfect journal and the perfect pen…and never actually get started writing… begin with a piece of scratch paper. 

Give yourself full permission to release perfectionism and just let it be a simple activity. Doodle on a post-it note, scribble a few thoughts on a piece of scratch paper or flip open a notebook and begin. Use one of the gratitude journal prompts below to get the writing started. 

And you know what else? You don’t even have to keep whatever you wrote. Feel free to chuck it in the shredder or even in a campfire, if you happen to be enjoying one this time of year. 

Ready to get started…like right now? Download my complimentary gratitude journal printable guide with all of the prompts from this post in one pretty PDF. Anything for you, Gorgeous! 

What time of day is best?

The time of day that is best for journaling is when it feels most meaningful to you as well as can easily become a habit. Consistency counts! 

Some people enjoy kicking off their day with journaling, especially focusing on the things that they’re grateful for. You could link this new habit – journaling – with an established habit – enjoying your morning cuppa coffee – to seamlessly weave journaling into your day. 

Others enjoy a mid-day break from work for a chance to refocus and feel more centered. 

You might enjoy an end-of-the-day journaling session to unwind from the day and process what happens. The truth is that journaling can offer mental health benefits any time of the day. Just like with Intuitive Eating, there is no “should” about journaling – find what writing routine supports you feeling your best. 

Leveling up

Ready to commit further? Treat yourself to a trip to Target or your favorite bookstore and pick out a new journal that you love. Pick up a few, flip through the pages and see which one gets you the most excited to write in, and head to the check out (or stop and grab an amazing new pen, too). 

But…I’m too busy

Let me guess, you think you’re “too busy” to journal, right? I thought so, too. Hate to break it to you, angel… but that’s a lie we are telling ourselves. That is a limiting belief. 

What assumptions are you making about journaling…that you need to sit silently for an hour or it won’t count? Myth busted! I am not saying you need to sit in a quiet room for an hour each day. No one has time for that! 

BUT I am pretty sure we can all set a timer for 3-5 minutes and just WRITE. 

Agreed? 

Agreed. 

I like to do my journaling in the morning before the day gets started. This is when my mind is most clear and honestly when it hasn’t been infiltrated by others’ thoughts (social media, tv, etc.)

Pick any of these gratitude journal prompts

Pick one of the gratitude journal prompts below and just…write! 

Whatever comes to your mind. There is no right or wrong way to journal. 

I like to try to keep my journal mostly positive. So if I write something nasty to myself (we are all SO critical of ourselves!) I always stop, re-frame it, and write the TRUTH. 

Tip: write to yourself as you would write to a best friend.

I have the journal prompts separated into categories. If you are struggling with a particular area (body image, food freedom, etc.) you can pick a prompt from that category. If no specific topic comes to mind you can simply scroll to a random one and whatever it is that you land on WRITE!

Gratitude Journal Prompts

And here we are: many different gratitude journal prompts. There is no set order to work through these, nor is there the expectation that you’ll even use all of them. Simply use the lists below as inspiration to get writing. 

Positive mindset journal prompts

1. Take a look around you right now. Pick out 3 things that you see that you are grateful for.
2. What is one accomplishment you’re grateful to have achieved?
3. Take your phone out and scroll through your photos. Pick the first picture that makes you smile and write about that memory.
4. Think of 3 people that you’re grateful for and why.
5. Write about what your ideal day looks like.
6. What skill have you learned that you’re grateful for and that comes in handy?
7. Bring a smile to your face by writing out your favorite joke and making a plan on how you can tell someone this joke today.
8. Write a letter to yourself from your 99-year-old self. What would they say about your life and what you have accomplished?
9. Write about your happiest childhood memory and how you can bring this joy to your life today.
10. Pick one song that makes you happy, play it, and write about why it makes you happy.
11. List 3 hobbies you enjoy doing and what it is you enjoy about them.
12. What is one failure that you’ve had happen that allowed you to learn and grow? What did you learn from it?
13. What is one small thing you can do today to brighten your spirits? (ideas: get a coffee, take a walk, take 5 deep breaths, etc.)
14. Take 3 slow, deep breaths. Inhaling positivity and exhaling negativity. Describe this experience in your journal.
15. Thinking about your best friend, a family member, or your significant other, pick one thing that you love about them and are grateful for. Journal about why you love this piece of them.
16. Write a letter to yourself 10 years ago, what is one lesson you’ve learned that you’re grateful for and wish you would have learned sooner?
17. Write down 3 of your biggest goals as if they’ve already happened.
18. Write a letter to yourself 5 years from now congratulating you for accomplishing all of your hopes and dreams.
19. Interview yourself. Ask yourself where you want to be in five years. What does an average day look like? How can you make this happen?

Food Freedom Journal Prompts

1. Describe what food freedom means to you. What is your definition?
2. What is your “why” for wanting to find food freedom? What is your motivator?
3. What is one experience that you can’t wait to do when you find food freedom?
4. Write out the feelings you’ll experience when you finally make peace with food.
5. Write a letter from your 99-year-old self. What would they say to you about your food rules?
6. What is one step you can take today to make peace with food?
7. Journal about the positive impact finding food freedom will have on your relationships.
8. Journal about the positive impact finding food freedom will have on the experiences you have in life.
9. What is stopping you from finally working towards food freedom? How can you overcome this?
10. Write a letter to yourself as if you’ve found food freedom.
11. Write out your food freedom goals as if they’ve happened.

Body Image Journal Prompts

1. Write 3 things you’re grateful for that your body allows you to do.
2. Write a thank you letter to your body for allowing you to live your life.
3. What would you say to a friend if she expressed negative body image?
4. Write a letter to your younger self helping her gain confidence and body image.
5. Pick one body-positive quote on Pinterest and write about it. (Tip: create a board of these so you always have more to go to!)
6. Would you accept your body if it could do everything you want in life, even if it wasn’t the size you were hoping for?
7. Describe what making peace with your body would feel like.
8. Pick a body-positive phrase for the day. Write this phrase 10x.
9. Think about what you feel are your “problem areas” and write a thank you to them for why you’re actually grateful for what they provide you (extra stored energy, legs to walk, a belly that has birthed children, arms that carry the groceries, etc.)
10. Think of a time when you were proud of something your body was able to do. (Went for a bike ride, played with your kids, carrying the groceries in 1 trip, birthing children, allowing you to LIVE in it).
11. Think about the part of your body that you struggle with. What would your 99-year-old self say to you?
12. What is one thing you’re looking forward to doing that your body allows you to do?
13. Think about exercise. What are your immediate thoughts? How do you feel about these thoughts? How would you like to feel and think about exercise? What is keeping that from happening? What would it look like to be grateful for movement vs. using it to “earn” or “burn” your food?

Gratitude journal printable

What did you think of these gratitude journal prompts? Hopefully they’ve inspired you to get started writing! If you’d like to save this list for later, I made you a lovely printable gratitude journal printable guide. You can download that here and tuck it into your new favorite journal. 

Hungry for more?

If you want more ideas you can also take a look at my post on my top 20 intuitive eating affirmations. It could be as easy as picking one of them and writing it 5x in a row!

Reflect

How does it feel to get writing? It might feel silly or out of character for you at first, and that is a-okay. But with practice and persistence, journaling can be a powerful time to process your feelings and emotions, develop resilience and perspective and cultivate gratitude. 

Consider your own intentions as you begin following your next gratitude journal prompts…are you excited, or thinking that this feels fluffy or weird? Your mind is powerful, be sure to use it to cultivate your best health…and your best life!

I truly, truly believe that our thoughts are SO powerful. Journaling can truly improve our mindset, creating more positive thoughts, creating a more positive life! I also truly believe in the law of attraction (where like attracts like, what you focus on you will get more of) which I talk more about in my post on how to manifest food freedom.

Key takeaways: Gratitude journal prompts for wellness

I hope these gratitude journal prompts allow you to get started with journaling so that you can live a more positive life! Comment below with your favorite prompt! With so many to pick from, I can’t wait to hear your fave.

And if you’re ready to ditch fad diets that don’t work and join a supportive group, I invite you to check out The SociEATy intuitive eating membership, your community to learn to eat intuitively and ditch diets – and their consequences – for good.

Happy food rule breaking!

XOXO

-Colleen

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