Last updated: September 9, 2024 by Michelle
Gratitude is an excellent way to start your day. It reminds you of the things that are good in the world and why you might keep going. Often, the first thing I do in the morning is go outside and water my garden. I like to take a moment during that process to be grateful for my garden and the wonderful fruit it grows for me. But there are other ways to practice gratitude. These printable templates and gratitude prompts can help you start a gratitude journaling practice that develops mindfulness and positivity to improve mental health and happiness.
A gratitude journal can serve as a helpful reminder of all you want to be thankful for each day. If you make this a daily practice, some people notice effects like improved mental health and general happiness. You can even get your kids involved by helping them with their own gratitude journals.
First, however, you need to start your journal. A great way to do that is by using our gratitude journal prompts. We have prompts for yourself, for others, for happiness, and for kids.
Get a Random Gratitude Journal Prompt
Need a random gratitude journal prompt to quickly get your journaling started? Simply click below!
Our gratitude journal templates are high-resolution letter-sized printable PDFs. To download, simply click on the image or the text-link underneath the image. These printables are for personal, non-commercial use only.
What Is a Gratitude Journal?
What is a gratitude journal in the first place? Some people fold this into a daily journaling or bullet journaling habit. No matter what you call it, gratitude journals are simply ways to record and reflect on things you’re grateful for. A journal is a good format for this because it can help encourage you to make this a daily practice. You will see the most benefits by turning gratitude into a habit and not just an occasional task.
Below, you’ll find prompts for starting your gratitude journal. Then, we’ll show you how to make your own gratitude journal from scratch and answer your most frequent gratitude journal questions, such as what to write and how to start.
Gratitude Journal Prompts for Yourself
Sometimes, the most important person to be grateful for is yourself! These gratitude journal prompts focus on you.
What are you looking forward to this week?
What is a place that makes you happy?
What is your favorite thing about yourself?
What is something you’re good at?
What is something that comes easily to you that might not come as easily to other people?
What makes you feel fortunate?
What do you appreciate about yourself?
What is something you appreciate about your body?
What is something you appreciate about your personality?
What gives you purpose in life?
Write about a time when you achieved something difficult.
Write about a time when you helped someone.
What is something in your life that has changed for the better?
Look around. What are you thankful for in this moment?
What do you enjoy doing?
Gratitude Journal Prompts About Others
Often, we need to be grateful for other people and how they improve our lives. Reflect on those experiences with these gratitude journal prompts about others.
Write about a time someone else helped you.
Who is a teacher, boss, mentor, etc. you’re thankful for?
Who is a person who supported you through something challenging?
Who is a person who inspires you?
Who makes you feel loved?
Who makes you feel appreciated?
List three nice things about someone you don’t get along with.
Who is a family member you’re close with?
What are your favorite things about your spouse or partner?
What is the best advice someone ever gave you?
Who can you always rely on?
Write a thank-you note for someone in your life.
Gratitude Journal Prompts for Happiness
These gratitude journal prompts are meant to help you reflect on happiness and joy in order to bring that energy into your life. Think happy thoughts!
What is your favorite part of the day?
What is your favorite snack food?
How do you reward yourself?
What is a place that makes you feel cozy?
What is your favorite song? How does it make you feel?
What is a hobby that you find fulfilling?
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
What has changed for the better over the years?
Write down a memory that always makes you smile.
Write about a moment when you achieved a major goal in life.
Find something in the room you’re in that you are grateful for.
What made you start keeping a gratitude journal and how has the experience been?
What is an object you keep purely for sentimental reasons?
What is the funniest thing you’ve seen or heard lately?
Gratitude Journal Prompts for Children
You can share this practice with your children as well. Try out these gratitude journal prompts specifically for children.
Who is your favorite teacher at school?
What is your favorite subject?
Who is your best friend right now?
What do you appreciate about your parents?
What do you appreciate about your siblings?
What is the most fun part about growing up so far?
What is your favorite time of year?
What is your favorite toy?
Who do you look up to?
Who is your favorite superhero and why?
What makes you feel happy?
What are you really good at?
What is your favorite color and how does it make you feel?
What has a friend done to make you smile recently?
How to Make Your Own Gratitude Journal
You can make your own gratitude journal for prompts and journaling using blank notecards, some paper, thread, an awl, scrap paper, glue sticks, and a few other supplies. This method involves sewing the pages together yourself for a truly customized and personalized journal of your own. We also have guides on how to create your own book binding or how to sew an adorable felt cover for your journal.
Of course, you don’t have to make your notebook from scratch. There are also many notebooks that you can buy that are great for gratitude journal prompts. These range from standard notebooks to highly customized planners and notebooks that have journaling in mind. One fun route you can go is buying a standard, plain journal and decorating and customizing it yourself. You could go for a cottagecore aesthetic to make your gratitude journal extra cozy and comforting.
Gratitude Journal FAQs
You have your gratitude journal and your gratitude journal prompts, but you might still have questions. Don’t worry. We’ll answer them all right here and get you journaling in no time.
What Should I Write in My Gratitude Journal?
There is no right or wrong thing to write in your gratitude journal. We’ve provided these 55 gratitude journal prompts in the hopes that they can get you started and steer you in a positive direction. However, these and any other gratitude journal prompts you come across are only starting places.
Gratitude takes many forms, and ultimately it’s up to you to discover the ways that you feel gratitude. Perhaps you want new prompts every week or even every day. Perhaps you want to journal first thing in the morning and simply let your thoughts flow. Maybe you want to jot down some notes about what you did each day and see what happens. Mix and match these different approaches and stick with what feels right.
How Do I Start a Gratitude Journal?
Starting can be as easy as buying a notebook and grabbing a pen. If you want a bit more structure, try answering one of our gratitude journal prompts first thing in the morning while you’re drinking your morning coffee. This will help make gratitude into a habit you can maintain in the long term. But there’s no wrong answer to this question. You could start by simply jotting down what you did each day.
How Do I Maintain a Gratitude Journal Habit?
Maintaining any habit takes practice and discipline. The easiest way to do it is to simply do it at the same time every day. This could be during your lunch break or while you’re having your morning coffee – it doesn’t matter as long as it’s consistent. That consistency will prove to be the key to maintaining your gratitude journal habit.
Gratitude journaling and mindfulness can go a long way toward keeping you sane and positive throughout the day. You can also pair this with a little organization and daily scheduling to help you stay focused. We’ve created lovable daily planner template designs to help you plan a stress-free day, whether it’s a workday, a vacation plan, or a day of childcare.
