You’ve maybe heard a lot about gratitude journaling when done on a regular basis, and the scientific backed benefits it has in reducing stress and calming your nervous system.
Gratitude journaling focuses on being present and being aware of your experiences. It’s designed to help you acknowledge and appreciate the aspects of your life that contribute to your happiness and your mental wellbeing. In neuroscience, gratitude journaling activates the amygdala, the brain’s emotional center. The amygdala plays a crucial role in processing your emotions, particularly fear and stress. By writing about your experiences and emotions both positive and negative, you can reduce the amygdala’s response, leading to a decreased intensity of negative emotions. Even with a negative thought, your amygdala along with your prefrontal cortex will help to rationalise it or prioritise it and lift the fear and stress associated with it.
Because gratitude, (being thankful), is an antidote to negative emotions, it’s almost impossible to have both positive and negative feelings at the same time.
Why not try it. Below is a list of twenty prompts to help you get started. Try a couple of prompts a day and watch your day become a beautiful one.....
- What is the best thing that happened to you today?
- Who is your favorite person and why?
- What is something that makes you happy?
- Name one of your best friends, and describe what makes them special to you.
- Describe a time someone was kind to you.
- Where is your favorite place to go?
- Who makes you feel loved and how?
- Describe one of your favorite memories.
- What is your favorite thing about your home?
- What was the last gift you received?
- What is your favorite thing to do for fun?
- What skill or strength are you most thankful for?
- What is your favorite thing about this season?
- What is something nice your parents (or another person) do for you?
- Describe something that makes you laugh.
- What do you love about each family member?
- What body part are you most grateful for?
- What is something you use every day?
- Who or what are you most thankful for?
- List three acts of kindness or deeds that you can do for others today