One way we can acknowledge the goodness in our lives is through gratitude. Through gratitude, we can feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve our health, deal with adversity and build strong relationships. Gratitude can be defined as ‘the quality of being thankful and the readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.’

You have already written down two of the things you are grateful for in your life at the end of week one and week two.

One of the ways we can make gratitude more of a daily practice in our lives is by keeping a gratitude journal. Keeping a gratitude journal is the habit of recording and reflecting on the things that you are grateful for. This is a popular practice that derives from positive psychology and the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal include:

– Improves self-esteem
– Improves awareness
– Reduces stress and decreases the risk of heart disease
– Is a form of mindfulness
– Encourages better sleep
– Increases creativity
– Improves overall mental health and emotional wellbeing