Positive Journal: 5 Minutes a Day Toward a Happier Life: 4 (Gilded, Guided Journals)

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Probably one of the easiest ways to implement mindfulness is through journaling. And this post will help you start this new practice.

To save you the time of looking through hundreds of templates, I narrowed it down to five different printable templates you can use for your own journal. It can make you more mindful, helping you to become more grounded and also making it easier to notice even more things you are grateful for;

5 Ideas to Start Journaling

Respected researcher and Journal of Positive Psychology editor Robert Emmons describes his assignment of a gratitude essay as follows: We can make affirmations in areas we value and then will act or behave in ways that are consistent with that value. In fact, brain scan images have shown that specific neural pathways strengthen when individuals practice self-affirmations (Cascio et al., 2015). There are many reasons why gratitude is such a desirable quality, aside from its inherent goodness. As we recently wrote in a piece on the benefits of gratitude, performing simple daily acts of gratitude can have a big impact on your health and happiness.

While jumping right in and thinking about what you can write in your gratitude journal is an exciting part of the journey, it can get somewhat less exciting as time goes on. On those days when you no longer feel pumped to write down what you are grateful for, it’s good to be prepared. I think of the home that I live in, and I reflect on how it provides my family and me with a safe, secure, stable place for us to live. I feel grateful for… What could you add to your morning cleaning routine or nightly cleaning routine to make the weekdays easier?

Download 3 Free Mindfulness Exercises (PDF)

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others develop self-compassion, this collection contains 17 validated self-compassion tools for practitioners. Use them to help others create a kinder and more nurturing relationship with the self. In published manuscripts where journaling was included in the mindfulness interventions, most have used a gratitude journal format. These effects are particularly evident in the practice of gratitude journaling. It only takes a few minutes a day, but it can give you a lasting mood boost that can take you from feeling “okay” to feeling “great” on a more regular basis. With that in mind, grab a pen or a keyboard, get to thinking about something you are grateful for, and prepare yourself to learn!