If you want to feel more optimistic and lead a more mindful lifestyle, making gratitude lists might be a great exercise for you. Gratitude lists are simple to create, but they can be quite transformative if you make them a habit! You don’t need any special tools to get started and it only takes a few minutes to jot down a few things you’re grateful for, so give it a try! After a few weeks, you may start noticing the positive changes in your life!
- Write down at least 5 things every time you make a list, which could be every day! Writing down items such as you were grateful you took a nap today, or you’re grateful for your family stopping by, or you’re grateful that you put the dishes away.
- Aim to be as specific as possible. Try to avoid those overly generalized statements. For example, write down that you’re grateful that your friend came over and brought you soup when you were feeling sick today, rather than you’re grateful for your friend.
- Include plenty of details that you can go back and read later on to remember. For example, you can write something like I’m grateful for the salty smell of the sea that wafts through my open window every morning.
- Focus on experiences and people instead of objects. There’s nothing wrong with being grateful for things that you own and you can certainly use those as examples sometimes. But keep in mind that gratitude lists tend to have more impact if you can focus on your experiences and the people in your life. For example, you can write that you’re grateful that I can afford to pay for my friend’s lunch when we go out together is better than saying you’re grateful for money in the bank.
- Write freely and don’t worry about spelling or grammar. This is for your eyes only so it won’t matter that you forgot how to spell something or you used the wrong grammar. Just focus on what you’re grateful for and let the words flow naturally.
- Set aside 15 minutes before bed to write down what you’re thankful for that day. Evidence suggests that people benefit from writing down what they’re grateful for everyday.
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