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Share the Joy— Gratitude Journaling Boosts Wellness

Print free gratitude journaling pages and learn how to practice this easy technique for wellbeing.

Gratitude journaling boosts wellness- free printable pages

Did you know that on any given day, we share positive emotions with people three times more often than negative ones? Despite all the negative stuff happening around us, researchers have found that people tend to empathize with people they are close to and share their joys, excitements, and enthusiasm far more often than we suffer their negative emotions.

Here’s another fun fact: one of the key ways people find lasting happiness and well-being is by appreciating the good and reveling in the positives that are already around us. So here’s a super easy (and rewarding) way to increase the positives in your life. How about giving gratitude journaling a go? Scroll down to learn more about gratitude journaling and to print free gratitude journaling pages in lots of inspiring designs.

What is Gratitude Journaling

Gratitude journaling is a simple and easy way to notice just how much good is happening in your life. Researchers have found that gratitude journaling actually creates wellbeing in people’s lives, and a simple practice of gratitude journaling delivers benefits like:

  • Improving optimism and satisfaction with life
  • Boosting physical health, such as by reducing headaches, acne, coughing, and nausea
  • Experiencing more positive emotions like interest, excitement, joy, and pride
  • Helping people feel more connected with others
  • Improving the quality of sleep

How can gratitude journaling deliver so many benefits?

Gratitude journaling links to some of the ways that humans create well being , including knowing one’s worth, seeing how our actions have an impact, growing through discomfort, and feeling connected to others. According to happiness researcher Sonya Lyubomirsky, here are 8 ways that gratitude journaling boosts positivity:

  1. Helps us savor the good
  2. Boosts self-worth
  3. Helps us cope with stress
  4. Encourages moral acts that increase kindness
  5. Builds social bonds
  6. Acts like an antidote to envy
  7. Reduces negative emotions
  8. Resets our appreciation so we don’t take things for granted

If you want to know more about the benefits of gratitude journaling, you can learn more in Chapter 22 of Rooted in Decency. Or, just jump in and get started.

How to Practice Gratitude Journaling

Pink flowers with sunrise glowing in background

To practice gratitude, the steps are very simple. Once a week, ask yourself, “What are a few small or large things from the past week that I’m grateful for?” That’s it. Super easy, right?

You may find that it helps to set a weekly reminder on your phone, and if you want to do it more often, go for it. Based on Lyubomirsky’s research, gratitude journaling offers benefits as long as it doesn’t become a chore. In her studies, people who wrote down things they were grateful for one time per week saw significant increases in their happiness levels. If writing isn’t your thing, no problem. Pondering things you're grateful for or doing something else creative to express your gratitude is also effective. So scroll down and pick your a gratitude journaling page that inspires you!

Note: this page contains affiliate links.

Free Printable Gratitude Journaling Pages

Whether you want to write, be artistic, or ponder, we’ve created a collection of free, printable gratitude journaling pages to help you reap the wellness boosting benefits of gratitude journaling. Browse the collection below and pick your favorite. You can mindfully color, doodle, or write while you’re contemplating all those little things that brought you joy, excitement, enthusiasm, and general good vibes all week.

You may also like gratitude journaling for kids and teens.

These downloadable pages are free to print, copy, and share for non-commercial use.

Where to go from here

If you want to know more about how to create wellbeing in your life, try the book, Rooted in Decency. It includes tons of insights, tips, and journaling pages to help you explore your experiences and to take you on a path toward wellbeing.

Author
Author Colleen Doyle Bryant
Colleen Doyle Bryant is the author of five books and more than 50 learning resources about character and values for kids, teens, and adults. Her latest book, Rooted in Decency, looks at the decline in common decency in society and ways that we can build more trust and cooperation. Learn more at ColleenDoyleBryant.com

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