What is a Gratitude Diary?

A gratitude diary is simply a record of what makes you thankful. These could be people, things, events, experiences, or things people do. It's called a diary because the idea is to write in it every day.

This doesn't have to be a time-consuming or difficult process. You don't have to write details-unless you want to, of course. A list will work just fine.

You also don't have to make a long list. If you're a confirmed pessimist, you may have trouble coming up with anything to be grateful for. In that case, start with just one item, and work your way up to two, three, or more-depending on the time you have to write. The more you write, the easier it gets.

You don't have to go to all the trouble to make a gratitude diary. If you're not the "crafty" type, or if you just don't have time, go out and buy yourself something. You can save money and keep things simple by getting a spiral-bound notebook, or you can turn the process into something special by purchasing an attractive journal. You can even keep the diary on your computer. But the act of writing by hand does seem to make more of an impression on the writer.

If you do decide to make a gratitude diary, you can do it by hand or on your computer (in a word processing program). At a minimum, each page needs a blank line for the date at the top, then several blank lines to write on after that. If you like, you can also decorate the pages; if you do scrapbooking, you'll already have some ideas, but if not, check the scrapbooking section of your local craft store. (You can also start with a plain book and decorate it as you write in it. If you're not very artistic, you can always get a pen in a special color and use that for your writing.)

If you use standard-size copy paper-8.5 x 11 inches-you can turn it on its side (on a computer this would be the "landscape" setting) and divide the page in half widthwise. This will give you pages that are 5.5 x 8.5 inches, which is a good size for a journal. You can use the same paper for the cover, or you can get a fancy paper that's a bit thicker, like card stock or cover stock.

The simplest way to bind the pages together is to punch two or three holes in the side, run a piece of ribbon or string through the holes, and tie a loose knot. You'll want your journal to lie flat when it's open so it will be easier to write in.

Try to write in your gratitude diary once a day. This will help you develop the habit of both writing and, eventually, noticing things that happen during the day that you can put in your diary later on.

And that's actually the whole point: To train yourself to recognize the good things in your life. We all have them; they're just hard to see sometimes. But when you "force yourself" to start writing them down, you'll start noticing more and more things you have to be grateful for. If you work on it long enough, a gratitude diary can really help change your attitude!