As we come to the end of 2023 and start thinking about a new year, it’s common to reflect on things we might want to change and improve. There are many forms of meditation and therapy that can help individuals realize their goals, but one trend that will take off next year can make a massive difference – gratitude journaling. This daily practice asks you to reflect on your day and emphasize all of the parts for which you feel thankful, so it can make a real difference to mental health and wellbeing. If you’re still unconvinced, check out these three proven benefits of gratitude journaling.

Gain Perspective

At the end of a long, hard day, you may not feel like opening up a journal and writing everything down. However, taking the time to do so can help you process events. If something hasn’t gone your way, it gives you an opportunity to reflect and see if there’s anything you could have done differently. More importantly, if you’re journaling with the intention to express thanks and gratitude for the good parts of your day, it can help to shift your mindset from negative to positive.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by mei ♡ (@blvdays)

Increase Empathy

By writing something down about each of your significant interactions in a day, it can help you to understand the world from other people’s perspectives. In turn, this can help increase empathy, which has been proven to boost overall wellbeing and contentment. Practice journaling to help yourself see things from other’s perspectives.

Achieve

It may sound like a small thing, but successfully completing a journal entry can feel like a huge achievement, especially if it hasn’t been the best day. If you can maintain the practice, you’ll soon have a comprehensive account of your life, including your thoughts, emotions, and responses. This can be a valuable tool if you ever want to reflect, remember, or discuss events with a trained professional such as a therapist. It can also be satisfying in and of itself, to have this memento of your inner life and mind.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phiney (@phineys_journal)

The post Why You Should Start Gratitude Journaling appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

You’ve probably heard about gratitude practices here and there, maybe from your friends or your favorite online influencers. But have you considered trying one out yourself? Because it turns out that this spiritual practice does more than just create a warm feeling in your soul. In fact, practicing gratitude has concrete, scientifically-proven benefits that you’ll definitely want in your life. Here are just three of them.

Improving Your Mental Health

In a 2020 meta-analysis of various studies on the topic, it was found that gratitude interventions are effective at helping both anxiety and depression.

Improving Your Physical Health

The fact that gratitude can help with mental health isn’t that surprising. After all, gratitude happens in the mind. But did you know it can actually improve your physical health, too? According to this 2016 study, gratitude journaling has been shown to reduce the risks associated with heart failure such as inflammation.

It Improves Your Relationships

And gratitude can do more than just make you feel better; it can also improve your relationships, too. In this 2010 study, it was shown that couples who expressed gratitude toward each other had higher relationship satisfaction and improved happiness.

So, if you’re looking to start practicing gratitude, the best way to start is creating a gratitude journal, in which you write each day the things that you enjoy and are grateful for. Once you do that, it’s easy to find many practices online that will help you add this trend into your daily life.

The post 3 Benefits of Creating a Gratitude Practice appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

As we come to the end of 2023 and start thinking about a new year, it’s common to reflect on things we might want to change and improve. There are many forms of meditation and therapy that can help individuals realize their goals, but one trend that will take off next year can make a massive difference – gratitude journaling. This daily practice asks you to reflect on your day and emphasize all of the parts for which you feel thankful, so it can make a real difference to mental health and wellbeing. If you’re still unconvinced, check out these three proven benefits of gratitude journaling.

Gain Perspective

At the end of a long, hard day, you may not feel like opening up a journal and writing everything down. However, taking the time to do so can help you process events. If something hasn’t gone your way, it gives you an opportunity to reflect and see if there’s anything you could have done differently. More importantly, if you’re journaling with the intention to express thanks and gratitude for the good parts of your day, it can help to shift your mindset from negative to positive.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by mei ♡ (@blvdays)

Increase Empathy

By writing something down about each of your significant interactions in a day, it can help you to understand the world from other people’s perspectives. In turn, this can help increase empathy, which has been proven to boost overall wellbeing and contentment. Practice journaling to help yourself see things from other’s perspectives.

Achieve

It may sound like a small thing, but successfully completing a journal entry can feel like a huge achievement, especially if it hasn’t been the best day. If you can maintain the practice, you’ll soon have a comprehensive account of your life, including your thoughts, emotions, and responses. This can be a valuable tool if you ever want to reflect, remember, or discuss events with a trained professional such as a therapist. It can also be satisfying in and of itself, to have this memento of your inner life and mind.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Phiney (@phineys_journal)

The post Why You Should Start Gratitude Journaling appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

You’ve probably heard about gratitude practices here and there, maybe from your friends or your favorite online influencers. But have you considered trying one out yourself? Because it turns out that this spiritual practice does more than just create a warm feeling in your soul. In fact, practicing gratitude has concrete, scientifically-proven benefits that you’ll definitely want in your life. Here are just three of them.

Improving Your Mental Health

In a 2020 meta-analysis of various studies on the topic, it was found that gratitude interventions are effective at helping both anxiety and depression.

Improving Your Physical Health

The fact that gratitude can help with mental health isn’t that surprising. After all, gratitude happens in the mind. But did you know it can actually improve your physical health, too? According to this 2016 study, gratitude journaling has been shown to reduce the risks associated with heart failure such as inflammation.

It Improves Your Relationships

And gratitude can do more than just make you feel better; it can also improve your relationships, too. In this 2010 study, it was shown that couples who expressed gratitude toward each other had higher relationship satisfaction and improved happiness.

So, if you’re looking to start practicing gratitude, the best way to start is creating a gratitude journal, in which you write each day the things that you enjoy and are grateful for. Once you do that, it’s easy to find many practices online that will help you add this trend into your daily life.

The post 3 Benefits of Creating a Gratitude Practice appeared first on toppoptoday.com.