40 Helpful and Refreshing Morning Gratitude Journal Prompts

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Last Updated on November 30, 2023

One of the best habits you can choose to pick up this year is journaling. Even better is making sure you include gratitude journaling in the mix! Getting started with the right morning gratitude journal prompts that really speak to you will guide you in getting comfortable with practicing gratitude.

Sometimes, expressing gratitude can feel a little unnatural! We know it’s good for us, but being sure to practice it consistently can be a struggle. But let me tell you that the benefits absolutely outweigh the first-time awkwardness.

Incorporating gratitude journaling into your routine can do wonders for your mood and happiness, so you’ll definitely want to give it a go! And these helpful and refreshing morning gratitude journal prompts will start you off on the right track!

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This post is all about morning gratitude journal prompts.

Why is gratitude so hard to practice?

Intentionally expressing gratitude can feel a little unnatural, cheesy, or sentimental if you’re not used to it. Or, you may feel impatient or have high expectations about it. Luckily, research suggests that it may just be a matter of training ourselves to become more grateful.

If you practice morning gratitude enough and make it part of a regular routine, it will become easier with time! It’s mostly about getting over the initial hurdle of feeling comfortable with it, so just give it a try and aim for consistency!

{RELATED POST: 60 New Year, New Life, New Beginnings Quotes}

Why write in a gratitude journal every morning?

Practicing morning gratitude by writing in a journal can seriously shift your mindset. Studies on “the science of gratitude” have actually shown that practicing gratitude is helpful in several ways, including:

increased happiness and positive mood
more satisfaction with life
less materialistic
less likely to experience burnout
better physical health
better sleep
less fatigue
lower levels of cellular inflammation
greater resiliency
encourages the development of patience, humility, and wisdom

And guess what all those characteristics have in common? A GIANT positive contribution to our mental health and self care! It’s interesting to see a few positives tied to our physical health in there, too. So all in all, practicing gratitude through journaling is of enormous help to you in so many aspects!

MORNING GRATITUDE JOURNAL PROMPTS

What was the highlight of your past week/month/year and why are you grateful for it?
Discuss someone in your life that shaped who you are today.
What is something from each of your senses you are grateful for today? (Sight, smell, taste, touch, sound)
Explain a challenging situation that you were able to overcome.
What are five personality traits that you are most thankful for?
Describe your 3 wins of the day.
Describe your favorite person and list all of that person’s good qualities.
What’s something that you’re looking forward to?
What’s a positive memory that lights you up with joy?
Name something beautiful that you saw this week.
What book are you grateful for and why? What did you learn from it?
What about your childhood and upbringing are you most grateful for?
Write about something that makes you feel better when you’re down.
What’s a simple pleasure that you’re grateful for?
What opportunities have you been given that you’re grateful for?
What do you love about the town/city you live in?
What do you now appreciate about your hometown that you didn’t when you lived there?
What was the “bright side” of today or yesterday?
Remember a success you had and write a thank-you speech to anyone that supported you in reaching it.
What’s something that you’re grateful to have today that you didn’t have a year ago?
Name something in your home or apartment that you truly treasure. Why?
What are you most grateful for in your morning or night routine?
Name 5 things you are doing well currently.
Write about a favorite hobby and why you enjoy it.
Write about a place you’ve visited that you’re grateful to have gone to.
What are you grateful for in your significant other or best friend?
What songs, artists, or bands are you most grateful for?
Did you have a nice surprise recently? Write about it.
Write about something you’re grateful for in your professional or educational life.
What’s something about your body, physical health, or mental health that you’re grateful for?
What’s a good personality trait you have in friendships? Explain it.
What about the current season are you grateful for?
Name three unique things you are grateful for about the current year.
What family members are you most grateful for? Write about what makes them special to you.
Write about something you accomplished this week (no matter how small!), and how you feel now.
Look outside the nearest window. What’s something you’re grateful for outside?
What talents or abilities are you grateful for?
Which self-discovery have you made about yourself that you’re most grateful for?
What are annoyances in your life that could use a change in perspective?
What difficult parts of your life contain hidden blessings?

Best Morning Gratitude Journals to Get Started

A gratitude journal is a great, motivating tool to stay on track and get into the habit of daily morning gratitude journaling. I definitely find that having a journal specifically dedicated to gratitude journaling helps me stay consistent every morning, so be sure to grab one!

How to use a morning gratitude journal

Start small, get specific, and be consistent. Can you carve out 10 minutes of time in the morning before you start your day? What about before bed? Choose a time that you can stick to everyday!

You can get specific by not only listing what you’re grateful for, but elaborating on why you’re grateful for it. For example, “I’m grateful for my friend because she’s always there for me to vent to when I’m going through something rough.”

Or if you’d like to take the small and simple approach to get into the swing of gratitude journaling, you can start by just listing 3 gratitudes in a bullet point list. I do this all the time when I’m short on time!

Above all else, the key is to make your morning gratitude journaling a consistent habit, so that should be the ultimate goal!

Tips for practicing morning gratitude through journal prompts

Lean into a positive mindset
Think about what you’re grateful for both in the short term and long term
Reflect on the week or day
Be creative
Be consistent
Look for the little things you’re grateful for throughout every day
Have fun with it!

{RELATED POST: 50 Therapeutic Journal Prompts for Depression}

This post was all about morning gratitude journal prompts.

Now that you know more about gratitude and where to get started in practicing morning gratitude journal prompts, the world is your oyster!

If we just stop and focus on the gratitude of the simplest things, this practice can shift SO much in our lives. Taking note of gratitudes like the wonderful experiences you’ve had or the special people in your life will improve your head space and leave you feeling refreshed!

Which of these morning gratitude journal prompts will you be trying? Let me know in the comments!

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