Have you ever heard of a gratuity journal? Probably not, neither had I until I came across an article that explained the health benefits of keeping said journal and writing in it frequently. According to this article published by The Huffington Post, there are far more benefits to keeping one of these journals than meets the eye. The number one healthy benefit on the list is that it can lower stress levels. When we all have thousands of things going on in our lives and the stress is building far too high for even carrying, a gratuity journal can help with relief of this. Various other benefits mentioned in the article are it helps keep you calm at night, provides a new perspective, and helps you focus on what really matters. Gratitude holds high importance in my life as it should in many others as well, but far too often it is not practiced enough, and this journal is just the way to get in some practice. So, get to starting your gratuity journal by following these five simple steps!!
Step 1: Be Thankful
In today's society this seems to be very hard to continually do. Honestly there are so many factors that can prove to be detrimental to your conscious thankfulness throughout the day that you can't expect anyone to be thankful 24/7. BUT, when you practice being thankful you tend to notice more things, allbeit small things, that people do for you that goes unappreciated. Or things you just possess everyday that seem irrelevant but you should really be thankful for. So, change your mindset be aware of thankfulness and practice the state of mind.
Step 2: Allocating Time
Set a reminder on your phone or simply give yourself 10 minutes to reflect on the day and the people in your life. Think about what makes you thankful for all of these things and write it down. Providing just 10 minutes of your time each day to write about your experiences and gratitude for the day itself can reap great benefits like the ones mentioned above.
Step 3: Write it all down
Start with material things that you are thankful for such as your house, your phone, your car, things that often go unnoticed although used everyday. Reflect on how you came to get these things and how truly thankful you are for them. Then, reflect upon the relationships in your life and what makes you thankful that you have them. Starting with these will open the gate to a world of thanks and your words will begin to flow onto the paper.
Step 4: Bring it to life
Not only is a gratuity journal good for writing down what you're thankful for, but it also provides a platform for change in your life. You're thankful for the relationship you have with your mom? Tell her. The next step in maintaining this journal is to practice what you've written. Be sure to express your thankfulness through communication and action not just by simply writing it in a journal to keep to yourself.
Step 5: Keep writing and see the benefits
Allow yourself to continue writing in this journal daily and you will experienced health benefits. A full list of all the benefits from keeping a gratuity journal as provided by The Huffington Post includes:
"1. Lower stress levels.
2. Feel calm at night.
3. Gain a new perspective of what is important to you and what you truly appreciate in your life.
4. By noting what you are grateful for, you will gain clarity on what you want to have more of in your life, and what you can cut from you life.
5. Helps you focus on what really matters.
6. Keeping a gratitude journal helps you learn more about yourself and become more self-aware.
7. Your gratitude journal is a safe zone for your eyes only, so you can write anything you feel without judgment.
8. On days when you feel blue, read back through your gratitude journal to readjust your attitude and remember that you have great people and things in your life."
As you can see there are so many benefits to keeping a gratuity journal, and now you know just how to get started! Good luck!
