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Did you know that keeping a daily gratitude journal leads to better sleep, reductions in physical pain, a greater sense of wellbeing & a better ability to handle challenges?
Um, I’ll take a double shot of each, please, because working in healthcare I need my happiness tank full before I even show up.
This is not a blog post about getting up at 4:30 am, working out for an hour, meditating, then making breakfast from scratch, and arriving at the hospital fresh as a daisy at 7 am ready to take on anything.
Although this sounds amazing and props to you if you can keep that up.
This post is more for those of us who could a little help getting going in the morning & have a hard time priming ourselves for work.
Also, it has to be simple & effective & not take up too much time.
Basically, we need an efficient & very effective morning routine that will fill our tanks enough to be able to show up to work feeling more content than not.
quick & simple is more sustainable
For the past few years, I’ve been having my morning coffee with a side of my 5-minute journal.
It's truly been the best thing to happen to my morning routine since well, coffee.
I had heard great things about all the benefits of a daily gratitude practice on mental health & priming yourself for a better day that I could incorporate into my start-up & shut down routines.
More than a few times, I fell short in keeping a morning routine that stuck because the internet is full of long lists of crazy morning routines.
The 5-minute journal changed all that for me.
Because of its simplicity, the science-backed benefits & the small time investment, it was easy to incorporate. It was made easier by the immediate effects on my wellbeing that I noticed.
I got my first 5-minute journal as a gift from a friend- & I was hooked.
I myself have probably given away dozens of them to friends & family, including my skeptical husband, who I never thought would keep up with it, but to my surprise has.
I have found it to be especially great to gift to loved ones that are going through a hard time to help to ground them in their strength and provide a daily way to be uplifted.
These are my favorite things about the 5-minute Journal, & why you should consider adding this gem to your daily routine.
simplicity
The thing I love most about The 5-minute journal is that is super simple.
It’s just one inspirational daily quote & 3 simple questions to answer. That’s it.
You start & end the day with the same 3 questions & honestly, it takes me less time than 5 minutes.
It really helps to start & end the day with gratitude, no matter how my day goes.
it’s built on proven psychology
Many studies on happiness have proven the benefits of focusing on positive traits & behaviors instead of negative ones are pivotal in maintaining great mental wellness.
A 2003 study by Emmons & McCullough found that keeping a daily gratitude journal leads to better sleep, reductions in physical pain, a greater sense of wellbeing & a better ability to handle challenges.
Again in 2008 subjects experiencing gratitude were studied under MRIs & it was found that gratitude was influencing their hypothalamus in real-time.
This is the part of the brain that influences sleep, eating & stress.
Gratitude was also found to stimulate the part of the brain associated with dopamine, the “do it again” chemical that is responsible for new learning pathways.
Simply put, practicing gratitude is great for you & the key to its benefits is consistency.
the weekly challenges
Every week there will be a challenge instead of a daily quote. I love these because they encourage me to take simple actions beyond my comfort zone, where real growth happens.
Some of the weekly challenges I’ve done include: taking a cold shower, watching a ted talk they suggested, writing a letter to someone who was kind to me, or speaking to a stranger.
I have found these to be really helpful in my personal growth because they get me out of my comfort zone & allow me to experience new things I would not necessarily do on my own.
I have come to enjoy taking on these challenges.
It's a commitment I can actually stick to
Unlike other health-driven changes like diet, exercise, waking up early, or anything else, I like my 5-minute journal because it’s super easy to stick to.
I find that when having a less than ideal day my journal helps me to quickly shift into a more positive outlook in a way that I feel instantly. It almost feels like the more I do it, & the more consistent I am with this practice the more consistently better I feel.
how it works
All you have to do is fill in the blanks.
Write in the journal right after waking & just before going to sleep.
Tips to get more out of your 5-minute journal
In the morning when writing what will make today great, enter only things that are within your control. This way you have a direct influence on creating a better day & helps you focus on the specific actions that you can take to make the day the best you can.
With the daily morning affirmation make a statement in the present tense about what you want in your life. The daily affirmation is a simple statement that defines how you want to be & imprints in your subconscious mind with consistent practice. Every time you write it you are priming your brain to start building this belief in your mind. With consistency, you will begin to create that change from within
At night when answering the question, how could I have made today even better, instead of naming your negative behavior & blaming yourself- make s statement in the present tense about your desired behavior. This helps you to begin building a pattern of looking at problems by also looking at the actions that will help you work through them.
If you love the planet, the 5-minute journal in its entirety is complete, 100% biodegradable & comes in six beautiful colors to suit your taste. I'm particular to the neutral white one, but I really love the royal blue one, it's gorgeous. Think my next one will be that color.
There is also a 5-minute journal for kids that is adorable. I have gifted it to my nephews & it is the best thing ever to see them coming up with things to be grateful for & practicing kindness.
This illustrated and colorful edition of the 5- minute journal is designed to introduce concepts of growth mindset and attitude of gratitude to young minds.
It helps children focus on the good things in their lives, fostering gratitude and preserving positive memories for years to come📔
Get your 5-minute Journals Here
summary
Favorite things about the 5-minute Journal
The simplicity
The proven science of gratitude
The weekly challenges
A commitment I can stick to
How to use it
1 daily inspirational quote to read
1 random weekly challenge
Answer 3 questions in the AM right when you wake up
Answer 2 questions at night before you go to sleep
Tips to get more out of it
In the AM: write only things you have control over to the question of what would make this day great
In the PM: Build a pattern of looking at problems by also looking at what actions you can take to move through them. Write what you wish you had done better in the present term to set that habit.
5-minute Journal for Kids:
This illustrated and colorful edition of the 5- minute journal is designed to introduce concepts of growth mindset and attitude of gratitude to young minds.
It helps children focus on the good things in their lives, fostering gratitude and preserving positive memories for years to come