Gratitude Journal

[Gosso]

What do you guys and gals think of a "gratitude journal"?  I made my first entry this morning, and it had a pretty powerful impact on my day.  One of the more productive days I've had in a long time...feeling the flow.

It seems there is some science behind it:

[quote=Wiki]Gratitude journals may be one treatment used to alleviate depression.

An empirical study in 2003 showed that people who used gratitude journals felt better about their lives,[1][2][3] and report fewer symptoms of illness.[4]

In a 2005 study concerning gratitude, participants were randomly assigned to one of six therapeutic intervention conditions designed to improve the participant’s overall quality of life (Seligman et al., 2005).[5] Out of the six conditions, the longest lasting effects were caused by the act of writing “gratitude journals”? where participants were asked to write down three things they were grateful for every day. These participants’ happiness scores also increased and continued to increase each time they were tested periodically after the experiment; the greatest benefits were usually found to occur around six months after treatment began. This exercise was so successful that although participants were only asked to continue the journal for a week, many participants continued to keep the journal long after the study was over.[6][/quote]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratitude_journal

Most religions also install the practice of gratitude in their rituals.  It seems it could help restore balance between the negative and positive thoughts (I think most people (including myself) can lean far too heavily to the negative).

[Pointedstick]

My wife and I began a little dinner ritual a few months ago where we say something thing we're grateful for before we eat and have found it to be a wonderful relaxant and stress reliever. Really helps keep things in perspective.

Along these lines, I highly recommend the website http://zenhabits.net/

[MachineGhost]

My wife and I began a little dinner ritual a few months ago where we say something thing we're grateful for before we eat and have found it to be a wonderful relaxant and stress reliever. Really helps keep things in perspective.

Don't you run out of things to be grateful for?  I would think there is a limit.

[Pointedstick]

Don't you run out of things to be grateful for?  I would think there is a limit.

Oh no, not at all. Every day brings new things to be grateful, for sure. That's not to say that all gratitudes have to be unique across time; We've both been grateful for our son a lot, and just yesterday I was grateful again for Harry Browne after re-reading part of How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World.

[lazyboy]

What do you guys and gals think of a "gratitude journal"?  I made my first entry this morning, and it had a pretty powerful impact on my day.  One of the more productive days I've had in a long time...feeling the flow.

It seems there is some science behind it:

Gratitude journals may be one treatment used to alleviate depression.

An empirical study in 2003 showed that people who used gratitude journals felt better about their lives,[1][2][3] and report fewer symptoms of illness.[4]

In a 2005 study concerning gratitude, participants were randomly assigned to one of six therapeutic intervention conditions designed to improve the participant’s overall quality of life (Seligman et al., 2005).[5] Out of the six conditions, the longest lasting effects were caused by the act of writing “gratitude journals”? where participants were asked to write down three things they were grateful for every day. These participants’ happiness scores also increased and continued to increase each time they were tested periodically after the experiment; the greatest benefits were usually found to occur around six months after treatment began. This exercise was so successful that although participants were only asked to continue the journal for a week, many participants continued to keep the journal long after the study was over.[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratitude_journal

Most religions also install the practice of gratitude in their rituals.  It seems it could help restore balance between the negative and positive thoughts (I think most people (including myself) can lean far too heavily to the negative).

Your post, Gosso, is one more thing to be grateful for.

[Gosso]

My wife and I began a little dinner ritual a few months ago where we say something thing we're grateful for before we eat and have found it to be a wonderful relaxant and stress reliever. Really helps keep things in perspective.

Along these lines, I highly recommend the website http://zenhabits.net/

Good to hear!  I also read Zen Habits, but have never really applied anything that I've read from it.

Don't you run out of things to be grateful for?  I would think there is a limit.

I was surprised.  It started off feeling very forced and fake, but then the flood gates opened and I filled about three pages (and could have kept going).  I'll see how it goes over the next few weeks, my guess is things will begin to repeat a bit, but this is probably okay.  It is more about reminding ourself that we actually got it pretty good.  No need to chase after the elusive "happiness" if one can appreciate what they already have.  This isn't to say that we shouldn't strive to better ourselves and our lives, but maybe we can do this from a more comfortable base.

Your post, Gosso, is one more thing to be grateful for.

Thanks!

I also had a great dream last night, which suggested this is a good thing to continue doing.

[Kriegsspiel]

You sound like you'd enjoy the writings of the Stoics.  Definitely check em out.

[Gosso]

You sound like you'd enjoy the writings of the Stoics.  Definitely check em out.

Will do!  All that I know about the Stoics is what I have seen on YouTube and read at Wikipedia.  It seems appropriate that it was partially developed for and by slaves, although it seems Epictetus had an athlete in mind when discussing his philosophy.

I like how simple and yet powerful their ideas are.  Although it does seem a little too passive, but I am new to the topic so that is just my first impression.

[Kriegsspiel]

A great book to read is Guide to the Good Life by Irvine.

[frugal]

What do you guys and gals think of a "gratitude journal"?  I made my first entry this morning, and it had a pretty powerful impact on my day.  One of the more productive days I've had in a long time...feeling the flow.

It seems there is some science behind it:

Gratitude journals may be one treatment used to alleviate depression.

An empirical study in 2003 showed that people who used gratitude journals felt better about their lives,[1][2][3] and report fewer symptoms of illness.[4]

In a 2005 study concerning gratitude, participants were randomly assigned to one of six therapeutic intervention conditions designed to improve the participant’s overall quality of life (Seligman et al., 2005).[5] Out of the six conditions, the longest lasting effects were caused by the act of writing “gratitude journals”? where participants were asked to write down three things they were grateful for every day. These participants’ happiness scores also increased and continued to increase each time they were tested periodically after the experiment; the greatest benefits were usually found to occur around six months after treatment began. This exercise was so successful that although participants were only asked to continue the journal for a week, many participants continued to keep the journal long after the study was over.[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratitude_journal

Most religions also install the practice of gratitude in their rituals.  It seems it could help restore balance between the negative and positive thoughts (I think most people (including myself) can lean far too heavily to the negative).

Hi,

Not only gratitudes but also short term and long term objectives and daily tasks.

My wife and I began a little dinner ritual a few months ago where we say something thing we're grateful for before we eat and have found it to be a wonderful relaxant and stress reliever. Really helps keep things in perspective.

Along these lines, I highly recommend the website http://zenhabits.net/

Fantastic!

Can you explain one example, please.



Regards

[Gosso]

A great book to read is Guide to the Good Life by Irvine.

I will check that out.  The more I read about the Stoics, the more I like them.  Their philosophy seems perfect for creating a solid foundation on which one can add more complexity if one chooses to.

Have you read any Schopenhauer?  It seems he was highly influenced by the Stoics.

I also suspect Harry Browne must have read about Stoicism, can anyone confirm this?

[MomTo2Boys]

My wife and I began a little dinner ritual a few months ago where we say something thing we're grateful for before we eat and have found it to be a wonderful relaxant and stress reliever. Really helps keep things in perspective.

Don't you run out of things to be grateful for?  I would think there is a limit.

MachineGhost, this literally made me laugh out loud! My parents are both pessimists, as am I (I try not to be! But I am!), and so... this comment of yours made me laugh. I'm sure I would benefit greatly from keeping a Grateful Journal and doing it the right way, but gosh almighty my tendency would be all Um, I'm grateful a piano didn't fall from the sky and crush me today? I suppose?

Team pessimists unite! (No, not really, I know pessimism can be bad. And this is a very pleasant thread.)

[MachineGhost]

Team pessimists unite! (No, not really, I know pessimism can be bad. And this is a very pleasant thread.)

[Gosso]

MachineGhost, this literally made me laugh out loud! My parents are both pessimists, as am I (I try not to be! But I am!), and so... this comment of yours made me laugh. I'm sure I would benefit greatly from keeping a Grateful Journal and doing it the right way, but gosh almighty my tendency would be all Um, I'm grateful a piano didn't fall from the sky and crush me today? I suppose?

Team pessimists unite! (No, not really, I know pessimism can be bad. And this is a very pleasant thread.)

I found the best part of the gratitude journal was developing an appreciation for the negative things in my life, or at least the things I perceived to be negative.  Once I shone a light on them they seemed to be less threatening.  And then if you can thank them for being there (and actually mean it), then it opens a whole new way of seeing things.

So it's not all lovey-dovey and focusing only on the positive things.  It's more about gaining a greater appreciation for our surrounding and circumstance, which should help reduce anxiety and stress.

However, I think one should be somewhat careful and not settle for a lower quality of life.  If they have the ability and will to improve a bad situation then they should do so.

Yikes!  This is starting to sound a lot like the Serenity Prayer.

[frugal]

Can you show us an example of Gratitude Journal


Thank you

[Kriegsspiel]

Unbeknownst to Tom, the bear actually did NOT want to high five.  The funeral will be this Tuesday.

[rickb]

Can you show us an example of Gratitude Journal


Thank you

* I'm grateful I was not on the other side of the glass that the bear clearly broke seconds after that photo was taken.

* I'm grateful I'm not so stupid as to encourage a bear to smack a glass window that any idiot could foresee the bear would break.

* I'm grateful that I haven't been killed by a bear that was mightily pissed off after slicing its paw on broken glass.

* I'm grateful that no one I care about is stupid enough to be in the same position as whoever took this photo.

* I'm grateful I ran into this thread on the gyro* forum reminding me that most people are morons.

[BearBones]

A natural reaction to such things might be, "Oh come on! I'll leave this to the religious fanatics. Or the bored." But, in fact, what you are likely doing is changing brain wiring and chemistry to be more positive and more content. Watched this TED talk last night and found it relevant.
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_as ... happy.html

[dualstow]

I think it's a great idea, this journal. I often tell my wife out loud what I'm grateful for, nearly every day.
However, it is gripes that I have mostly recorded. I did it verbally, on minidisc. Obviously, I made the switch to mp3 a long time ago so when I found this disc, dusted it off and played it, I had a few laughs but mainly heard a very bitter individual complaining about trifles and perhaps imagined slights.

I do sporadically record a lot of things, good and bad, in a journal. Maybe I should have a #gratitude tag. :-)