The Transformative Power of Gratitude Writing for Your Mental Health
With the increasing focus on self-care and mental health, many individuals are seeking strategies that can enhance their well-being through small yet impactful changes to their daily routines. Gratitude journaling has been shown to be an effective, but often overlooked, tool for bolstering mental wellness, positivity, and resilience in the face of stressors and daily challenges. While many people think of gratitude as a personality trait, it is also a skill that can be developed, practiced, and cultivated over time [1].
What is Gratitude and How Can it Impact Mental Health?
In a nutshell, gratitude is an emotional response to how we view life. Feeling grateful reflects the active and mindful appreciation for what we already have – and not dwelling on what we lack [2]. There are many ways to foster gratitude, but one of the most effective ways to do so is through gratitude writing. This involves individuals reflecting upon and documenting the things and/or people they are grateful for. Notably, gratitude writing has been demonstrated to generate greater improvements in mental health compared to expressive writing (the practice of journaling about one’s emotions and personal experiences) [3]. Specifically, gratitude writing has been demonstrated to [4]…
Decrease emotional exhaustion
Lower levels of perceived stress
Decrease anxiety and depression
Improve subjective well-being
Prompts and Strategies for Gratitude Writing
Write about everyday experiences. Following a 7-week intervention, where individuals wrote daily about their gratitude for people in their lives, beauty within nature, and acts of kindness, researchers found significant reductions in psychological pain, hopelessness, and suicidal ideations [5].
When getting started, it is often helpful to think of smaller, specific items, situations, or events that you are grateful for (e.g., your morning cup of hot coffee, the sensation of sunshine on your skin), rather than larger, or non-specific things/concepts (e.g., your family, your last vacation). That being said, there are no “right” or “wrong” things to write about when gratitude journaling.
Write down five things you are thankful for each week. If you find that writing about gratitude everyday is too cumbersome, gratitude journaling just once a week also offers benefits to wellbeing. Specifically, writing down five things you are grateful for each week has been shown to lead to improvements in academic engagement, stress management, and sense of meaning in one’s life [6].
Draft gratitude letters that focus on yourself and/or others. A study including over 1,500 healthcare workers showed that gratitude letters, whether they are directed to oneself or others, can lead to reduced emotional exhaustion, increased levels of happiness, and a greater sense of work-life balance [7]. These letters included the following prompt: “Think of someone who has done something amazing for you; this person can be alive or no longer with us. This person contributed to your well-being in a big way. Spend the next 7 minutes writing a genuine, kind and appreciative 2-part note”.
Self-Focus Letters: In the first part, write about something that this individual has done and how that influenced you for the better. In the second part, explain why this event was important for you.
Others-Focus Letters: This is similar to the self-focus letter, except writers should also consider how the event made them feel and its significance. Then, write about what this event says about this individual as a person and how it relates to the relationship you have with them.
Journal about how a given experience or event makes you grateful. Writing about the ways that an experience or event makes you grateful, is also helpful for boosting wellbeing (e.g., the sunshine on my skin makes me feel warm and comforted, and I am grateful for this pleasant sensation). This has been shown to boost subjective well-being, decrease depressive symptoms, and even increase our ability to access positive memories over time [8].
More Tips & Tricks for Gratitude Writing
Whether you choose to write in a physical journal or an online software, what is truly crucial is being mindful and reflective of what is being written.
Composing letters that express thanks and appreciation to various people in one’s life is a popular method that can increase overall positive emotions [3]. However, it is recommended that this should be limited to three letters per sitting and avoid emphasizing gratitude for material possessions.
Finally, it can be beneficial to start with shorter and/or less frequent gratitude sessions, and gradually progress to longer, more in depth, or more frequent sessions if you feel comfortable and willing. For example, you could begin with a 5 minute session once a week in which you write five things (in any given category) that you are grateful for, and progress to 15-30 minute letter-writing sessions three times per week [6].
The wealth of scientific evidence about gratitude writing illustrates its utility in promoting a broad range of mental health benefits [4]. When we appreciate our lives and everything in it, we invite room for healing, positive emotions, and self-growth. If you’re interested in learning more about evidence-based mental health and wellness strategies, subscribe to our wellness blog newsletter below where you can get more science-backed wellness strategies right to your inbox. Moreover, several of our Speakers specialize in promoting mental health and thriving at work, which may include science-backed strategies such as gratitude journaling, mindfulness, and breathing exercises. Check out our list of Speakers and talks to learn more about the opportunities to acquire additional tools to boost your mental health and foster workplace wellness.
Written By:
Ethan Warchol, BA, WellIntel Talks Volunteer
WellIntel Talks Executive Team
References:
[1] Emmons, R. A., & Shelton, C. M. (2002). Gratitude and the science of positive psychology. Handbook of Positive Psychology, 18, 459-471.
[2] Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377-389.
[3] Wong, Y. J., Owen, J., Gabana, N. T., Brown, J. W., McInnis, S., Toth, P., & Gilman, L. (2018). Does gratitude writing improve the mental health of psychotherapy clients? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial. Psychotherapy Research, 28(2), 192-202.
[4] Jans-Beken, L., Jacobs, N., Janssens, M., Peeters, S., Reijnders, J., Lechner, L., & Lataster, J. (2020). Gratitude and health: An updated review. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(6), 743-782.
[5] Ducasse, D., Dassa, D., Courtet, P., Brand‐Arpon, V., Walter, A., Guillaume, S., ... & Olié, E. (2019). Gratitude diary for the management of suicidal inpatients: A randomized controlled trial. Depression and Anxiety, 36(5), 400-411.
[6] Flinchbaugh, C. L., Moore, E. W. G., Chang, Y. K., & May, D. R. (2012). Student well-being interventions: The effects of stress management techniques and gratitude journaling in the management education classroom. Journal of Management Education, 36(2), 191-219.
[7] Adair, K. C., Rodriguez-Homs, L. G., Masoud, S., Mosca, P. J., & Sexton, J. B. (2020). Gratitude at work: prospective cohort study of a web-based, single-exposure well-being intervention for health care workers. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(5), e15562.
[8] Watkins, P. C., Uhder, J., & Pichinevskiy, S. (2015). Grateful recounting enhances subjective well-being: The importance of grateful processing. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(2), 91-98.