How to Make a Gratitude List + Free Sample Template
By Marnie Kunz, CPT
Making a gratitude list can have a powerful impact on your mental health and life. Practicing gratitude is a powerful tool that reduces anxiety and depression, increases positive feelings, and leads to better health. Being thankful can also help you face challenges in everyday life with more optimism and resilience. Read on to learn how to make a gratitude list with tips from mental health professionals, and download a sample list to help you get started.
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Benefits of Gratitude
Gratitude is the state of being thankful. Being grateful can increase your happiness, improve your mental and physical health, help you overcome challenges, and boost your relationships, according to a variety of studies in Harvard Health Publishing.
“Gratitude boosts our mood, enhances our relationships, increases resilience, improves sleep quality, and mitigates the effects of stress,” says Dr. Ryan Sultan, a board-certified psychiatrist, therapist, and professor at Columbia University. “Expressing gratitude triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin, the brain’s feel-good chemicals, which can alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.”
According to Dr. Sultan, gratitude trains your brain to prioritize and focus on positive information instead of ruminating on troubling experiences, worrying, or focusing on negative things.
Some of the benefits of practicing gratitude include:
Improved sleep
Decreased depression and anxiety
Reduced inflammation
Decreased risk of chronic disease
Reduced chronic pain
Improved relationships
Increased sense of well-being
Reduced stress
More optimism in daily life
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Practicing Gratitude
Although gratitude offers many benefits, it does not come naturally to many people. An episode of the podcast Hidden Brain gave me the idea for this article, as the podcast explores why gratitude can be difficult to practice and ways to overcome those challenges. In the episode, psychologist Thomas Gilovich offers insights into why gratitude can be overshadowed by things that bother us.
In the podcast, Gilovich discusses how humans’ ability to adapt has helped them to survive and thrive in the world. However, adapting quickly to positive circumstances - called hedonic adaptation - can cause us to overlook the good in our lives and instead focus on problems that arise.
Some ways to overcome the tendency to focus on the negative and practice more gratitude include:
Make a gratitude list. Keeping a daily list will help you focus on areas of your life that you are thankful for.
Express thanks to people whom you are grateful for. This can strengthen your relationships, says Dr. Sultan. Write a letter, send an email, or text those who have made a positive impact in your life to send your gratitude.
Try mindful reflection while meditating or walking to focus on the positive aspects of your life, advises Dr. Sultan. Focus on what is going well and what you’re grateful for.
Practice acts of kindness and generosity toward others, recommends Dr. Sultan. Extending compassion to others will help you spread your appreciation for the positives in your life, expanding your gratitude.
How to Make a Gratitude List
A gratitude journal or list is one of the best ways to practice gratitude. Keeping a daily list of what you’re grateful for can boost your happiness, combat stress, and improve your overall health. When making your list, be as specific as possible.
“Being specific is very important here,” says therapist Heidi McBain, who has a therapy practice focused on motherhood. “If you simply write, ‘I’m grateful for my family,’ day after day, although this is hopefully true, it isn’t focused on why you’re grateful for your family. Writing more specific examples can be helpful, such as, ‘I’m grateful that my daughter gave me a big hug before she left for school today’ or ‘I’m so thankful that my partner remembered and checked in with me at the end of the day about a hard work meeting I had to manage.’”
Be specific and detailed in your list to reap the full benefits of gratitude.
Here’s how to make a gratitude list:
Set aside the same time every day to write your gratitude list. For many people, this works well at the end of the day when your experiences are fresh in your mind.
Write in a journal or use a gratitude app to consistently write what you’re thankful for. Pick a medium that works best for you - a notebook, computer, mobile app, or even sticky notes.
Write at least five things you’re thankful for each day.
Be specific. Instead of writing “I’m thankful for my family,” include details such as “I’m grateful my mom called me to talk when I was sick today.” The more information you have, the more you’ll benefit from your gratitude list.
Focus on experiences, your health, and people around you. Studies show that people who focus on experiences feel more gratitude and positive emotions than those who focus on material things. Consider the people you care about, your interactions with others, and your daily experiences when making your list.
Sample Gratitude List
Use this sample gratitude list to get started practicing gratitude today:
Today, I’m grateful for:
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
Experiences I’m thankful for:
____________
____________
People I’m thankful for:
____________
____________
You can download the list here for the complete template and print the list to create your own gratitude journal.
Gratitude for Better Health
Incorporating gratitude into your daily life can help you feel more content and reduce negative feelings and thoughts. By focusing on the good in your life, you train your brain to see the positives in the people and experiences in the world.
“A daily gratitude practice can help lower anxiety and other mental health issues by moving your focus from the bad and negative to the good and positive,” says McBain. “This can help you to become more mindful, optimistic, and present in the moment, which can help lower mental health symptoms like rumination, heightened distress levels, intrusive thoughts, etc.”
Have you tried gratitude journaling? Share your experiences with us on the @Runstreet Instagram and follow along for positive fitness and wellness inspiration and support. Take care! 🤗
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Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, dog lover, Akita mom, and writer based in Brooklyn, NY.
