gratitude, inspiration, Writing
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Gratitude Practice 101

A gratitude practice starts with taking time out of your day to think, talk, or write about what you are grateful for. If writing is one of your favorite modes of expression, having a gratitude journal is a simple way to commit to a gratitude practice.

When the act of feeling grateful turns into a habit, you experience life through the perspective of abundance, peace, joy, and love. If you’re looking into more information about the effects of gratitude, tips on how to feel grateful, and gratitude journaling sentence starters this post is for you.

ever-present gratitude 

You can feel gratitude amidst life’s ups and downs. On the most difficult days, there’s still so much to be grateful for. It’s usually on those difficult days when you can benefit from practicing gratitude the most.

Gratitude reminds you that you are surrounded by abundance every moment and every single day. When you’re busy or exhausted or not feeling well, you can still find time while cooking or washing your car to mentally list the things that you are grateful for.

Start by noticing what’s around you. What do you notice? The sunlight. The sound of rain. A refreshing cup of water. The smell of your favorite candle or meal. Also, take a moment to reflect over your day. Are there qualities about yourself or others that you’re grateful for today like patience or strength or effective communication skills?

a life of abundance

With repeated practice, even when you’re not consciously practicing gratitude, you become more aware of the abundance in your life. You experience unplanned moments of gratitude. For example, you experience more days in which you wake up feeling really grateful. You become aware of the beauty or wisdom that surrounds you in those moments that seem ordinary. Without meaning to, you notice just how much you have of both the nonmaterial and material things to the point in which you remember how blessed you truly are.

exploring the why

When you have time, challenge yourself to explore why you are grateful for things. For example, you can say that you’re grateful for your phone because it lets you communicate with your family and friends and because it lets you update your social media and check the weather. 

Spending some time with the why adds a layer of meaning to your gratitude practice. You become more present with gratitude because you give it space, time, and attention.

a source of peace, joy, and love

If you commit to keeping a gratitude journal or a gratitude jar, when you complete the journal or fill up your gratitude jar, it becomes a source of peace, joy, and love. When you hold and reread you gratitude journal or strips of paper, you’ll find positive vibes and reasons that make life meaningful and beautiful.

gratitude journaling sentence starters

  • I am grateful for
  • Today, I am grateful for
  • I am so grateful for
  • I am so, so grateful for
  • Thank you for
  • I am thankful for
  • God, thank you for

I’ll be the fist to admit that sometimes, especially when life gets pretty hectic or when I’m not feeling in positive mood, it’s difficult to find time or to choose to give my gratitude practice my full attention, but I assure that it has so many benefits. When a gratitude practice becomes a normal part of your life, you find it easier to feel grateful for all the things going on in your life.

What tips would you give someone who is starting a gratitude practice? How does having a gratitude practice affect your life?


  1. Great post, Andrea!
    It’s so nice to see you back on your blog… you were missed!
    I’m grateful for you!!! 🙂
    Practicing gratitude definitely raises one’s vibrations and lifts one’s mood. It also boosts the immune system!
    I learned a lot about gratitude from my Grandma Becker, because she deeply appreciated the small things in life, such as a cup of hot tea or coffee, a candle glowing on the table, or the fresh parsley growing outside her back door. When I called her on the phone (when I lived out in Oregon and she was in Indiana), she always thanked me for calling and she would say, “This was the bright spot in my day!” And now, just yesterday, my younger son called me (on Facebook video) from Spain, and when we hung up I thanked him for calling and told him that it was the bright spot in my day! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Teja! I’m grateful for you too!!! I didn’t know gratitude boosts the immune system. I learned something new today. I love the story about your grandma, how she modelled gratitude and how it passed on to you. The phrase “This was the bright spot in my day” is full of positive vibes. I’m sure your son felt the love and gratitude 😊

      Liked by 1 person

  2. We can often take things for granted. However, if you focus on living in the moment, you will see things more clearly and appreciate it more. The truth is that speed of life can make or break your gratitude. I definitely pay less attention when I am stressed. When I have time to take things slow and easy, I open my eyes and ears. But then, sometimes, you are grateful the most in the darkest of times because the light shines so much brighter in pitch-black situations.

    I don’t write it down, but I would recommend that anyone slows down to smell the roses. Identifying those things is the hardest part for me. Once you do, just take a moment and fill our soul with it. You will remember it so much better and it will be easier to recognize next time around.

    Liked by 2 people

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