Have you ever thought about keeping a daily gratitude journal?

The benefits we get from writing in a journal far outweigh the small investment of time that goes into the writing. Research has shown that the good that comes from journaling is physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Some studies concluded that writing each day in a gratitude journal improves our sleep, lowers our stress, and even boosts our immunity.

Do you think that you won't have something each day to be grateful for? It really doesn't have to be something huge. It can be as inconsequential as a smile from a stranger, a helping hand from a neighbor, a welcome hug when you need a hug, a phone call from a friend, or your dog or cat showing that they love you. Every day there is something to be grateful for - we just need to see the good.

If I hadn't written each day in my gratitude journal, I'm quite sure that I'd be looking back at that year as a year of darkness. Now when I read my journal I see that I had rays of sunshine in my life every day.

I hope that you'll consider keeping a gratitude journal. Try it for a while. See what you think.

Try it by yourself, or do it as a family around the supper table. I venture to say that each day you will find something that made you smile, or helped you in some way.