Crush Your Bad Moods With Gratitude Journaling
3/21/2025 | Daily Journaler
Getting your mood right can be a challenge. Sometimes you’re just grumpy. No explanation why.
Sometimes you wake up like that. But starting the day as a grouch isn’t doing you any favors.You’re setting a cruddy tone for the rest of your day. Your whole day is going to stink.
And if you’re still a grump at the end of your day? Well, you can kiss a peaceful sleep goodbye!
But it doesn’t need to be this way. Gratitude journaling can save you from this mess and kick those bad moods to the curb in a hurry.
What is Gratitude Journaling?
I can hear you grumbling at me from here: “Ugh. I wish this guy would just get to the point. What is it and how do I do it?!” Okay! I’m getting to that. Sheesh.
It’s actually a pretty simple concept.
Think about what makes you happy. Got it? Now, write about it. That’s it. As I said, simple, yet powerful.
Start by writing down a few things you’re thankful for. What are some things in your life that make you smile when you think about them? A person? A childhood vacation? That taco you ate for lunch yesterday? It can literally be anything.
The point is to focus on things that make you laugh, smile, and feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And it works because it shifts your perspective from negative to positive, forcing you to notice the good in your life, even on tough days.
Need some more ideas? Try one of these prompts:
- What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not at work?
- Who’s one person that always has your back?
- What’s one thing you have that you know a lot of people don’t?
Get as deep as you want. Set a timer for 5 minutes and make a few bullet points. Or if you’re big mad, fill an entire page.
Try different times of the day. Right off the bat as soon as you roll out of bed or before you hit the hay at night. Get your brain screwed on right for the day ahead or dump all of that negative gunk before you fall asleep.
Soon enough, you’ll start to build resiliency when dealing with negativity – something the world produces in abundance nowadays. You’ll also bounce back from setbacks a heck of a lot faster.
Don’t just take my word for it. Science says so.
A 2021 study found that activities like expressing gratitude through journaling had a significant impact on improving a person’s mental state (including anxiety and depression).
This shows that for some people, you can literally write your negative feelings away.
Overcoming Common Obstacles
Have I convinced you yet? Maybe you’re on board but feel like there are things standing in your way. Maybe you’re thinking, “but I don’t feel grateful.” That’s fine. Just start with the basics – your favorite tv show, the last slice of pizza you ate, a great song.
What’s that? You don’t have time? Again, set a timer. Forget five minutes, try just one. Pair it with another habit like drinking your morning coffee or eating your lunch. Write one single word.
Sometimes it feels forced. And that’s okay. That’s normal. The more you do it, the more natural it’ll feel. Fake it until you make it, right?
Letting these obstacles stand in your way is a choice.
Crush ‘Em!
Bad moods are like uninvited guests, bursting into your house, trashing your living room, and worst of all, eating all of your snacks.
Gratitude journaling is taking those guests by the arm, walking them to the door, and allowing them to get well acquainted with your shoe size as you boot them out.
Take a stand for your mental health. Dump the grump. Crush those bad moods.
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