Free Gratitude Journal Printable PDF + Gratitude Journaling Tips
I created this free gratitude journal worksheet to help you start practicing gratitude in a simple, meaningful way.
When you make gratitude a habit, it shifts how you see and experience the world, helping you notice and appreciate the little moments that bring you joy.
The key is to regularly seek out things you are grateful for in your life today. This way you can appreciate even the small moments, rather than waiting for big milestones to feel thankful.
Gratitude helps you stop focusing on what’s missing and appreciate what’s already there, making life feel more positive and fulfilling.
For myself, I’ve used many gratitude practices, journaling being one of them, when I’ve been going through a tough time. And honestly – focusing on the little things each day that are special has really helped support me when I needed it most.
I am sharing this free gratitude journal printable PDF with you today so you can experience some of the wonderful blessings that gratitude has to offer. And over time you’ll realize that daily gratitude starts to become a habit that is part of who you are.
Below you’ll find:
- A link to access the free gratitude printable
- Tips on how I recommend using this worksheet.
Get Access To the Free Gratitude PDF…
Tips for Completing the Daily Gratitude Template
Here’s a walkthrough of each section of the worksheet to share my recommendations on how to best you this gratitude resource.
Of course – you do you and use the worksheet in a way that suits you best.
Today I am Grateful For:
This is your opportunity to write everything that comes to mind that you are grateful for today.
If you’re having trouble coming up with thoughts here are some ideas to help guide you…
Use Your 5 Senses:
As you move through each sense (sight, sound, taste, touch and scent) take notice of what comes up for you. Here are some examples for me as I’m writing this…
- Sight: The view of my cute pup lying by my feet
- Sound: The sound of my husband laughing on a phone call in the other room
- Taste: The perfect cup of tea that warms me from the inside
- Touch: My cozy, thick joggers with fleece lining (which feels amazing on this cold day)
- Scent: The faint scent of my lavender essential oil I had diffusing a few hours ago
You do not need to choose 5 things to be grateful for – but do take note of what pops up for you.
Focus on the People in Your Life:
When starting your gratitude journey this is one of the easiest places to start. When I mention the people in your life, think of this far and wide. For examples:
- The people in your house (of course)
- You extended family
- Good friends
- Acquaintances
- Colleagues
- Neighbours
- Random people you might chat with in passing
- Your barista, the friendly woman at the grocery checkout
The goal here is to be aware when positive interactions arise.
Of course, you will notice if someone goes out of their way to do some kind of good deed, but the key is to notice the smaller things too.
Focus On What You Take for Granted (That Others Could Only Wish For):
This tip helps you get down to the essentials of practicing gratitude.
Put yourself in someone else’s shoes – someone who dreams and prays to have the things you already have in life.
This is really important to focus on. If you can’t appreciate the things you have today, you’ll find it very hard to appreciate the things you hope to have or experience in the future.
There is a quote from Oprah that describes this perfectly,
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey
Quotes & Affirmations
Here you can write down some meaningful gratitude quotes or affirmations. Once you write the quote or affirmation, next write a line or two on how this relates to your life.
To help you along, here is a dedicated blog post I have with a big list of gratitude quotes. Read through them and then choose one that resonates with you. You can also find loads of beautiful gratitude quotes on Pinterest too.
For gratitude affirmations, you can write your own or choose some that already exist and tailor them to you.
Some examples of gratitude affirmations:
- I am thankful for the support of others when I need them most.
- I choose to focus on the positive, even when it feels challenging.
- I am grateful to have hope for the future.
- Hard work and resilience help me see the good in life today and every day.
- Today I am filled with joy, gratitude, and contentment.
Check out these affirmations for more you can use: 130 Gratitude Affirmations to Cultivate Happiness
Looking Forward To:
Focusing on things you’re looking forward to is an amazing way to practice being grateful. It’s also a powerful way to train yourself to have a positive, growth mindset vs a fixed mindset.
Focusing on things to look forward to keeps your dreams alive and what is life without hope and dreams?
You could focus on an upcoming trip, a coffee date you have with a friend, graduating a course, meeting your future love, next week’s dance class, family dinner on Sunday, finishing a great book, an out-of-town friend coming to visit, chocolate cake after dinner – the list goes on.
Small Things That Make Me Happy:
This is where you can free-write anything small that brings you joy.
The first time you use this gratitude worksheet you can write anything from your past or present, but moving forward try to write down things that happened that day or week.
Here are some small things that make me happy – as an example:
First sip of tea, chatting with my husband while drinking tea, Facetime with the parents, the delicious oats I had for breakfast, and the breeze on my face during my morning walk.
Related: 121 Simple Things That Make Me Happy – The Ultimate List
Getting Better Each Day:
This is a quick section to set some intentions, which helps you have a purposeful mindset, which is definitely something to be grateful for.
Here’s how I would complete this section:
- My challenge: Making healthy food options over sweets
- Let go of: Release my feeling of needing sweets to deal with stress
- Tomorrow I will: Focus on the healthy food in my fridge, choose to eat this, and be grateful that I can afford to have an abundance of fresh food available to me.
A Few More Tips for Your Gratitude Journal Printable
- Remember that this worksheet is for your eyes only, so perfection can go out the window. Sure, if you want to make the page look pretty with the perfect penmanship go for it – however don’t let this hold you back from the actual practice of daily gratitude. Just get in there and write everything that comes to mind. That’s it.
- Use this as a starting point, but also use a blank notebook for any freewriting you want to do.
- There are no rules – if you come up with a different way to use these journal prompts and sections, have at it! You do what works best for you.
More Gratitude Resources for Gratitude Journaling:
- 25 Page Gratitude Journal Planner (Printable) – Access a 40% off code when you download the free worksheet!
- Access the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge – includes free printable
- 15 Easy Gratitude Exercises for a Fulfilled Life
- 52 Week Gratitude Journal – filled with journal prompts & reflection pages
About Yolanda
Website Owner / Content Creator
I’m passionate about helping you live life to the fullest so you can choose to find happiness and purpose. Learn how to CREATE THE LIFE YOU LOVE with intentional living and discovery of the simple things life has to offer. Learn more…
