Gratitude Journaling
Gratitude Journaling is a guided session in which participants write about what they are grateful for and choose a form of gratitude writing they can keep up as a habit. This session design is by Natalie van Ommen for the Transition Makers Toolbox, where it is titled 'Being Grateful'; the underlying practice goes back to Emmons and McCullough's 2003 'counting blessings' studies and the Gratitude Journal exercise of the Greater Good Science Center. After a short grounding check-in, each person picks a letter, a journal entry or notes for a gratitude jar, writes for about 20 minutes and plans how to continue.
Facilitation script
- 1
Introduce gratitude and what research suggests about practising it. Set the ground rule that all sharing is voluntary.
15 min - 2
Guided check-in: breathing, noticing body and thoughts, silently recalling a few things to be grateful for today. Volunteers share.
15 min - 3
Present the letter, the journal entry and the gratitude jar. Pairs talk briefly about which format suits them.
5 min - 4
Silent writing in the chosen format.
20 min - 5
Silent reflective check-in with private notes on what came up during the writing.
10 min - 6
Group discussion on the experience and on obstacles and supports for a regular practice. Each person writes one intention for the coming week.
15 min
Tips
Ask for specifics: one concrete moment, person or detail described in a few sentences does more than a long list of general blessings.
Make sharing voluntary at every point and say so, because people write more honestly when they know the page is private.
Help participants set an intention small enough to survive a busy week, such as three lines on two evenings.
Common pitfalls
Presenting gratitude as a cure for stress or as proven to work for everyone, which invites justified scepticism and overstates the research
Requiring people to read their writing aloud, which makes them write safe, shallow entries
Using the session to smooth over legitimate problems, so participants experience it as pressure to be positive
Ending without a concrete intention or follow-up, so the practice stops when the session does
Overlooking that the exercise can bring up loss or loneliness for some people; mention this at the start and be available afterwards
Variations
In a team, keep a shared gratitude jar and read a few notes aloud at a monthly meeting, or use five minutes of gratitude writing as a closing ritual after a demanding project phase. A letter may be delivered or read to its recipient, or kept private. Online, run the writing with cameras optional and collect intentions in the chat. For individual use, the session shrinks to the check-in and the writing. The spoken group equivalent is an Appreciative Circle.
Where it fits
When to use it
A well-being or resilience programme wants a practice participants can continue alone after the session
A team has come through an intense period and attention has narrowed to what went wrong
A group includes quiet people who reflect better in writing than in a spoken round
A coaching or leadership programme is introducing regular reflection habits
You have 80 to 90 minutes and a calm room
When not to use it
The team is dealing with real grievances such as overload or unfair treatment; a gratitude session will feel like being told to stop complaining, so address the issues first in a retrospective or facilitated dialogue
Participants are in acute distress or grief; gratitude writing is not a substitute for professional support
You want people to appreciate each other aloud; use an Appreciative Circle
You only have ten minutes at the end of a workshop; a Thankfulness Tree or a one-line gratitude check-out fits better
Attendance is compulsory and the group is sceptical of reflective exercises; offer it as an opt-in session
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Gratitude Journaling?▾
Gratitude Journaling is the practice of regularly writing down things one is grateful for. In the session design by Natalie van Ommen for the Transition Makers Toolbox, a group is introduced to the practice, tries a letter, a journal entry or gratitude-jar notes for about 20 minutes, and plans how to keep it going. It draws on Emmons and McCullough's research on counting blessings.
How long does the session take?▾
About 80 minutes: 15 for the introduction, 15 for a guided check-in, 25 for choosing a format and writing, 10 for silent reflection and 15 for discussion and intentions. An optional follow-up check-in takes place a few weeks later.
What is the difference between a gratitude journal, a jar and a letter?▾
A journal entry is private writing about recent things one is grateful for. A jar collects short notes over time that can be reread later, alone or as a team. A letter is addressed to one person and describes what they did and why it mattered; it can be sent or kept.
How often should people write?▾
The session leaves that to each participant, who sets their own intention for the week ahead. A modest rhythm that fits the person's routine is more likely to last than a daily commitment made in the enthusiasm of the workshop.
Can it be used with a work team?▾
Yes, as an opt-in session or a short recurring ritual, provided it is not used to deflect real problems. Keep the writing private, make sharing voluntary and consider a shared jar that the team reads from occasionally.
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Natalie van Ommen, Transition Makers Toolbox (University of Amsterdam); based on Emmons & McCullough (2003) and the Greater Good Science Center.