you've probably heard that writing down what you're grateful for is good for you. and you've probably also opened a gratitude journal, written "my family, coffee, my bed," and closed it again. the trouble isn't gratitude. it's the blank page.
good gratitude journal prompts fix that. instead of "what are you grateful for?", a prompt asks something small and specific, so your answer turns into a real little moment you'll actually want to reread. below are 28 of our favorites, one for every day of a month, to use in a notebook, on your ipad, or on the back of a receipt.
why tiny prompts work better than big questions
big questions get big, vague answers. tiny questions get stories. "what made you smile today?" is fine. "what's a small thing someone did for you this week that they probably forgot about?" is a memory. aim for two minutes and one honest sentence. that's a full entry.
week 1 · the little things
- 1the best thing i ate today was ___, and it tasted like…
- 2a sound i heard today that i liked:
- 3something in my home i'd miss if it disappeared:
- 4a tiny moment today that went better than expected:
- 5the most comfortable i felt today was when…
- 6something free that made today nicer:
- 7a smell that reminds me of a good memory:
week 2 · the people
- 8someone who made today easier, and how:
- 9a friend i'm grateful for, and the last time they made me laugh:
- 10something a stranger did that i noticed:
- 11a person who taught me something i still use:
- 12the kindest thing anyone said to me this week:
- 13someone i haven't thanked yet, and what i'd say:
- 14a family memory that still makes me smile:
week 3 · you
- 15something my body did for me today:
- 16a thing i handled this week that past me would've worried about:
- 17a habit i'm glad i kept:
- 18one thing i like about who i am right now:
- 19a mistake that turned into something good:
- 20a skill i have that i usually forget about:
- 21the last time i felt proud of myself:
week 4 · the world around you
- 22something in nature i noticed today:
- 23a place that feels like mine:
- 24something i'm looking forward to, however small:
- 25a song, book or show that got me through a hard week:
- 26a little luxury i'm grateful i can enjoy:
- 27something that's going right in the world:
- 28if this month were a postcard, the picture on the front would be…
turn one entry into a letter
here's our favorite trick: once a week, pick one entry about a person (prompts 8 to 14 are perfect) and send it to them. a two-line note that says "i was writing down what i'm grateful for, and it was you" is the kind of mail people keep on the fridge. if you're not sure how to say it, our guide to what to write in a letter has prompts for every kind of person.
try 7 days of tiny thank yous, free
if you'd rather tap than print, our tiny thank yous journal is a prompted gratitude journal made for goodnotes on your ipad, with a few minutes of gratitude a day and no blank pages. you can try the first 7 days free: grab the little sparrow starter pack and choose the ipad version. prefer paper? pick the print version and get an envelope template, 20 letter prompts and faux stamps instead.
more ideas from the sparrow desk: what to write in a letter · letters to future you · open when letter ideas
little notes. big feelings. ♡