In the hustle and bustle of every day life, I know I tend to complain more than I should. Even surrounded by visions of poverty here in Guatemala, I get stressed out over things that really shouldn’t matter. That’s where a gratitude journal comes in.

Everyone should be able to come up with at least 3 things they are grateful for on a daily basis. But why should you do it? Well, here are a few reasons.

1. To be happy. Really, it helps to know that you have good things in your life. It’s easy to get caught up in all the bad, especially when they are very bad, but there’s always something you can be glad about.

2. To share with your kids. Our children pick up on a lot and our moods can really affect them. By showing your kids what you’re grateful for, you can help foster a spirit of thankfulness in them, too.

3. To get you through the rough times. When you’re so down that you really can’t think of anything to be thankful for, go back over your journal and read through the things that you were glad for before. It really does help.

4. To build awareness of the good things. If you tend to be a negative person, keeping a journal of the good things is a great way to start noticing them. You know how when you decide to buy a Mazda, suddenly you see Mazdas everywhere? Same principle at work here, you start to notice the great things in your life on a daily basis.

5. To improve the future. When you’re grateful for what you have today, you work toward more things to be grateful for in the future.

Do you keep a gratitude journal? If so, what have you gained from it?