You’ve probably heard that gratitude practice can bring happiness into your life. But just as probably you don’t know where to start. Five Minute Journal seems to be the easiest way.

Why It’s Good?

For some time now I’ve been devouring various self-help books (mostly thanks to Blinkist) and reading other sources of information regarding well-being. Unsurprisingly, most of them feature recurring motives. Most popular are: single-tasking (or focus), using Pomodoro Technique, meditation, good sleeping habits, and gratitude. I like to have dedicated tools or rituals that help me practice those techniques. Five Minute Journal can be both a tool and a ritual to practice gratitude.

Can Gratitude Change My Life?

Yes, it can. Simple as that. To learn more about the topic I recommend reaching for “The Cognitive Benefits of Gratitude” by Justin C Scott. Another good piece is “The Surprising Benefits of Gratitude & Awe” by Robert Solley. The quick summary is that by practicing gratitude we can increase our happiness. That’s because we need to focus on things that bring us joy or make our lives easier. Even if we feel miserable, thinking about the positives makes us that little less miserable. It’ definitely worth a try!

The Journalling Habit

Available both in paper form and as an app (Play Store, App Store), Five Minute Journal’s main idea is to make you spend first 5 minutes after waking up and the last 5 minutes before going to sleep thinking about the good parts of your life. I can tell you from my own experience that highlighting the bright sides help to keep spirits higher.

The journal is divided into three distinct parts. One is the introduction explaining how to use it. Treat it as an instruction manual. The second part is weekly challenges that try to make you do something both unusual and useful. The third part is the daily layout which is exactly the same every day, save for the inspirational quotes.

So the magic is captured in those 5 points:

“I am grateful for…”, where you list three things you are grateful for. “What would make today great”, where you imagine scenarios that could make for a better day. Of course, the best ideas are those that you will execute later on. “Daily affirmations”, where you say something about yourself like “I am gonna live forever, I am gonna learn how to fly.” “3 Amazing Thing That Happened Today”, I am sure you get it already. “How could I have made today even better”, do not be too harsh on yourself. This is not to punish you for doing wrong, but for imagining an even better possible outcome just to realize it in the future.

That’s it. Numbers 1–3 are for the morning, 4–5 are for the evening. Those simple 13 lines of text (as the printed journal allows for) can actually help you in your everyday life. If nothing else, they serve as a good basis for morning and evening routines. Those, in turn, can help fight insomnia, increase the quality of sleep and ease the wake-up process.

Get It For Free

You don’t need fancy printed books or paid apps to practice 5MJ. All you actually need is a place to note down your personal answers to those 5 questions. But if you want to see how the product looks you can get a PDF version for free. All you need to do is leave your e-mail address on the website form. If you like what you get you can then consider buying the physical thing or the app.

How I Use It?

Personally, I use the Android app for my Five Minute Journal. Previously I have kept a simple plain Journal that I filled with the 5MJ sentences. One thing I like about the app is it has a place to add a daily photo. I fill it with the best picture I’ve taken that day. If there’s no such picture, I substitute it with a smiling selfie (something I picked up when I was having a very bad time). This means I have a visual reminder of how great my life has been so far.