DIY Gratitude Journal | For when you don’t know where to start..

If you’ve ever wanted to start journaling but felt overwhelmed by where to begin — you’re not alone. I hear this all the time: “I don’t know what to write.” The truth is, journaling doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy. In fact, some of the best practices are the simplest.

Recently, I created my own DIY gratitude journal, and I’m obsessed with how it turned out. All I needed was a notebook, some cute stickers, and a handful of fun, colorful highlighters (everything can be found on Amazon!). It became a creative project and a self-care tool all in one.

Why Gratitude Journaling Works

Gratitude journaling has been shown to boost mood, lower stress, and even improve sleep. It helps you shift your focus from what’s lacking to what’s already good in your life—big or small. Pairing gratitude with affirmations takes it one step further, giving you a daily reminder of the mindset you want to carry with you.

How to Get Started

To keep things super simple, I start each page with two short lists:

• 3 things I’m grateful for
• 3 affirmations I want to carry into my day

That’s it! Just six lines a day can transform your mindset. And the best part is, there’s no “right” way to do it. Some days your gratitude list might include big milestones, and other days it might just be your morning coffee. Both matter.

A Few Affirmations to Try

Here are some of my favorites that I keep coming back to:

• I let go of all reasons and excuses for not bettering my life.
• Everything is always working out for me, regardless of how it may seem at any moment.
• I have more than enough time in every day.

You can use these as inspiration, or create your own affirmations based on what you need most—peace, confidence, energy, or patience.

Final Thoughts

Your journal doesn’t have to be perfect or Instagram-worthy. It just has to feel like you. Use colors, doodles, stickers—whatever makes the practice enjoyable. Over time, you’ll start to notice how even a few minutes of writing can shift your whole perspective.

So grab a notebook, jot down your three gratitudes and three affirmations, and see how your mindset starts to change. It’s the smallest habits that often make the biggest difference.