If gratitude journaling has ever felt like a chore, this episode is for you. I’m breaking down why traditional gratitude practices stop working and sharing three evidence-based alternatives that actually boost your wellbeing without the toxic positivity.

Why Gratitude Journaling Stops Working

I used to do daily gratitude journaling. At first it worked. Then it became another box to tick. Same things on autopilot every morning. Generic. Meaningless. The ritual was there but the attention wasn’t. Sound familiar?

Turns out there’s a reason for this. Our brains adapt to good things and stop noticing them (it’s called hedonic adaptation). That’s why “grateful for my health, my family, my home” feels empty after a couple of weeks. Add in the guilt spiral of feeling bad about not feeling grateful, and traditional gratitude practices can actually backfire.

3 Gratitude Practices That Actually Work

The research points to three approaches that don’t suck. First, less is more. Weekly gratitude practice beats daily. Specificity beats quantity. One deeply noticed moment is more powerful than a generic list. Second, subtract don’t add. Mentally imagining your life without something (the George Bailey effect) sparks more genuine gratitude than simply listing what you have. Third, express don’t just list. Gratitude letters and conversations have stronger effects on wellbeing than private journaling. A thank-you text counts.

Key Takeaways

1️⃣ If gratitude journaling feels like a chore, try doing it less but meaning it more. Weekly beats daily.

2️⃣ Instead of listing what you’re grateful for, imagine your life without it. This cuts through hedonic adaptation.

3️⃣ Let gratitude out of your notebook. Tell someone exactly what they did and why it mattered.

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