Gratitude Journaling for New Parents

Gratitude journaling has been a buzzy phrase, ever since TIME magazine published the article about the surprising health benefits of gratitude journaling. But let’s start from the top: what is gratitude journaling? How can you start? Why is it one of the most highly recommended practices for new parents? 

Gratitude journaling is a simple, yet powerful, tool that can bring more joy and fulfilment into the lives of new parents. It involves regularly taking time to reflect on the things in life that we are thankful for and writing them down in a journal. For new moms and dads, gratitude journaling can provide a space to focus on the positive things in life, especially during early parenthood where they’re flooded by novelty that can be both challenging and rewarding.

There are numerous benefits to gratitude journaling for happiness. By focusing on the things that we are thankful for, we are able to shift our attention away from negative thoughts and emotions and towards positive ones. This can lead to an increase in overall feelings of happiness and well-being, improvement in the relationship with your spouse, increase sleep quality (especially for new moms) and can ease anxiety about the future. Furthermore, gratitude journaling can also help to build resilience; it becomes easier to handle parenting challenges with grace and perseverance when coupled with a swift mindset transition to gratitude.

There are many examples of things to be thankful for in a gratitude journal. For example, new parents can give thanks for the love and joy that a new baby brings into their lives. They can also be thankful for the support of friends and family, good health, a comfortable home, and a supportive partner. 

Here are 4 easy ways to start journaling: 

 

1. Start each sentence with “I am so happy and thankful for…” and write 3 every day! It can be short sentences of small, personal aspects that give you momentary joy such as “I am so happy and thankful for strolling around the park with my baby today”, or something more grand like “I am so happy and thankful for my beautiful child and the feelings of ultimate connection”.

2. Download a gratitude journaling app

Gratitude
(Available on IOS and Android)

Presently
(Available on Android only)

Grateful
(Available on IOS only)

3. Use a pre-made gratitude templates
Like this one from Canva or this one from Amazon.

4. Make a gratitude Jar – Every night, write about one good thing about your baby or your day as a parent that you’re thankful for on a sticky note, fold it up and put in in a jar. At the end of the week, look in your jar to find the highlights of the whole week accompanied by waves of gratitude.

Whether it’s the love and joy that a new baby brings, the support of friends, partner and family, or simply good health, there are always many things to be thankful for. Medical professionals recommend gratitude journaling as one of the most powerful non-invasive well-being boosters for new parents! Why not try it out today?

Sanchal Sanchayyan

Hello! I am Sanchal, a Hong Kong-Indian Medical graduate from HKU. My aim is to utilize my medical training and knowledge to produce bite-sized, well-researched articles to help parents make informed decisions. I am an avid reader, writer and traveller and hope to make a positive impact to thousands of lives in the decades to come!