9 Best Gratitude Journals for Better Health and Happiness

This 52-week guide, which promises to help you cultivate a positive attitude of gratitude, is a fan favorite for good reason. More than 20,000 five-star reviewers on Amazon rave about this journal’s 118 pages of to-the-point prompts, which encourage readers to write down three things they’re grateful for every day, as well as its insightful, inspirational quotes meant to spark creativity and curiosity. In fact, one Amazon reviewer credits this gratitude journal with helping her “continue in a mind frame of abundance.”

All in all, this beginner-friendly gratitude journal is one of the best books you can buy if you’re looking to feel happier at home and try new things—you know, like practicing gratitude.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Easy-to-fill-out prompts

Cons:

• Limited room for writing
• Only a year’s worth of entries

Gretchen Rubin’s five-year, one-sentence happiness journal is one of the best gratitude journals for beginners who are looking for a quick and easy way to practice gratitude on a daily basis. Just turn to today’s date, write a short reflection and voila! You’ve shown gratitude.

One five-star reviewer wrote, “I was looking for a way to focus on the positive and not need to spend hours writing long passages in a journal. This was perfect, and I love the quotes at the top.” Plus, it’s pretty cool to see how your reflections and thoughts evolve over the course of five years. Just keep in mind that expressing gratitude is just one of the things happy people do every day; consider all the ways you can adjust your lifestyle to improve your happiness.

Pros:

• Minimal effort required
• Five years’ worth of entries

Con:

• Relatively small in size, with not a ton of writing room

The aptly named One-Minute Gratitude Journal is ideal for those in a time crunch, because it takes just one minute to fill out the simple yet reflective daily prompt. All you have to do is list five things you’re grateful for. It’s really that easy!

The gratitude journal also boasts nearly 7,000 Amazon reviews, including more than 5,000 with five stars. One reviewer remarked, “I love this gratitude journal! I was looking for something that wasn’t too time consuming and to the point. This journal checked those boxes! I like waking up first thing and putting in my entry for the day.” As a bonus, the journal features a cheery mix of uplifting quotes and happiness quotes—plus graphics and blank pages for drawing and doodling.

Pros:

• Relatively low effort
• Quick and efficient prompts

Con:

• Not a ton of room to write

This little gratitude journal encourages users to dream big and subsequently turn those dreams into reality via the power of manifestation. Expand your imagination by completing the creative writing prompts, which aim to inspire gratitude and joy. Some examples include thinking up a title for a book based on the story of your (ideal) life and visualizing a situation in which you’re appreciated by everyone around you.

It’s a self-help book that’s fun, creative and practical, which will (hopefully) inspire you to look at your life a little differently. Don’t believe us? Just take it from this Amazon reviewer, who exclaimed, “This journal is packed full of wonderful and positive prompts. […] If you are looking to shift your thought process to be/becoming more positive, the activities in this journal will do just that! Plenty of room to write and transform your future through words.”

Pros:

• Writing prompts encourage creativity
• Combines gratitude with the power of manifestation

Con:

• Beginners may find it a bit overwhelming

This 150-page journal was specifically created for teens interested in learning more about the correlation between practicing gratitude and one’s overall state of happiness. It’s worth noting that research points to the fact that early adolescents who practice gratitude experience enhanced overall well-being.

We especially love this gratitude journal for its playful, emoji-filled pages with (mostly) straightforward prompts—for example, track your mood, dance to your favorite song or think about a time you felt angry. It won’t take teens too much time to squeeze in entries while balancing exam prep, extracurriculars, volunteer activities, socializing and scrolling through TikTok.

Pros:

• Simple prompts
• Won’t take more than a few minutes to complete

Con:

• Ample writing space, which may feel intimidating for younger kids or beginners

Designed for children ages 7 to 10, this guided gratitude journal boasts beautiful colored pages, fun illustrations and kid-friendly quotes to help little ones cultivate gratitude. The lighthearted prompts (like “Name one special talent you have” and “What’s your favorite pet?”) provide kiddos with a better understanding of basic gratitude principles to incorporate into their daily lives.

Need a good reason to gift a gratitude journal to your kids? How about this: According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, children who practice gratitude may experience better sleep and improved moods, among other benefits. You may not be able to convince your kids to do a short digital detox, but you can encourage them to put the screens away for the short amount of time it takes to reflect and give thanks.

Pros:

• Colorful, creative pages
• Fun prompts

Con:

• Best for children 7 and up

Do you love a good to-do list? If so, 52 Lists for Happiness is the best gratitude journal for you. Don’t worry, though: This book is anything but boring. Instead, you’ll find gorgeous illustrations and photography coupled with happiness-inducing prompts. You’ll be writing about topics such as the best opportunities others have given you, the happiest stories you’ve heard today and the things you’re passionate about.

You won’t find any dates in this gratitude journal, so you don’t have to worry about completing it by a specific month or year. It boasts more than 2,000 five-star Amazon reviews, including this one: “I am so grateful for this journal. It totally changes my mindset each morning, and it is different from any other way of journaling that I have tried on my own.”

The stunning packaging—complete with copper foil and a velvet ribbon—is a nice bonus. In fact, it’s a great gift idea, so you might want to pick up two!

Pros:

• Great for organized types
• Beautiful packaging

Con:

• May not be right for those who don’t love checklists

For a deeper dive into the world of gratitude, consider this 90-day journal, which you can fill out twice daily (morning and night). Each of the 184 pages is lined and offers ample space for you to record all your guided thoughts. The morning prompts will help you choose your areas of focus for the day and include positive affirmations and cues to discuss what you’re grateful for and excited about. It won’t just encourage you to set goals for gratitude; it’ll prompt you to think about how you plan to achieve those goals. The evening prompts, on the other hand, center on the good things that happened and how they made you feel.

One reviewer even raved, “I have been purchasing this journal every 90 days for the past two years. I love this journal and how it starts and ends my days. This journal helps to keep me grounded and [focused] on having a positive day and set positive [intentions] for each day.”

Pros:

• Lined pages offer plenty of space for reflection
• Provides a handful of prompts per page
• Space for morning and evening contemplation

Cons:

• Can get a little repetitive
• Only room for 90 days’ worth of entries