When President Russell M. Nelson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke about the healing power of gratitude in November 2020, he issued an invitation for people to write down what they were thankful for.
“[T]urn social media into your own personal gratitude journal. Post every day about what you are grateful for, who you are grateful for and why you are grateful,” he said. ”At the end of seven days, see if you feel happier and more at peace.”
It is one thing to count blessings or think about things to be grateful for, but this practice of actually writing it down can be life changing.
Studies show that regularly writing things down that one is grateful for can decrease symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.
One study found that keeping a gratitude journal decreased materialism and bolstered generosity among teenagers. In another study, high school students who were asked to keep gratitude journals also reported healthier eating. A 2021 review of research found keeping a gratitude journal can cause a significant drop in diastolic blood pressure — the force that the heart exerts between beats.
And, research shows that just a few weeks of journaling has effects that last 6 months or even longer.
When taking the self-reliance class from the Church called, “Finding Strength in the Lord: Emotional Resilience,” participants in the very first meeting of the 10-week course are invited to commit to write down at least one thing they are grateful for each day.
“An emotional value and skill to practice is expressing gratitude daily,” explains the manual. “... Expressing gratitude doesn’t mean that you deny or ignore feelings of pain or discouragement. It does mean that you acknowledge the blessings Heavenly Father has given you. For example, it could be when someone was kind to you or when you appreciated something you saw, smelled, heard, touched or tasted.”
Focusing on gratitude is given as one of the ways to manage stress and anxiety — a tool toward developing emotional resilience.
“Notice what is around you,” explains chapter four of the manual. “Focus for a few minutes on what is right, good and positive about yourself and the world. Start a gratitude journal, and write at least five specific things you are grateful for each day.”
Lisa Kenny, of the Fairfield Connecticut Stake, took the Emotional Resilience class with a group in her stake. At times, Kenny still reaches for her phone to write down positive experiences in her life, an idea she picked up from the class.
The practice has helped her respond to challenges with faith and patience. “Trials are hard but help us grow,” she said.
Members of the class watched together the April 2014 general conference address by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then the second counselor in the First Presidency, called “Grateful in Any Circumstances.”
“There is one thing we can do to make life sweeter, more joyful, even glorious,” Elder Uchtdorf said. “We can be grateful.”
Other videos from the Church are in a video collection titled “Gratitude” in the Media Library.
See more coverage on the topic of gratitude and Thanksgiving in the Church News below.
- President Nelson shares a memory of hope and gratitude on Thanksgiving
- President Nelson invites us to #GiveThanks. Read his full message on the ‘healing power of gratitude’
- Church leaders respond to President Nelson’s invitation to #GiveThanks
- Video: President Nelson’s #GiveThanks invitation still has power, relevance 2 years later. Watch his message again
- What have Church leaders taught about gratitude?
- Expressing gratitude this Thanksgiving? Try indebtedness, instead
- Church News podcast, episode 89: Latter-day Saint researcher on how cultivating thankfulness, indebtedness to God increases overall happiness
- BYU research suggests how to have a deeper, richer gratitude this Thanksgiving
- 5 thoughts from Latter-day Saint leaders on the meaning of gratitude
- 5 quotes on gratitude from Church leaders to share with friends, family this Thanksgiving
