As the year draws to a close, many of us find ourselves reflecting on what has been and dreaming of what could be. It feels like a time to connect with the heart and approach the year to come with gratitude.
The turning of the calendar feels like a fresh start, a blank page waiting to be written. But for some, they can feel stuck and unsure if this will be another one of those years. I didn’t enjoy last year for many reasons that I won’t share. What I know is that this year, I’ve decided to approach the year differently, with a simple experiment: every day, I’ll journal what I’m grateful for and what I will say “yes” to the following day.
It sounds simple, but focusing on a daily gratitude practice, like a daily journaling practice, can be a challenge to many. I know so many people who ditch the journal in less than a week. So, before you groan and I say I can’t do this gratitude thing, reframe. Turn that can’t into a can, and let’s rock this thing!
I invite you to join me on this journey of gratitude, intentional openness, massive daily reframes and the power of yes. I’ve called this the year of YESITUDE. Together, we can step into the new year with hearts full of appreciation and open minds to possibility.
Why Gratitude and Yes Are a Powerful Pair
Gratitude is one of the simplest yet most transformative practices we can embrace. When we focus on what we’re grateful for, we train our minds to see abundance rather than lack, joy rather than fear. Research has shown that gratitude can reduce stress, improve relationships, and even enhance physical health. It’s like a balm for the soul, helping us navigate life’s complexities with a sense of peace and clarity.
But why stop at gratitude? We need the power of yes. Saying “yes” isn’t about agreeing to everything—it’s about being open to opportunities, willing to take a step forward, and courageous enough to embrace the unknown. When paired with gratitude, saying “yes” becomes a natural extension of appreciation. We recognise the gifts in our lives and invite more of them to flow in.
Together, gratitude and yes create a beautiful synergy: gratitude roots us in the present, while “yes” propels us into the future with intention and courage. That is the power of yesitude.
The Science Behind It
Our brains are wired for patterns. I don’t know about you, but I see things in patterns and pictures. I like rituals. When we regularly practice gratitude, we strengthen neural pathways associated with positivity and resilience. Over time, this rewiring helps us respond to challenges with greater ease and optimism. I am forever reframing and seeing things from a different perspective. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but I want to see life from a balanced view rather than be judged constantly.
Similarly, saying “yes” activates the brain’s reward system. It signals openness to new experiences, triggering a release of dopamine—the feel-good hormone. This creates a positive feedback loop: the more we say yes, the more confident and motivated we feel to continue stepping into new opportunities.
Together, these practices create a mindset of growth, possibility, and abundance. They help us move beyond fear and into a space where we can focus on bringing richness to our lives.
What to Expect on This Gratitude Journey
When you begin this practice, you might notice a few things:
A Shift in Perspective:
You’ll start to see beauty in the every day—a kind word from a stranger, the warmth of your morning tea, the way the light dances through your window.
Moments of Resistance:
Some days, finding gratitude might feel hard, especially when life throws curveballs. Saying “yes” might make you feel uncomfortable when fear or doubt creeps in.
Unexpected Opportunities:
As you open yourself to possibility, you’ll begin to notice doors you didn’t even realise were there. Opportunities, connections, and insights will flow more freely.
Deepened Self-Awareness:
This practice is as much about self-discovery as it is about external change. You’ll learn more about what lights you up, what holds you back, and where your heart truly wants to go.
Ways Gratitude Improves Your Quality Of Life
Practicing gratitude does more than help you be thankful. It touches every area of your life, improving the overall quality of relationships and experiences. Gratitude improves your quality of life by changing the way you live it. Below is a short list of a few tangible ways that gratitude improves quality of life.
Changes Your Perspective
For one thing, practising gratitude has a large effect on mindset. It can be a tool to change your perspective in nearly every situation. When you practice gratitude and face a setback, you rarely see and experience yourself as a failure. You might feel a moment of ug, but it will pass quicker.
The experience itself becomes an opportunity to learn, improve, or, at worst, an experience for experience’s sake. You come out of every situation a little wiser, a little more confident for next time, and with an idea of how to improve.
Boosts Confidence and Self-esteem
People who practice gratitude also seem to have higher self-esteem and a boost to their confidence. They are grateful for the good they see in themselves and compassionate toward the flaws they see in themselves as well. They tend to be able to accept the things they cannot change and have the patience to change the things they can. I also think this makes us kinder and more tolerant.
Encourages Healthy Habits
Gratitude also helps reinforce healthy habits. If you are someone who works out, you are grateful to your body for all the ways it can move and the strength it has to do all the tasks required of it each day. You fuel yourself well. When my spine fractured, I thanked my body daily for healing. I hated what I looked like and the pain, but I was bloody grateful and full of appreciation for her.
In fueling the body you are so grateful for, people who practice gratitude tend to also practice mindful eating, thinking about the experience, sensation, flavour, and more with meals. This spills over to being better able to practice mindfulness in other areas, allowing you to slow down and apply your senses or immerse yourself in experiences and time with others or yourself.
Encourages Healthy Relationships
Practising gratitude leads to healthier relationships and improvements where things may be strained. Showing your gratitude for others or being aware of the gratitude someone has for you tends to create feelings of trust and closeness.
Many gratitude exercises encourage showing appreciation for positive and supportive relationships, like writing letters of gratitude and engaging in acts of kindness or services. Send a letter and watch what happens.
Improves Mental Health
Consciously practising gratitude can be restorative on a subconscious level as well. Studies show that even keeping a weekly journal or list of gratitude can improve mental health in those struggling with anxiety and stress. It is certainly helping me to remain calm,
Those who practice gratitude more frequently or for longer durations reduce negative states, such as bouts of depression, while experiencing positive states, such as periods of happiness and contentment or satisfaction, for longer.
Plus, practising gratitude has been shown to positively affect sleep duration and quality, falling asleep faster for those who previously experienced overactive thoughts that prevented the mind from calming down and more restfulness and sleeping through the night or for longer periods for others. Many find this improved sleep quality improves their mental health and quality of life during waking hours.
Enhances Your Appreciation of Experiences
Last but certainly not least, gratitude enhances your experiences. You are more engaged because you are more mindful, present, and self-aware. You are more open to new experiences and the challenges that may come with them.
And you are better able to engage multiple possible outcomes and perspectives with every activity, event, or encounter, becoming better at choosing the most positive result.
How to Start and Stay Consistent
This is the biggie, how to keep going. Even though I have been journaling for years, I have off days, so I will have to make myself on these.
Set Up Your Journaling Space:
Find a quiet, comfortable spot where you can reflect each evening. Keep a journal and pen handy—or use a digital app if that feels more accessible. Environment is everything.
The Two-Part Practice:
- Gratitude: Write down 3 things you’re grateful for that day. They don’t have to be monumental—sometimes, the smallest moments hold the most meaning.
- Yes Intentions: Write 1-3 things you will say “yes” to tomorrow. These could be actions, opportunities, or even mindset shifts.
Tie It to an Existing Habit:
Link your journaling practice to something you already do, like brushing your teeth or having your evening tea. This makes it easier to stick with. I journal at night. This includes getting all my stuff done, dogs on the bed and making myself comfortable.
Reflect and Celebrate:
At the end of each week, review your entries. Notice patterns, celebrate wins, and reflect on how this practice shapes your mindset and actions.
Tips for Success
The million-dollar question is how can we make this successful for us.
- Start Small: Commit to a week at first, then extend to a month. Before you know it, it will become second nature.
- Be Honest: Gratitude doesn’t need to be forced. If it’s been a tough day, acknowledge the lessons or silver linings, however small.
- Embrace Curiosity: Saying “yes” might sometimes feel scary, but it’s also where growth happens. Trust that even small yeses can lead to meaningful change.
- Forgive Missed Days: Life happens. If you miss a day, simply pick up where you left off without guilt.
- Share Your Journey: Invite a friend to join you or share your reflections on social media. Community can be a powerful motivator.
An Invitation to Begin
So come on, leap into the new year with me and a heart full of gratitude and a willingness to embrace the unknown. Imagine what your life could look like if you practised daily appreciation and said “yes” to the possibilities waiting for you.
This isn’t just a journaling practice—it’s a way of living, a mindset of abundance and courage.
I’ll be sharing my journey and would love to hear about yours.
Will you join me?
With gratitude and an open heart. Join me on the 10 day gratitude journaling challenge.
