In the  5-Step  system I formulated for Writing in the Zone, I suggest you end your writing time with giving thanks and feeling grateful for your writing session—the inspiration, the flow, the pages you wrote–whether you wrote 2 pages or 20–and even if you spent the time ruminating without writing.

The positive experience you evoke by feeling gratitude will set you up for success and flow the next time you write.

In Bring Your Book to Life class last Friday, Life Coach Bonnie Leonard shared that every evening she writes about 5 things she’s grateful for in her gratitude journal (in fact, this is one of the steps in her 9 week Reinvent Your Life Journaling Program). Not surprisingly, journaling about gratitude helps both her happiness and her writing.

5  Steps to Create Your Gratitude Journal

1. Find an inspiring book with blank pages. While a journal with a pretty cover image can work well, If you prefer, feel free to use a spiral notebook and decorate it with stickers or images to inspire you.

2.  Each evening, write about 5 things you are grateful for. They can be anything, but here’s one way to easily come up with your list:

*  A person you’re grateful to have in your life

*  A part of your body or body system that functions to support your well being (one day it can be your liver, the next day your circulatory system)

*  Something beautiful in nature

*  A lovely or useful object  in your home.

*  An event that happened that day–mundane or special–list any writing experience here!

3. While it’s fine to list things, you may also want to elaborate. The more you delve into the details of that specific thing, the more you will appreciate it.

4. Re-read your entry and allow yourself to feel the feeling of gratitude about each thing.

5. Each morning, re-read your list from the previous night. See if you want to add any additional things for the morning.

What are you grateful for in your writing practice? How about in your life? Share here and feel free to return to this page with more gratitude at any time. Putting it in writing adds power to the process. Sharing with others does, too.