What Are You Thankful For? 25 Journal Prompts For Thanksgiving Reflection

Photo by Paige Newton

Gratitude is a powerful human emotion. Not only does it give us that warm fuzzy feeling we all crave — it also has the amazing ability to reduce stress and burnout, counter symptoms of PTSD, and simply make us happier people. It’s no wonder that we’ve basically dedicated an entire month to being thankful! 

Traditionally, Thanksgiving is the time to reflect on what we’re thankful for and to (hopefully) carry that feeling with us throughout the year. That’s why we’ve decided to enter this season with 25 journal prompts to help you explore what you’re grateful for. Gratitude journaling is not only a fantastic opportunity to self-reflect, but also to cultivate a peaceful ritual for starting your day or winding down your evenings. (P.S. — if you don’t already have a gratitude journal, we highly recommend starting one!) 

Without further ado, here are 25 prompts to spark gratitude in you: 

Work 

1. How does your work nourish you, sustain you, fulfill you? 
2. Which parts of your work do you enjoy the most? 
3. Who do you work with that you are grateful for? 
4. If your work is not fulfilling or sustaining, how can you transform it into a more enriching part of your life? 
5. What kind of work would you do every day if money didn’t exist? 

Self

1. What does self-love mean to you? 
2. Your body serves you in more ways than you can count. What about your body are you especially thankful for? 
3. What makes you a great friend? A great partner? A great person? 
4. Which characteristics of yours (they don’t have to be physical) are you grateful for? 
5. How will you honor yourself today? 

Family & Friends

1. Who in your life has acted as a mentor to you? Why do you look up to them? Why are you grateful for them? 
2. Who was somebody who fundamentally shaped your childhood or your development as a child? What would you thank them for if you could today? 
3.  How can you show your loved ones gratitude this season? And every day? 
4. Who is your best friend? Why are you grateful to have them in your life? 
5. Who in your life makes you laugh until you cry? What makes them such a pleasure to be around?

Hobbies & Rituals

1. What do you do in your daily life that brings you joy? 
2. Describe a ritual that brings you comfort.
3. Write about your favorite meal. Describe the sensations, the flavors, the aromas, the memories it invokes. 
4. Think of a new experience you’ve had recently — one that you may have previously been wary of. How did stretching your boundaries serve you? 
5. Do you feel best in the mornings or in the evenings? Why? What about those periods of the day make you feel grateful to be alive?

Lifestyle 

1. Why are you fortunate? 
2. How does your living space serve your needs?
3. What does your perfect day look like? When do you get to experience a perfect day?
4. What are your simple pleasures?
5. How can you activate a growth mindset in the coming days, weeks, months, years? How can you honor the growth you’ve already gone through?

Cecilia Seiter

Cecilia is a freelance writer and contributor to Slow North. She writes largely about sustainability, especially as it applies to beauty, wellness, and the future of technology. She is a graduate of the journalism department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and is based in Oakland , CA.