30-Day Gratitude Challenge + Free Printable
Gratitude is a simple yet powerful act of appreciating the good things that can make a world of difference to even the most challenging day. A warm hug from a friend or the smell of fresh coffee in the morning may be tiny moments, but when we focus on them, they have the power to boost our mood! To help you cultivate this beautiful habit, I’ve put together a 30-day gratitude challenge.
Each day of the gratitude challenge comes with daily gratitude prompts designed to help you tap into the power of thankfulness. Plus there’s a free printable to help you follow along!
The Power Of Gratitude
Cultivating a grateful heart has far more benefits than most of us give it credit for. Aside from the obvious quick mood boost when we focus on those small moments we are grateful for, the benefits of gratitude go much deeper.
The practice of gratitude can lead to an all-round improvement in your mental health! Feeling thankful can lead to better sleep and improve your immunity from illness and disease. It can also lead to a decrease in anxiety, depression and chronic pain.
If that’s not reason enough to get on the gratitude train, I don’t know what is!
30-Day Gratitude Challenge
This 30 day gratefulness challenge is all about helping you make a conscious effort and build a habit of noticing those small moments in life that you may take for granted or overlook amidst the busyness of daily life. After all, the more you do something, the more likely it will become an automatic habit.
Most of these daily gratitude challenges are daily gratitude journal entries, but if journaling isn’t your thing, just take the time to think deeply about each of the daily prompts instead.
If you miss a day on the challenge, don’t worry! Jump back in the next day. Catch up if you like or just jump onto the next task. And make sure you grab the free printable too!
Day 1: Write About a Person You Are Thankful For
Let’s kick things off by focusing on the people who make our lives special. Think about someone who has had a positive impact on you—a friend, family member, or mentor. Write about why you’re thankful for them.
What qualities do they possess that you admire? How have they influenced your life? This exercise will make you feel grateful but also deepen your appreciation for the meaningful relationships in your life.
Day 2: Describe a Recent Blessing
Sometimes blessings come in small packages. Reflect on a recent blessing in your life. It could be anything from landing a new job to simply having a peaceful moment to yourself after a hectic week. Writing about these blessings helps you identify and appreciate the good things that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Day 3: Reflect on a Challenge That Taught You Something Valuable
Gratitude isn’t just about the good times; it’s also about appreciating the lessons learned from hardships. Write about a challenging experience and what it taught you. How did it shape you? What strengths did you discover within yourself? Finding gratitude in adversity can be incredibly empowering.
Day 4: List Five Things You Appreciate About Your Home
Our homes are our sanctuaries, and there’s so much to be thankful for within those walls. List five things you appreciate about your home. Maybe it’s the cozy couch you curl up on or the kitchen where you cook delicious meals.
Even if you’ve lived in your home for a long time or it doesn’t feel like your ‘perfect space’, this daily task can help you gain more appreciation for where you live.
Day 5: Write About a Memorable Trip or Vacation
Travel has a way of enriching our lives with unforgettable experiences. Write about a memorable trip or vacation. Where did you go? What made it special? Re-living these adventures through your writing can bring a delightful sense of nostalgia and gratitude.
Go a step further and flip through photos from your trip or share the moment with someone you travelled with, reminiscing together.
Day 6: Create A Gratitude Jar
Get a clean jar or any vessel that can hold pieces of paper. This can be a box. It can be a bag. Or even a little decorative bowl. This is now your gratitude jar. Kick-off by writing something you are grateful for onto a piece of paper, fold it up and add it to the jar.
Each time you feel a sense of gratitude, add it to your jar and watch it fill up.
Whenever you are finding it hard to find a grateful attitude towards your situation, pull out a couple of your slips of paper and read over the things that you’ve written. Instant mood boost!
Day 7: Reflect on a Kindness Someone Showed You
Acts of kindness, whether big or small, have a lasting impact. Write about a time when someone showed you kindness. How did it make you feel? Reflecting on these moments can inspire you to spread kindness yourself.
In fact, why not do exactly that today? Go do a random act of kindness for someone else. Pay for coffee for the person behind you in line or drop some baked goodies into your elderly neighbour.
Day 8: Write About a Happy Memory from Childhood
Childhood is often filled with moments of pure, unadulterated joy. Write about a happy memory from your childhood. What were you doing? Who were you with? Reliving these moments can fill you with warmth and help you focus on the good memories rather than just the challenging ones.
Day 9: Enjoy A Mindful Meal & Savour The Flavours
Food can be a source of immense joy. Plan a meal with a dish you love eating. Choose a quiet time, without distractions from electronic devices.
As you eat your meal, pay close attention to the different flavours and textures. Think about what you most love about this meal. Reflect on memories of sharing this meal with people you love. Use your different senses to be in the moment, rather than eating your meal on autopilot.
This exercise can remind you of the simple pleasures in life.
Day 10: List Five Tiny Things You Are Grateful For Right Now
Our daily routines can be full of hidden gems. List five things you’re grateful for in your daily routine or your current surroundings.
These should be small things that rarely get the acknowledgement they deserve. The warmth of your slippers. The softness of your pillow. The cute ornaments on your dresser. The way the sunshine comes through your bedroom window in winter. These small joys add up to create a happier, more fulfilling life.
Day 11: Write About a Piece of Advice That Helped You
Good advice can be a guiding light in our lives. Write about a piece of advice that has helped you. Who gave it to you? How did it impact your decisions or actions? This exercise can help you appreciate the wisdom shared by others.
It might also be a good reminder as to whether or not you’re still sticking to that advice nice or if it’s time to reassess certain areas of your life!
Day 12: Reflect on Something Beautiful You Saw Recently
Beauty is all around us if we take the time to notice. Reflect on something beautiful you saw recently. It could be a stunning sunset, a blooming flower, or a piece of art. Appreciating beauty can elevate your mood and bring a sense of wonder to your day. It also reminds us to look up and around us.
If you enjoy going for a walk or run, with headphones in and phone in hand, this is your reminder to leave them at home next time and enjoy your surroundings.
Day 13: Write About a Goal You Have Achieved
Achieving goals, no matter how big or small, is always worth celebrating. Write about a goal you’ve achieved and how it made you feel. Reflecting on your accomplishments can boost your confidence and remind you of your capabilities.
Day 14: List Three Things You Love About Your Current Life
Take a moment to appreciate where you are right now. List three things you love about your current life. It could be your job, your relationships, or simply the fact that you’re pursuing your passions. Focusing on the present can bring a deep sense of contentment and remind you that you are making progress – forward is still forward!
Day 15: Reflect on a Time You Felt Truly Supported
Support from others can be a lifeline during tough times. Write about a time when you felt truly supported. Who was there for you? How did their support help you? This exercise can deepen your gratitude for the people who stand by you.
It can also help you identify the type of support that is most effective for you when you are struggling. This can be good to know when future hard times arise.
Day 16: Describe a Talent or Skill You Are Thankful For
We all have unique talents and skills that make us who we are. Write about a talent or skill you’re thankful for. How has it enriched your life? Identifying your abilities can boost your self-esteem and appreciation for your unique gifts.
Day 17: Write About a Meaningful Gift You Received
Gifts that come from the heart hold a special place in our lives. Write about a meaningful gift you received. What made it special? How did it make you feel? This exercise can rekindle feelings of gratitude and connection.
Day 18: Reflect on an Experience That Made You Stronger
Life’s challenges often make us stronger and more resilient. Reflect on an experience that made you stronger. How did it change you? What strengths did you discover? Appreciating these experiences can help you see the silver lining in tough situations.
It also reminds us that we are stronger than we realise and capable of much more than we give ourselves credit for.
Day 19: List Three Things You’re Looking Forward To
Anticipation can be a source of joy and excitement – sometimes the best kind! List three things you’re looking forward to. It could be an upcoming event, a project you’re working on, or simply spending time with loved ones. Having something to look forward to can brighten your outlook.
Day 20: Do A Kind Act For Someone Who You Are Grateful For
Random acts of kindness that happen to us tend to stay with us forever. So why not turn that gratitude around today and do a random act of kindness for someone else?
Send your mum flowers for always being your biggest cheerleader. Buy your work bestie lunch for always having your back. Give your partner a shoulder rub after a big day of work. Take your kids out for an after-school treat.
Day 21: Describe a Favourite Family Tradition
Family traditions create lasting memories and a sense of belonging. Write about a favourite family tradition. What makes it special? How does it bring your family together? Reflecting on these traditions can strengthen your sense of connection and belonging.
Day 22: Reflect on a Positive Change You Have Made
Personal growth is something to be proud of. Reflect on a positive change you’ve made in your life. What prompted this change? How has it improved your life? Taking note of your growth can boost your confidence and sense of accomplishment.
Day 23: Write About a Time When You Felt Proud of Yourself
Pride in oneself is a powerful feeling. Write about a time when you felt truly proud of yourself. What did you achieve? How did it make you feel? This exercise can help you appreciate your efforts and successes.
Day 24: List Five Things You Enjoy About Your Work
Work or school can be challenging, but there are always aspects to be grateful for. List five things you enjoy about your work or school. It could be the people, the environment, or the opportunities it provides. Focusing on these positives can improve your attitude and motivation, and it can help us on those days that are tough too.
Day 25: Treat Yourself
How good does it feel to treat yourself? Today that’s exactly what you’re going to do. Do something for yourself that gives you a quick boost and reminds you that you need to take care of yourself.
Take yourself out for your favourite meal, buy a cute outfit you’ve been eyeing off or take a full day to yourself to indulge in self-care and relaxation.
Day 26: Reflect on a Friendship That Means a Lot to You
Friends are the family we choose. Reflect on a friendship that means a lot to you. What makes this friendship special? How has it enriched your life? Appreciating your friends can deepen your connections and bring joy to your relationships.
Don’t just appreciate them though. Let them know! Pick up the phone and call. Send a gratitude email or tag them in a social media post sharing your love. Instant gratification for both of you when you know you’re making someone else happy too. Kind words have a lot of impact!
Day 27: Describe Something Unexpected That Made You Happy
Life is full of pleasant surprises. Describe something unexpected that made you happy. How did it catch you off guard? What was the outcome? This exercise can help you appreciate the spontaneity and unpredictability of life.
Day 28: Write About a Freedom You Are Grateful To Have
Things that we might take for granted aren’t always things that everyone else has in their life. Your normal might be a luxury for someone else. Even something as simple as being able to safely walk down the street could be seen as a luxury to someone who lives in an unsafe place. Your freedom to vote, your freedom to chase a career you love or marry for love.
Go as simple or as deep as you want on this one and consider what freedoms you are lucky to have.
Day 29: Share Your Gratitude With Someone
Thank someone for something you are grateful for, whether it be their neverending support and love that helps you navigate the hard moments in life, for their guidance at work or for something hyper-specific, like your neighbour who brings your bin in after the garage collection every week. (I have a neighbour who does this… we jokingly call him the bin fairy and appreciate the small act of kindness).
Day 30: Write Down Ways You Can Practice Gratitude In Future
You’ve completed the 30-day gratitude challenge aside from this one last task and this one is to encourage you to keep going with your gratitude practice. Daily gratitude is a powerful tool for a happier life. Today, make a plan for how you can continue practising gratitude after the challenge is over.
Start a daily gratitude journal and write 1-2 things each day you are grateful for. Adding to your gratitude jar where you drop in little notes of gratitude about things that you have experienced, ready to read when you need a mood boost in future.
Free Printable 30-Day Gratitude Challenge
You can get the free 30-day gratitude challenge printable to help you stay focused on this challenge! You will also get access to my free printable library where you will find heaps more challenges like this!
Completing the 30-day gratitude challenge is a big achievement and a powerful step toward a happier life. Embrace each day with an enthusiasm for life and all the little moments in it. There are far more positive things surrounding us than we often give ourselves credit for and this will help you seek those little things on a daily basis.
