Pockitude Gratitude Journal

Like so many people, I struggled with depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and a critical inner voice for many years. I can remember feeling anxious from a very early age. The smallest challenges, mishaps, or failures put me in a downward spiral of shame and self-deprecation. My entrenched inner critic never focused on the things I did right, and only served as a daily reminder of all the things I did wrong. It trained me to become a victim and a negative thinker. I never imagined this would change. 

Don’t get me wrong, lot’s of great things did happen for me, things I realize now, that kept me going. I married my best friend, I have two fantastic kids, great friends, but the voice within can be so damn cruel and indiscriminate.

People saw a happy extrovert who certainly didn’t shy away from attention at social gatherings. In truth, I was paralyzed by compulsive behaviors, a self-hating machine, and insecurity. I hit my spiritual and emotional rock bottom in December of 2014, and the idea of death during a violent, turbulent flight, seemed like a great solution. I spent the next several months wallowing in my own misery and letting my brutally negative inner gremlin take over my life. These were dark days, and then, I woke up.

I’m not sure what happened first. Maybe it was getting help for sleep, or when I began to meditate. I learned to breathe (properly). I learned about selfless giving. I learned about mindfulness. I embraced humility and vulnerability. I learned about changing my state in the moment. The most impactful change, however, I learned about starting a gratitude practice.

I began to recognize and celebrate the victories - big and small. I learned that fear is a condition of not seeing joy, not feeling grateful, and not remembering the reasons I should love life. I started to learn that I have a choice (I recognize that some of us do not). I learned to recognize and consciously push away that hateful critic, allowing the space for me to choose happiness.

Pockitudes was born at the peak of this enlightenment. I tried many of the popular gratitude journals but they were too structured, bulky, and laborious. So I created a prototype of what eventually became the Pockitudes journal. I crafted the journal based on my research, trial and months of practice. I wanted a little journal that I could carry with me everywhere so I could record my gratitude on the go. I added the prompts to help structure and guide my thinking. I also added a robust self-care checklist to remind me of the other tools to help maintain my mental health.

The key, for me, is to let this tiny act become a habit, a habit to be grateful and choose happiness. I found plenty of research out there, not only on the value of recording gratitudes, but on the act of handwriting them on paper. My outlook and my overall state of mind has literally transformed for the better. I feel awake and whole for the first time in my life. If you are like I was, I encourage you to try it. See for yourself the benefits. See for yourself the change in your attitude. See for yourself how you will begin to see the good in things, people, and places.

This little book alone won’t save you, but it can be the trailhead to one of the most beautiful hikes of your life. I know fear is here to stay, but today I have tools, and most importantly, I have a choice. Today, I dance with fear and I choose happiness. You need other tools on this hike and I encourage you to get a huge backpack and stuff it full.

Today, I’m on a mission to help normalize mental health by inspiring self-healing. For me, it takes a daily practice to remind myself of the joys and gifts of being alive. I truly hope that my journals can help serve as one of your many tools on your journey to mental well-being. 

Be kind to yourself,

Frederic Terral, Founder
 

Question: What is Gratitude?

Answer: The answer to the question “What is gratitude?” is seemingly simple — Merriam-Webster’s definition of gratitude is just “the state of being grateful.” But while we often think of gratitude as a basic emotion, it’s so much more. Gratitude is a choice we make every day. Practicing gratitude means to...Live in a way that nurtures the magic of any given moment. Live in a way that calls attention to connection with each other and our community. Live in a way that offers to leave something or someone better than how they were found. Live in a way that encourages compassion, not possession, hate, power or control. Live in a way that reminds you how lucky you are to wake up, to have friendships, to dance, to laugh, and cry, to hug, to eat cake or drink tea, to have a home or a job. Live in a way that keeps you humble, forgiving, present, and awake.

Question: What is a Gratitude Practice?

Answer: When we say “gratitude practice,” we’re simply referring to an approach to gratitude that is mindful and intentional. Rather than assuming your feelings of gratitude will always be available, or arrive naturally on their own, starting a gratitude practice puts you in the driver seat by intentionally inviting gratitude in. A gratitude practice helps you remember to pause and take note of the positive things you’re already experiencing in life. Keep reading for some simple tips for remembering and embracing gratitude every day.

Question: Why is Practicing Gratitude Important?

Answer: At a basic, human level, most of us understand that practicing gratitude is important. Honoring the world around us by giving thanks helps us become more empathetic participants in the lives of everything and everybody with which we engage. Even if we’re not very intentional about being grateful, we generally accept it as a positive, important part of functioning as a happy member of society.But beyond logic, practicing gratitude is actually shown to have astounding benefits for our minds and our bodies. Practicing gratitude actually can make us feel good, and improve our physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Robert Emmons, the world's leading scientific expert on gratitude, has studied over 1,000 people from all walks of life, and curated this list of gratitude’s benefits:

Physical Benefits of Gratitude: Stronger immune systems, Less bothered by aches and pains, Lower blood pressure, Exercise more and take better care of their health, Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking.

Psychological Benefits of Gratitude: Higher levels of positive emotions, More alert, alive, and awake, More joy and pleasure, More optimism and happiness.

Social Benefits of Gratitude: More helpful, generous, and compassionate, More forgiving, More outgoing, Feel less lonely and isolated.

Simply put, gratitude is an affirmation of all that’s good. But it plays a powerful role in transforming our health and lives. When we embrace gratitude as a living, breathing practice, it can change our lives in ways we never expected. We begin to see abundance everywhere, and in everything. What we have becomes plenty, what we are becomes enough, and what surrounds us becomes a living ceremony, worth paying attention to and honoring every minute we are alive. This is true gratitude and abundance, where our hearts and souls are filled just by the air we breathe, or the people we meet, the food we eat, the rising sun, and the body that carries us.

Question: What is the science behind Gratitude?

Answer: As with any emotion, the essence of gratitude is hard to capture. That’s why researchers have spent decades studying the science behind gratitude and quantifying its effects on our behavior. Research has shown that practicing and expressing gratitude can provide a wide range of powerful benefits, such as improving our life satisfaction, increasing our self-esteem, enhancing our optimism, deepening our relationships and even helping us sleep better.

Psychology researcher Sonya Lyumbomirsky, who has studied the causes of happiness, found that the intentional activities we participate in to improve our own wellbeing — such as practicing gratitude — account for nearly half (40%) of our happiness. The other factors include our own personalities and external circumstances.

Question: How do you start a Gratitude Journal?

Answer: Your gratitude practice will become even more powerful when you commit to physically writing down your thoughts. Your gratitude journal will serve as a record of your progress, helping to guide you forward as you identify thought patterns. What you discover may surprise you.The following steps will help you start your own daily gratitude journal: Choose a journal. Your journal should fit your lifestyle. That’s why Pockitudes journals were designed for practicing gratitude on-the-go, with different cover art styles to match your personality. These are perfect for beginners, guiding your journey toward gratitude with journaling prompts, self-care tips, inspirational quotes and blank pages for your thoughts to take freestyle form.

Set aside time for writing. Hold yourself accountable to a regular, consistent practice. Whether it’s five minutes every day, or half an hour per week, dedicating a certain amount of time to gratitude journaling is an easy way to integrate this healthy habit into your routine. Consider putting this time on your calendar and setting a reminder. Make a list of the things that bring you joy and why. Each day, start with a list of five things that bring you joy. Are they food, feelings, people or places? Elaborate on why you think you’re grateful for them and why they came to mind first.

Don’t just go through the motions here. This practice is meant to help you embody feelings of joy and pleasure, so be aware of how much authenticity and effort you’re putting in. Take note of the little moments that stick out — and how they make you feel.

Our days are full of more pleasant surprises than you think. Take time to acknowledge them. Check in with these regularly and consider the circumstances that led you to experience these moments.Stick with it. It takes at least a couple weeks to form a habit that sticks, so don’t despair if starting a gratitude journal doesn’t feel natural at first. On days when gratitude is hard to find, look back at your previous journal entries, and remind yourself of the abundance that has been present in your life before. Remember that you will find it again.

Question: Where can I buy Pockitudes?

Answer: Shop for more gratitude journals online at our website.