Gratitude Journal

Gratitude Journal is the first application from Happy Tapper, a company started by designer Carla Kay White. White wrote a book, Inside Secrets to an iPhone App, about her experiences designing the app, and sells it on her website. In her bio, she writes:

"Wanting to share the power of gratitude and visioning with everyone, I created the iPhone apps, Gratitude Journal and Vision Board. If there’s one thing you learn from visiting my site, please know this. Give thanks and give back. Practice these two acts daily and you will find abundance, peace and purpose."

Especially in these tough economic times, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the demands on our lives, and easy to feel that things aren't going to get better. It's important to stop and realize that no matter how bad things may be in certain parts of our lives, we can always think of something to be grateful for.

I've started gratitude journals in the past, but never kept them up for more than a day or two. This is different--I have the iPhone with me constantly, and I keep it charging on my nightstand while I sleep. The last thing I do at night before I turn out the light is pick up the iPhone and open up the Gratitude Journal. Sometimes it's easy to write 5 things that I'm grateful for, and sometimes it's a stretch to think of 5. They're usually not earthshaking things, but things like being able to sleep with the windows open, having a good dinner with a friend, or enjoying the dogs at work.

By prompting ourselves to remember the good things that happen to us, no matter how small, we open ourselves to the possibility of more joy in our lives, or at least that's the theory. I do find that I have more and more 5 star days, and that makes me happy.

     

Gratitude Journal has several background themes to choose from, each of which gives you a different "bullet" icon (in this case, a tiny cloud). You write down as many entries as you feel like (the general rule is to write at least five), rate your day from 1 to 5 stars, and, if you wish, choose a photograph from your photo library to represent your day. That's probably my favorite part!

I don't remember to write in my gratitude journal every night, but most nights I do, and I find it a very comforting and helpful ritual. It helps that the application is beautiful, and a joy to use.

Gratitude Journal [iTunes, $.99]