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Practicing gratitude is associated with enhanced physical and mental well-being. This article provides an overview of the benefits of using gratitude jar worksheets and examples of the gratitude jar activity to suggest to clients.
We’ve included a free downloadable gratitude jar PDF that you can save to your electronic health record (EHR) and use in your practice.
What is the gratitude jar activity?
The practice of gratitude involves appreciating what is valuable or meaningful, or cultivating a general state of thankfulness, about others or things for which you are grateful.
Having a daily gratitude practice, for as little as 15 minutes a day, is associated with several benefits, including:
Greater life satisfaction
Increased feelings of happiness
Improved mood
Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety
Stress relief
Improved sleep
Lasting change in perspective
Improved physical health and well-being
Enhanced cardiovascular health
There are several ways to practice gratitude, including gratitude meditation, using a gratitude journal, expressing appreciation to others, and creating a gratitude jar.
The gratitude jar activity is a simple yet powerful exercise that involves writing notes of gratitude and placing them in a jar. You can get creative with the jar, such as decorating it with paint, craft supplies, or making any other unique personal touches.
Gratitude jar instructions
Creating a gratitude jar practice is straightforward and can be adapted for individual clients or used as a family-based exercise.
When introducing the gratitude jar activity to clients, guide them through the following steps:
Select a container: Advise the client to choose a container, such as a glass jar, wooden box, or clear plastic bin. A transparent container works best, as it allows the client (or their family) to visually watch their collection of gratitude notes grow over time.
Gather craft supplies: Encourage the client to collect decorating materials like ribbons, stickers, paint, or collage items to personalize their container.
Decorate the jar: Suggest using the decoration process as a creative mindfulness exercise to help the client build ownership and investment in the practice.
Prepare gratitude slips: Recommend keeping a stack of sticky notes, small paper slips, or notebook paper near the jar alongside a pen.
Establish a gratitude ritual: Help the client pick a consistent routine that fits their lifestyle. Examples include:
Setting aside a few minutes each evening to reflect on a prompt, write a note, and drop it in the jar.
Encouraging family members to share one thing they are grateful for at the dinner table each night.
Setting a periodic schedule—such as monthly or seasonally—to empty the jar and review past notes together during session or at home.
Gratitude jar examples
Examples of gratitude jar activities include:
Themed gratitude jars for family, school, or relationships
Individual gratitude jars
Group-based gratitude jars, such as completing the gratitude activity with classmates every day
Weekly family-based gratitude activities where each family member shares three things they are grateful for that week
Gratitude jar prompts include:
Name three people you are grateful for.
List three things you were grateful to learn.
Describe something you appreciate about your body.
Write down two things you love about your life.
List something you appreciate about your parents.
Name something you have achieved that you are grateful for.
Describe things you appreciate about your friends.
What activities are you thankful for at school?
List three things you are grateful for at home.
What experiences have given you the most satisfaction and what did you appreciate most about them?
What is one thing you appreciate about an extended family member?
How to use the gratitude jar worksheet
You can download and use the gratitude jar worksheet in several ways:
Use the worksheet to explain the gratitude jar activity.
Provide the client with a printed copy of the worksheet that includes the gratitude jar instructions.
Ask the client to complete the gratitude jar activity between sessions and report their findings at their next therapy appointment.
Combine this worksheet with other positive psychology resources, such as our positive traits worksheet, gratitude letter template, and positive experiences worksheet.
Share the gratitude jar worksheet with coworkers.
Use this worksheet to provide training to interns or supervisees on the benefits of gratitude or different gratitude practices to suggest to clients.
Sources
Carleton College. (2020). Gratitude jar.
Cunha, L. F., Pellanda, L. C., & Reppold, C. T. (2019). Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: A randomized clinical trial.
Komase, Y., Watanabe, K., Hori, D., Nozawa, K., Hidaka, Y., et al. (2021). Effects of gratitude intervention on mental health and well-being among workers: A systematic review. Journal of Occupational Health.
UCLA Health. (2023). Health benefits of gratitude.
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