Journaling and gratitude, honestly rated
Both work — modestly, and in specific formats. Expressive writing (writing about difficult experiences, deeply, for 15–20 minutes over several days) has surprisingly durable support. Gratitude practices reliably produce small improvements in wellbeing. What neither does is transform your life in a week, whatever the app says.
Expressive writing — the one with real teeth
The classic protocol is oddly specific: write continuously for 15–20 minutes, for 3–4 consecutive days, about something that genuinely troubles you — not events, but feelings and meaning. Studies have reported benefits for mood and even physical health markers, though effects vary and not every study finds them.
The likely mechanism is not "venting." It appears to be meaning-making — turning a formless distressing mass into a narrative with structure, cause, and sequence. Notably, the people who improve most tend to show increasing use of insight and causal words across their sessions.
Writing about trauma can be upsetting in the short term, and for some people — particularly with significant trauma — it is better done with a therapist than alone at a kitchen table. If it leaves you distressed rather than clearer, stop, and speak to someone.
Gratitude — small, real, and oversold
The "three good things" practice (write down three things that went well and why) produces modest but repeatable improvements in wellbeing. It is free, it takes two minutes, and the effect is genuine — and it is not a treatment for depression, it does not fix your circumstances, and being told to be grateful when your life is genuinely hard can land as dismissal rather than help.
Worth doing. Not worth believing the hype about. A small, reliable gain is still a gain — you just deserve to know its actual size before you buy the £30 journal.
Keep going
More from the Workshop: all 14 pages · related: procrastination, neuroplasticity, mind techniques.
Frequently asked
Does journaling actually work?
Does a gratitude journal work?
Can journaling make you feel worse?
Sources & further reading
- Pennebaker & Beall (1986): writing about difficult experiences for 15–20 minutes over a few days was linked to fewer doctor visits and better wellbeing — though effects vary and depend on genuine engagement. Pennebaker expressive writing ↗
- A meta-analysis of 64 randomised trials found gratitude interventions produce real but modest improvements in mental health and mood — helpful as a complement, not a cure-all (Diniz et al., 2023). Gratitude meta-analysis, 2023 ↗
Educational content, not medical, psychological, or professional advice. Last reviewed July 2026.