Positive Journal Worksheet
GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
Worksheet published on January 15th, 2019
Worksheet updated on August 8th, 2022
Many people in therapy struggle to see their daily lives from a healthy perspective. It can be a challenge for people in therapy to remove the lens of negativity that causes them to feel anxious, depressed, or angry. While it is unrealistic to expect someone always to see things positively, it can help to balance negativity with positivity. This can be done by giving credit to the positive things in a day.
It can be difficult to appreciate the good when the balance between positive and negative leans toward the negative. Recognizing and giving credit to the positive can make a difference when learning how to manage negative thoughts and low moods.
About This Worksheet
This is the Positive Journal worksheet. The goal of this worksheet is to challenge the client to be more aware of the positive experiences of each day. With this challenge, the client is encouraged to identify positive parts of their day. This helps with creating a balance between positive and negative impressions of how each day goes.
With this worksheet, a client learns how to incorporate positive reflections into their routine. This will create a more positive attitude and healthier perspective on life. The practice can reduce symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety, and anger.
This worksheet can be used as a homework assignment for adolescents and adults. It is best utilized in individual counseling sessions. It can help people who suffer from low mood, irritability, and negative thoughts.
Instructions
This worksheet is intended to be used as a homework assignment that will be completed in between counseling sessions. Review the directions and the goal of the worksheet with your client. Instruct them to record 3 positive experiences a day for 7 days. This worksheet works best when practiced for at least 2 consecutive weeks.
Each day, the client is to reflect on their day and record at least 3 positive things that happened. The positive experience can be complex or simple, large or small, as long as it is positive. The positive reflection will help the client see the good experiences in a day. This will prevent them from focusing only on the negative. The result is a reduction in negative and anxious thoughts.
