A book review of the Ultimate Gratitude Journal: A Practical Neuroscience Approach to Rewiring Your Brain to Be Healthier and Happier by Dr. Suzanne Henwood and Sarah Carruthers
Stars: ****
Luminosity Project Publications (2022)
Neuroscience
208 pages
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links.
Summary: Our brains have an in-built negativity bias: designed not to make us happy, but to help us survive. But by focusing on what’s wrong, and keeping us safe, it can lead us to feeling stressed, worried, fearful, sad… even though there are lots of positive things going on in our lives. In effect, the brain is like Velcro for negative experiences, but Teflon for positive ones. The good news is that we can interrupt our negativity bias and re-wire our brains to be healthier and happier.
Intentionally cultivating gratitude on a daily basis, activates the pro-social circuits in our brains, and re-wires the neural pathways, as well as a whole host of other benefits including; better emotional regulation, improved relationships, energy, sleep, empathy, altruism, self-esteem, productivity, resilience. And fewer symptoms of illness including depression and anxiety. But most gratitude practices (e.g. listing things you might be grateful for) are too simplistic and don’t actually lead to positive benefits or changes in brain circuitry.
This journal teaches the most potent gratitude practice, based on the latest neuroscientific research into gratitude. It combines stimulating the autonomic nervous system into a state of calm alertness; enhancing the practice, storytelling; and taking in the good, which together create a neurochemical signature that releases dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin (the feel good chemicals). Its simple structured format is designed to rewire and tilt the brain towards the benefits associated with the pro-social circuits, enabling more effective interactions with ourselves and others, so that they become our default way of thinking.
The Ultimate Gratitude Journal
This is not your ordinary gratitude journal. You don’t just make a list of what your grateful for and that’s it. It’s a lot more involved than that but the rewards from it could be greater.
First is the introduction and some other parts where you see where you are at and come up with desired outcomes. The main part of the book is a 100 pages for daily journaling. One page a day. On each page there are prompts and spaces to write. Things such as “I can choose to focus on” and “I can express my gratitude by” and of course “Things I feel truly grateful for” and WHY. So many times we think about what we are thankful for but not why.
Throughout the book are quotes and suggestions to help you along. There are poems too and bonus activities every few days. All of these are designed to help you make gratitude a habit.
It’s so beautiful with colour throughout the book. It would make a great gift to yourself or to a loved one.
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