I have depression. PTSD. Low self-esteem.

While many with mental illnesses turn to writing and journaling to cope, I personally hate gimmicky trends. Bullet journals look like they require more effort than what they’re worth. I tried a positivity planner last semester and it felt like a burden of extra homework.

In my therapy session on Tuesday, Feb. 12, I was tasked with writing down three good things that happened to me every day. Simultaneously, I decided to take on the challenge of writing a gratitude journal every day for a week. The two tasks seemed like a sign to give journaling another shot.

In the days leading up to the week, I didn’t know what would result from the tedious task of journaling what I was grateful for each day.

At first, it was difficult to identify what belongs on my gratitude list and what doesn’t. Common threads in my list were my access to food and a warm bed. Realizing that some people don’t know where their next meal will come from or where they’re going to rest their heads for the night can be difficult in New York City, a city that often requires a certain modicum of wealth. Food, clothing and shelter are often taken for granted, which helped me realize how much I really do appreciate having basic necessities in my life.

While I grew more appreciative of the simpler things, I was also worried that my life wasn’t glamorous enough to be mentioned in my journal, especially since this would be published for others to see and possibly critique. What do I have compared to the hordes of NYU students I see with designer clothes, envy-inducing job opportunities and social mobility?

However, rising above my anxiety, I found that the best things to be grateful for are the everyday things, with an outlook of appreciation making them seem less mundane. This practice helped me keep the subconscious feelings of wanting what other people have that eat away at me at bay.

While gratitude journaling was a difficult concept to grasp at first because of my initial disdain for self-care gimmicks, by the end of the week I found myself looking forward to writing down little pieces of my day. As NYU students, our lives are bound to get swept up in our endless responsibilities and teeming deadlines in the rat race of New York City, so taking a moment to be mindful of all of our gifts can be beneficial for all of us. It helped me identify things in my life that I can be thankful for, no matter how boring they may seem.

I’m going to make an effort to continue journaling, whether it be a long recount of my day or just a short list of three good things that happened to me. Gratitude journaling is a personal practice for myself in a world where everything has been turned into an elaborately public display with social media right at our fingertips. As someone who initially hated the idea, I now think it’s definitely worth a try. It’s a special feeling when you find something that grounds you in a place where so much emphasis is often placed on pricing what you have and labeling who you are.

Email Kylie Marsh at [email protected].