How To Use A Gratitude Journal with all the best tips and tricks is an article I wrote to help everyone who is unfamiliar with it cultivate a new, healthy habit of gratitude journaling.
Or maybe you tried gratitude journaling in the past and gave up on it before you could reap the benefits, hopefully, this article will inspire you to pick up on it again.
In my previous two posts 26 Extreme Benefits Of Gratitude and 31 Scriptures On Gratitude, I explain the effects an attitude of gratitude can have on almost every area of our lives, as well as why I believed God created us to be grateful. I will share the link again at the end of this article if you want to read this article first.
What is gratitude journaling?
Gratitude journaling is writing down things you are grateful for down in a notebook/journal.
Some experts prefer handwriting above typing because they feel our brains get more stimulation by handwriting than by typing.
How to use a gratitude journal
Normally people start by listing the 3 to 8 most prominent gratitudes and work from there writing about them.
Like so many other things in life, there’s no reason to complicate this and make it more difficult than it really is.
It can leave you discouraged before you even started and the core reason for us to do gratitude journaling is for enjoyment in our relationship with God.
There is not a right or a wrong way, you will grow and mature in it as the habit form and develop.
In most of the research I’ve done on an attitude of gratitude, the neuroscientists and psychologists said that to reap the benefits of gratitude journaling we must spend at least 3 minutes on it daily, while others feel 15 minutes per day at least three times per week might be sufficient.
Personally, I feel we as believers must develop a new mindset of gratitude, and use a gratitude journal until we are mature in it.
By writing, we can add detail to the thing we are grateful for, while when we neglect to do it a lot of detail can get lost.
The 8 Best Tips And Tricks On Gratitude Journaling:
1. Search For The Details
When we search and zoom in on the details it helps us to realize why our gratitude means so much to us.
2. Recognize The Gifts
Look at the things you are grateful for as gifts you receive from God, which helps us not to take everything for granted or think it’s our right to have it.
3. Search For The ‘Savoring’ & ‘Awe’ Moments
Psychologists use the term savoring which helps us to recognize, value, treasure, intensify, and extend our positive emotions, while intentionally focusing on positive emotions.
4. Write An ‘Essay’
Going into the details helps us go deeper into the reason for our gratitude, making it a reality and less shallow and superficial.
5. Personalize It
Personalize it by making it your own – this is your gratitude, your journey, not someone else’s, write down what matters to you.
6. Adjust The Angle On Repeats
Look at repeats from different angles, when you realize there is one aspect you keep revisiting and writing about, start to look at the gratitude from different angles.
This will also help you to evaluate it.
7. Cultivate A Habit For Gratitude Journaling
Form a habit of doing gratitude journaling regularly to reap the full benefits of it.
8. Use Bullet Points For Gratitude Journaling
Bullet Points is a method used to list your gratitudes, anything from between 3 and more.
Some experts don’t recommend using them in the long term as our gratitude main journaling method because our ‘savoring’ and ‘awe’ moments are not explored.
Personally, I do recommend doing it at least once a month to help you to get a fresh list of gratitudes and to later look at it for a recap.
7 Tips to help you not to give up on gratitude journaling when going through a difficult season in your life.
1. Identify the things you need to eliminate
Ask the Lord to show you if there is something in your life that cause you to stress, or make life difficult for you.
It can be anything from an appliance that needs to be thrown out or replaced to a person that’s hostile to you and nothing you did from your side in the past resolved this issue.
We can forgive, be pure in heart, and still remain wise.
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”
Matthew 10:16
2. Look for the silver lining
Learn to look for the silver lining in the dark clouds. We can be easily overwhelmed when going through a difficult time.
Use your time writing in your gratitude journal to help you to process this by looking for a positive in the negative. For example, my jeans are torn, but I can still wear them.
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
Philippians 4:8
3. Refuse Negative Thinking
Refuse negative thinking by taking every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
“casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2 Corinthians 10:-6
2 Corinthians 10:5-6
4. Remember your victories and testimonies
Remember God’s faithfulness to us in the past helps us to stay hopeful and to trust God in the waiting season.
“I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.”
Psalm 77:11
5. Treasure God’s Promises
When we treasure the promises God gives us we are walking by faith and not by what we see.
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
2 Corinthians 1:20
6. Solutions From God’s Word
The Bible is a beautiful treasure chest of wisdom and solutions. Ask God to give you Scriptures that you can relate to giving you advice and a solution.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
7. Count Your Blessings
Listing the things we have to be grateful for can boost our moods. Gratitude lists are especially beneficial if you are using the essay method of journaling.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
It is my prayer you were blessed by this article, and if you are not already using a gratitude journal be inspired to do so.
Please share this article on social media to empower others with these truths on Gratitude Journaling.
If there is anything you would add to this article please tell us in the comments below.
Everything in Him, unto Him, and to glorify His holy Name!
