How to Gratitude Journal & More

What to start journalling these four techniques could help.

Eugene Shanets

Growing up in the 80s, I was addicted to The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole; this book made me start journalling. Although I wasn't that mature then, I kept a diary rather than calling it journalling. 

As I have grown, so has my journalling practice. It has changed as I needed it to. We need different things from our diaries at different points in our lives.

Now, I use my journalling for mental health improvement, self-development and as a reminder of the beautiful life I have with my kids. It is also fantastic to finish a day with reflection and gratitude. For this reason, most of my journalling is done with paper and pen. 

Therapeutic Journalling 

This is the only form of journalling I do that doesn't have to be done daily. I use this when I need it to clear my mind. It stops the problems revolving around my head until I explode. 

The process of therapeutic journalling is very structured. The first point is to ensure that you can do this for four to five consecutive days for a minimum of fifteen minutes daily. 

You should pick one topic you want to write about; recently, this has been a health scare for me. For this one topic, I write continuously a flow of consciousness for fifteen minutes. I don't edit or worry about spelling; I just write. 

Once I have completed this, I take five minutes to review what I have written about. Over the past few days, I have dealt with the issue and written a solution for myself. 

There are a couple of factors to consider when embarking on this form of journaling. First, you must carry out this type of reflection somewhere private and keep what you have written private. 

If you can not write about the topic you need to deal with when you sit down, it may not be the correct time. Give it time and try again at a later date. 

One Line a Day 

This is one of my favourite journals and takes me a minute or two daily to complete. I have a specialist five-year diary to complete this; a simple notebook is enough.

The premise is simple: every day, I write one sentence about the highlight of my day. That is it. As I go through the years, I will have other entries to reflect on for that day. 

I try to keep these relevant for the subsequent years, so keep them to achievements, things my family have done or funny events. Something I will be interested in learning about one to four years after the event. 

If you adopt this method of journalling, you are in good company. Charles Darwin kept a one-line diary that recorded his life from 1838 to 1888. He generally noted professional events on the left-hand page and personal notes on the right. 

Review Frame 

This is the newest form of journalling I have adopted, and I am immensely enjoying the creative side. Take a notebook and divide it into four sections. 

Section one is for seven things you did during the day. Section two is for seven things you saw. The third section is for a drawing, no matter how bad you are, and the last section is for a quote you heard. 

With the quote section, I do not keep this to just quotes I have read but include funny things my children say to me or hear while at work. 

The second section for things I have seen also helps me with ideas for stories and articles. 

Gratitude

Many famous people have adopted gratitude journals throughout the years. This is the form of journalling which has had the most significant impact on my mental health. 

Every evening, I write three things I am grateful for. This can be simple, like a hug from my kids, or more in-depth, such as a clear test result. 

The power is not in what you write here but when you review it. On those days when everything seems black, and you feel like the world is not for you, check back on your gratitude list and have a list of all the things you are grateful for in the world.

Slowly, as you practice this more, your overall mindset will change from someone who sees the negative to someone who sees the positive. If you adopt nothing else from this article, try this journalling form. I list three things a day. You may limit this to one, but the decision is yours.

Not Everything Works

These are the forms of journalling that have worked for me. There are others I have tried that I have not got on with. For example, I spent three months doing morning pages, made famous by Julia Cameron. It was the worst three months of my life and nearly put me off all forms of journalling. 

For me, that form of reflection did not work. For a start, I never have time in the morning with three kids to get ready for school. Some would say get up earlier, but I like my bed too much. I also found the three pages were too challenging to complete. When I did complete them, I got nothing from them. 

The only other form of journalling I use is bullet, which I use for tasks, productivity, and downloading my brain. I don't use it for tracking or long-term spreads; I use it in its purest form. I am unsure how I use it; it can be called journalling. 

Like me, do not be afraid to try these techniques and then let them go if they do not work for you. Tell me about your journalling process; what would you recommend we all try?