Have you ever wanted to slow down time? The days are precious and yet they tend to fly right by in our hurry and ever forward-looking attitudes.
Gratitude journaling is the best thing I’ve found to suspend the ever-moving clock and simultaneously quiet my mind. It’s an easy way to truly be in the moment.
While I know that God is with me in every moment and that everything I have is a gift from Him (down to the breath I am taking in this very moment), in the hubbub of daily living, it is easy to overlook these truths.
Taking a few minutes to acknowledge His gifts to me - to notice all He has given me and to say thank you - is an easy and beautiful way to reset my heart and mind.
Not sure exactly what you are supposed to do?
Here are seven steps to gratitude journaling (plus a bonus bit at the end):
Check your heart and adjust your posture. I like to think of gratitude journaling as a form of prayer. When I pause to remember that I want to go into this exercise as a form of prayer, rather than just another item on my to-do list, I go into it differently and also walk away from it with more.
Set a target. Challenge yourself to give thanks for a certain number of things or set a timer and see if you can keep your pen moving for the duration. If you push yourself to notice and give thanks for a bit longer than feels natural or comfortable, you might be surprised at the extra goodness you uncover.
Grab a pen and paper. A computer and keyboard work too, but they won’t force you to slow down in the same way a pen does.
Look around you. Notice what you see. This is often the easiest way to start. As you move into your journaling, you can give thanks for more abstract things. Starting with what is immediately around you is a great way to get your pen moving.
Write it down. The smallest thing. The biggest thing. Anything. When you stop to think about it, every single bit of your world is a gift from your Creator and worthy of both notice and thanks.
Be specific. Thank God for the way your dog likes to rest on the floor right at your feet. Thank Him for the grass that will return to green in spring, for the neighbor who stopped to say “hello” on their walk, for food in your cabinet and time to write.
Do it again tomorrow.
Extra bonus:
One of the beautiful things about intentionally taking the time to write out your gratitudes is how, even after one session, you’ve trained your mind to start looking for the blessings. Over time, seeing God’s gifts and His presence in your every moment becomes the default. You will have the gift of gratitude, the gift of time and the gift of experiencing Jesus with you and for you in your moments.
