4 Step Ultimate Gratitude Journal Guide, All You Need to Know

Are you a serial notebook abandoner who’s looking for motivation or you have always wanted to develop journaling as a habit but don’t know where to start from? Well, we've got you covered.

Here we bring to you some tips and ideas that might help accentuate your journaling experience.

What Is a Journal?

For those not familiar with the idea, journaling is a way of having conversations with oneself. It's relaxing, refreshing, and rejuvenating. It can help you sort your thoughts and lets you introspect various aspects of life to keep a track of your well-being.

Many a time, you would want to share things with someone but could not decide if it’s the right thing to do, in such situations journaling can help get whatever you need off your chest. It feels as if you are talking to a friend, when really, it's just you, by yourself. You talk to a notebook, as though it was a real person.

Your diary could be your thought dump. There is no one specific goal, it's the process that matters.

Start Small

Journaling is a great way to destress and keep a record of your life. However, starting one can be daunting. Don't force yourself to write every day, instead write whenever you feel inspired to write.

Journaling shouldn't be stressful or done out of compulsion. Nor does it need to be a minute-by-minute narration of all your daily activities, rather when starting, opt for something short and sweet. 

If you feel there is a lot to write, or feel overwhelmed at the thought of filling an entire page, start with a diary with small pages (line-a-day journals).

Don't be afraid of the blank page. If you can do it daily then nothing like it but, even if you cannot, try fixing days. You can also write a journal at the end of the week. 

There is no right or wrong way to journal as long as you are still writing. Journaling is more like a muscle, just as meditation, the more you do it the better you become.

Try to practice journaling at the same time every day. If you are a morning person you could journal early in the morning before you start your day, or, night owls might prefer writing before getting to bed. 

You can try both if you are just starting to see what works better for you, then pick a time and stick to it. Both plans work well because then journaling is less likely to be pushed by the rest of the day's busyness.

A nice notebook too can help. Your brain will start connecting that particular special notebook with the habit of journaling. 

Keep a dedicated notebook, do not start writing in whatever notebook you have, this makes it difficult to maintain a record. Start small and have low expectations, and the deeper writing will come naturally if you give yourself the time and the practice.

Make journaling a habit. Before you write, put on your favorite music at low volume, get a cup of coffee or tea, and snack. When you create pleasant associations around journaling you will want to do it more. 

Make space specifically for writing - like a table that gets plenty of natural light, and try making it as comfortable as possible.

Experimenting with Your Journal

Be open to change in your journal! One must not always have to write. You can also turn your diaries into visual experiences, it might even be easier to keep consistent entries this way. You can glue found objects or ephemera into the journal, or make expressive collages.

Try experimenting with things. Artists, for example, can draw a simple four-panel comic to remember something interesting that happened. You can decorate different pages with washi tape and stickers.

Commonplace books that were used by early philosophers, can also be used as a journal. Try copying your favorite quotes, poems, verse, or book passages inside whenever you feel that it's speaking to you in some way. 

When you flip through the pages later, you'll find amazing inspiration. It's like Pinterest but in a book! Journal can also be a hybrid of a planner, traditional journal, and scrapbook.

Another different way of journaling could be Digital Journaling. To many, it seems easier to type up your entries on a phone or a computer. However, we highly recommend using a paper journal. Writing on paper feels much more real and engaging than typing. Plus, it prompts you to slow down and carefully think while writing.

You could also experiment with writing letters in a journal. You can write a letter to your past self, now that you have more knowledge and awareness, or to your future self about anything you wish to accomplish or to anybody else you wish to write without letting them know. 

It's definitely more time-intensive, but can reveal some very interesting insights and may also help you heal and understand yourself better.

What do I write in my journal?

When thinking about what to write, an index of journal topics and prompts could be the list you need. You may use sticky notes to jot down prompts whenever you come across one and can elaborate on it later. 

What to write also depends on what kind of journal one wants to maintain, a
journal for expressing gratitude, seeking forgiveness or keeping a log of things, for deep thoughtful journaling, or occasional journaling, or just a freestyle journal. 

You can also use pocket-sized field notes to always have on hand and fill in whenever the mood strikes. The journal may also record brief updates around your hobbies.

Another strategy for keeping a track of prompts could be a journaling jar where you put all the prompts that you discover and write about ones that feel safer and comfortable.


Write for yourself

You don't need to stick to a decorative theme in your journal-if you tire of it halfway through, make a change! It's your journal. Conversely, if you want to decorate every page the same way (or not at all)-go for it - it's your journal.

Do it always for your mental peace, it should not be external at all. Write for yourself. Perfect journals are spread all over Pinterest and Instagram, but you shouldn't expect every page of your journal to be picture-perfect. 

It's much harder, to be honest in your journal when you're constantly thinking about sharing what you've written.

Write to keep your journal to yourself. If you do something that you don't like, you can use pretty paper to cover it up or just leave it in its messy imperfection. It's your piece of thought on that page and thus, it’s distinct and dazzling in its way.

Journaling is a personal experience hence, it is suggested that you find a way that works for you. It should be fun and relaxing, not a chore. Along with checking in with yourself daily, and clearing your thoughts, having this kind of sustained conversation with yourself can be very helpful in developing mindfulness.

However, while starting, you do not have to think about the long-term, just focus on developing that habit and see where it takes you.

Written by - Priyanshi Deolal

Edited by - Akanksha Sharma