In 2023, for Lent, I committed to journaling through the Ignatian Examen every day (using the book “Reimagining the Ignatian Examen” as a guide). I didn’t know it at the time, but this prayer practice would begin a deepening transformation of my heart and my mind, complete with an overhaul of my spirituality!
What’s the Examen?
The Ignatian Examen is a simple and powerful prayer practice that helps us become more aware of God’s presence in daily life – and it can help us cultivate a Christ-centered mindset!
In short, the Examen is a prayer method developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola that invites us to reflect on our day, recognize where God was present, and realign our hearts with Him.
The Examen is different from an examination of conscience. An examination of conscience is important as a spiritual practice to help us recognize and repent of our sins. The Examen takes the longer view, recognizing not just failures, but also moments for gratitude and highlights of where God is present in our days.
By incorporating the Examen into your daily routine, you’ll begin to notice patterns in your thoughts and emotions, and develop a greater awareness of how God is working in your life.
Why the Examen?
It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life. In the Examen, we have an opportunity to press the pause button and “examine” (see what I did there?) where God is moving in our hearts and minds.
Instead of letting our worries, distractions, and to-do lists dominate our thoughts, we can take a few minutes each day to re-center on Christ, who is always present, already working, and thirsting for an encounter with us!
The Examen + Mindset Work
Here’s a simple five-step version of the Examen, along with journal prompts to help you deepen your reflection through mindset work.
1. Enter God’s Presence and Ask for Clarity
Begin by inviting the Holy Spirit into your reflection. Ask for clarity to see your day as God sees it. Pray for humility to receive your day as God sees it, not through the lens of self-doubt or discouragement.
— Journal Prompt: I begin by acknowledging the truth of who God is (Loving, Kind, Generous, In Control, All-Powerful, etc.). I honor you, God, by writing a little litany of adoration, filled with truths about your goodness. (Write to a particular person of the Trinity, or all three!)
2. Practice Gratitude and Shift Your Focus
Make a list of things you are grateful for (I find at least 10 things is a good challenge. If you’re thankful for people, specify what about them you are grateful for). This helps you review your day through a lens of abundance rather than lack. Notice moments where God blessed, strengthened, or comforted you – and be grateful.
— Journal Prompt: Where did I experience God’s goodness and generosity today, even in small or unexpected ways?
3. Notice God’s Presence in Your Day
Review the highlights of your day as though watching a movie recap. Be honest with God about your successes and failures. In this step, look into a moment when God’s presence seemed near.
Tell God about this moment in your own words. What thoughts, emotions, and actions were part of this experience?
— Journal Prompts: God, how are you calling me deeper into relationship with you? Show me your perspective on this moment.
4. Identify Areas Where You Need Grace
Now, choose a moment where you fell short of God’s calling. Recognizing these areas is not about shame but about running to the arms of a loving Father, and inviting His grace for transformation.
Consider your thoughts, emotions, and actions in this moment. Notice where the Enemy may have planted lies or seeds of doubt, fear, shame, or discord in your heart. Ask God for forgiveness and peace.
— Journal Prompt: Where did I fall for the lies of the Enemy? God, how does your truth speak life against these lies? What is keeping me from total surrender and trust in You? (Be honest with Him about where you’re at in this moment.)
5. Look Forward with a Renewed Mindset
Imagine what your tomorrow holds. What are your hopes, worries, and desires for tomorrow? Ask for the grace to approach the next day with faith, confidence, and trust in God’s plan.
— Journal Prompt: Which virtues will I need to succeed tomorrow? I ask for these as my “daily bread.” How will I choose differently tomorrow? What truth from today do I need to carry into my future?
Bonus Resource: The Journal
If you like this idea, and are looking for a pre-printed, workbook-style journal to guide you along the path, I’d recommend the Metanoia Catholic Journal. It’s very similar to the Examen, and helps you practice mindset work on a daily basis. It comes as a spiral-bound workbook and includes a guided prayer process for renouncing, repenting, and forgiving (yourself and/or others).
You can pick up a copy of the Journal here.
(I’m not commissioned and I don’t make any money off this hype. I just know that the Journal has been transformative to my heart, and I bet it will be good for you, too!)
Coaching + the Examen
As you pray through the Examen, if you’re like me, a bunch of thoughts will come up. It’s hard to discern God’s truth against some very heavy and very real-sounding lies (trust me, been there, done that).
Coaching is a great opportunity to bring these lies into the light and see them for what they truly are: weapons of the Enemy designed to keep us stuck and prevent us from reaching our fullest potential as saints-in-the-making.
If you’d like a sounding board that will resonate God’s truth to your heart, you can sign up for a 1:1 coaching session here.
I would LOVE to work with you!
Making the Examen a Daily Habit
Consider setting aside 15 minutes at the end of your day to pray the Examen. You can pray it before bed or even first thing in the morning before you start the next day. Either way, I’d recommend doing it on paper. Thoughts can be slippery, and writing them down brings clarity.
Over time, through faithfulness and grace, you’ll begin to notice God’s presence more and more in your life- and continue more purposefully aligning your thoughts, emotions, and actions with Christ.
May the Examen help you grow in gratitude, clarity, and trust in God’s providence and guidance!
Paschal Disciples 