The advantage of a journaling lies in its structure which in turn allows for reflection. It is a highly personalized task: a blend of creativity and purpose. This article gives you a solid foundation to understand the ways of effective journaling, brining improvement to many areas of life.
Identify your goals
Your thoughts often flow in a half-hazard manner, a journal fills a gap for your brain, allowing easy reflection. By following a specific style of journaling, you control the ideas that are put in words, molding your behavior in certain ways. For example, one type of journal could be about the food you consume: how it makes you feel, what you need to avoid, or what to try next. By writing this type of journal, you may find yourself controlling the food that enters your body, a direct effect on behavior. Another type of journal is an exercise journal, tracking your activity goals and critiquing areas of improvement. There is also the traditional journal that formulizes thoughts. The beauty of journaling lies in its mutability. New and exciting methods of journaling often come into being (take bullet journaling for example). It is in your best interest to pick an established journaling style and stick to it until you gain more experience.
Answer prompts
Beginners often find themselves at a loss on how to start and continue journaling. What exactly do you write about? Is there such thing as too much information? The best way to ease into journaling lies in using prompts that direct your thoughts. Once you learn how to formulate these thoughts consistently you may use prompts less. Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to use outside sources as it gives your writing a different perspective.
Some prompts to help get you started:
What are three new things you were glad to experience today?
What is one thing I want to improve tomorrow?
How do I accomplish “X” goal? Who can I call upon for help to get me started?
Read over old entries
One mistake that many people continue to make is neglecting old entries. There is much wisdom to learn from knowing the past. The same principle applies here. Reading old entries helps you track your progress that may not be readily apparent to your present self. While it is important to constantly improve yourself, it is also wise to be grateful for the journey. The next time you find yourself discouraged after not accomplishing a goal, appreciate a time that you did and how it made you feel. It also helps keep your long-term goals clear by allowing you to identify what you have accomplished and what is left to do. Many find it hard to keep track of all their goals or just don’t know where to begin. At times like these, it is valuable to form an outline that kickstarts your motivation. Finally, you may face similar situations in the future and reading over old entries allows you to identify methods to overcome your obstacles.
Be consistent
Like all habits, it takes time to get the best value from journaling. Soon you will find your behavior, trends, gains, and losses to be laid in front of you. To get to this point you must adopt an important perspective. Namely, it should not feel like an obligation. Enjoy the process of unwinding your thoughts onto paper and write each sentence with consciousness. By not seeing it as a chore, you will find yourself not hating the time and effort required to write. If you still cannot be convinced to write, take into consideration the environment you are in. For example, instead of sitting at your desk with the overhead lights on blast, opt for desk lamp and a warm beverage for a cozy setting. Also keep in mind that you may not follow this task every day. If you do not feel up for it, go ahead and skip a day or two. However, do not make the mistake of not writing for fear of the day being to “boring.” Instead appreciate these days and chase after even the smallest of victories.