A really great form of self-care that I recently started to embrace is journaling.
Writing your thoughts out on paper is a wonderful way to clear your mind or organize your thoughts. And I’m not talking about “Dear Diary, Today I went grocery shopping….” Writing down your feelings or words with real substance is more along the lines of what I consider journaling. I’ve recently joined a blogger group where our coach gave us the task of journaling every morning about what we are grateful for. It could be anything, but starting the morning on a positive note sets the mood for the rest of your day.
I’m all about positive quotes as well. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that every morning I post a quote. It could be inspirational, motivational or just sometimes a super sarcastic humorous quote. If you’re not into journaling or expressing your feelings- try writing down a quote everyday in a journal. Yes, actually write it using a pen & paper. Sometimes you need to just put the technology down & go old school. Physically writing things down helps me process information better & honestly sometimes you just need a break from always being on your phone! I carry around a journal/notebook with me at all times- you never know when a great idea will pop into your head. Write it down so you don’t forget!!
Also journaling at night can be pretty useful. Ever have trouble going to sleep because you have so many thoughts running through your head? Well write them down. Keep a notebook in your nightstand & just jot down all your random thoughts before you go to sleep. I guarantee this will help you feel less scatter brained & sleep better.
So, you want to journal….but now you’re stuck with what to write about?
Well like I said, I typically like to start my day with listing what I’m grateful for (try writing 5-10 things down). I also just started writing down daily affirmations. Just one thought or one sentence that will inspire you for the day. For example- “Today I will be patient” or “I will not compare myself to others today.” This daily affirmation can be about anything. And look back on that affirmation multiple times a day as a reminder. I sometimes even like to repeat the affirmation out loud to myself.
I also use my journal to keep track of my daily, weekly, monthly manifestations. This goes hand in hand with the concept of vision boarding. Your vision board is basically a visual representation of goals or affirmations you want for your future life. Manifestations are statements or phrases basically outlining your desires for your future life. You are projecting on how you want your life to be in the future. For example- “Money flows to me easily & abundantly” or “I believe in myself & in my business wholeheartedly.” You need to put out into the Universe what you want for your future & already speak as if you live this life. Speaking things into existence is very real & something you should try to practice everyday!
Here are some prompts if you are feeling stuck about what you should journal about:
- What does your dream life look like?
- Top 10 Goals for the year
- If you could give advice to your younger self, what would you say?
- Name 10 things you love about yourself
- If you could go anywhere in the world- where would you go & why?
- What’s your dream job?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 10 years?
- Favorite ways to practice self-care. Am I actually putting these into practice?
- Ways to de-stress
- Favorite pieces of advice
