Series 1 of 3
How to Change Your Mindset About Journaling
Most importantly, if you have ever wanted to start a journaling practice so you can really reap all these benefits others swear by, you have come to the right place. In this 3 post series, you are going to learn all about establishing a solid journaling routine. You will learn to take your practice to the next level to achieve the benefits you keep reading about on Pinterest and all of these mindfulness blogs!
Understanding the benefits of learning how to journal and mastering the basics is easy enough. There are about a million pins on Pinterest to help you get started. However, it becomes a game-changer when you decide to get serious and become consistent with your journaling practice. This requires taking steps to ensure you are adding journaling to your daily routine.
Why Should You Have a Journaling Routine?
In the beginning, the prospect of writing in a journal might seem simple, but to turn it into a habit, you will need to create an entire routine around it. The details of the routine are completely up to you, but it helps to first understand WHY you should kickstart your journaling routine.
Consistency
Consistency is Key. This goes for anything in your life, especially something you want to benefit the most from. If you have ever read about the benefits of journaling, it’s important to understand you aren’t going to see said benefits if you journal once a week or when you feel like it.
You Need to be Consistent. Schedule time every day to write in your journal. It will be best if you set up an area to do your journaling in and try to do it around the same time daily. This helps establish the pattern that it’s time to journal each day. The great thing is the more you do this, the more likely you will begin to see the benefits of establishing a regular routine.
Routine
The Routine Builds a Habit. Whenever you add something new into your routine, it can be difficult to turn into a habit at first. You are so used to your normal routine (and trust me, you have one), that adding in a new activity will take some practice and some getting used to.
Routines are good. They help you turn new tasks or practices into habits. This is why it’s so important to schedule using your journal as close to the same time of day as you can, whether it is when you wake up or after dinner. Sticking with this routine will help your practice become habitual. In time, you won’t even have to think about it.
Journaling is Amazing for Your Health. By having a routine, you encourage all those amazing journaling benefits. It helps with your clarity and mindset, relieves anxiety, helps with stress, and can even improve your overall physical health.
Change Your Mindset
Before you start working on your journaling routine, you may need to change your mindset. This means taking the idea of writing in a journal and really expanding on it. Ask yourself all the important questions, like why you want to journal, what you hope to get out of it, and what place it has in your life.
Here are some questions to ask yourself that will help you figure out what your expectations are for your journaling routine:
Why do you want to journal?
Are you sure you know what your purpose and reasoning is behind beginning a journaling routine? Write down a list of all the reasons why you want to journal. They can be anything from wanting to find more clarity in your life, to looking for a place to vent.
Just like your journal itself, you should not be judgmental of any of the things on your list. Likewise, you shouldn’t be afraid to admit to any of your reasons. If you are just curious what it can do for you, write that down! Make a list of every reason you have for creating a journaling routine.
Throughout this process, you might even discover some hidden inspirations for journaling that you had no idea were in the back of your mind. This alone can be a really therapeutic experience.
What benefits are you hoping to achieve?
Expanding more on the reasons for journaling, what are some of the benefits you want to get out of it? While the final list will be up to you, here are some different ways people often benefit by keeping a journal:
- Expressing thoughts and feelings, without judgment.
- Working through issues with someone in your life.
- Exploring your hidden passions.
- Working through difficult moments in your life.
- Setting and achieving goals.
- Understanding why you make the decisions you make.
- Reflecting on your life.
- Having a way to document your life, and keep those memories.
And so many more! There are so many wonderful benefits to writing in a journal. For example, wanting to finally achieve certain goals and figuring out why you are experiencing some particular event in your life.
What areas of your life need improving?
This is one routine that is going to help you in so many areas of your life, and most especially in areas where you want to make improvements. This will give you the motivation to keep it up.
What you will notice when you learn how to journal and first start your practice, is that after a few days, you will begin to lose some of that initial spark. You will need to continue finding inspiration. This is why this question is so important.
It allows you to see where in your life you feel you are lacking, and what you want to focus on when it comes to writing in your journal.
How does it fit into your routine?
One last question is to figure out where journaling will fit into your daily routine. Even if you don’t realize it, you have a certain routine right now. Your routine consists of the time you wake up, when you shower and get dressed, whether or not you eat breakfast before work, what you do at night to wind down before bed, etc. All of this is part of your routine.
With a journaling practice, you are adding writing in your journal to a part of your daily routine. This might be in the morning, during your lunch break at work, early afternoon while in carpool, or in the evening to reflect on your day.
Take the time to figure out how you want journaling to fit into your routine. Then schedule it into your day until it is a solid habit. Check out my digital planners on Esty and schedule out your journaling time like an appointment.
If you are ready to read the rest of this series here are the links for post 2 and post 3.
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Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM)
Behavior Change Specialist (NASM)
