What is journaling and how can it help you discover your purpose in life?
Here is a link to this episode’s show notes.
Last week we talked about how I found my purpose in life and how you can too, therefore this week we will discuss journaling as a method to starting your journey to discovering your purpose in life. Journaling is a written record of your thoughts, feelings and experiences from a moment in time. Journaling is a tool to help you reflect, analyze and work through any concerns or issues you may be having. It allows for self-reflection in all aspects of your life. In addition, it creates space for you to logically break down your worries into bite sized pieces which makes it much easier for you to manage and absorb.
Most importantly, journaling is a way to connect with yourself deeper.
Connecting with yourself is a critical step in identifying, understanding and living your purpose in life. You have to discover the barriers and roadblocks you have in your body, mind and spirit that has prevented you from living as your authentic self.
Journaling is a great way to take the thoughts and feelings that keep you up at night and write them down on paper. Additionally it is a cathartic experience to write freely without judgment and without fear of others. Its benefits are undeniable and unique to each and everyone one of us.
WARNING: Journaling will be hard work and will bring about feelings that are not so great but it is important to address these feelings and work through them if we are to truly heal from our past traumas and experiences. You will thank yourself later for the trouble.
My journaling tool to help get you started
When you subscribe to my monthly newsletter on this website, you will get access to a free journaling tool that will help you get started on your journey. I highly recommend you subscribe and start exploring this tool. If you have any trouble accessing the tool after subscribing, please send me a note at info@howdidyoulearntodothat.com
Journaling will help you achieve your goals, manage stress and anxiety and allows you to detach your ego from the issue, which is a key tip in helping to work through the issue and identifying solutions. You will be provided with a way to understand your feelings and thoughts once it is written down. It is also very interesting to reflect back to how you felt a year ago, or a few months ago and see how far you have come. Therefore, Let’s get started today!
Tips for journaling
- Start today!
- Use a pen and paper
- Start simple
- Journal either first thing or last thing of the day
- Journal every single day
- Keep it private
These are some of the key tips to get you started and help sustain the practice into a natural habit. However, there are many more detailed tips in the journaling tool.
Types of journals
- Bullet Journals – great for to do’s, goal tracking and doodling.
- This type of journal is free-flowing and unstructured so it is a great way to freely get your thoughts and feelings down on paper in a creative way!
- Vision Journals – vision boarding on paper, goal based.
- Take your vision board onto paper and allow this journal to lead you to your vision.
- Line a day – one line, that’s it! Every single day.
- A single line about your day, a goal, an event that happened that day. Simple and easy!
- Classic – traditional journal style.
- A classic journal allowing you to freely write your thoughts on lined paper.
- Dream – document what you dreamt that night!
- Documenting your dreams is a great way to track your thoughts when you are sleeping and see if it relates to you.
- Food – remember all your favourite foods, recipes and restaurants.
- We all love to eat so why not write about your favourite dishes, keep recipes and a list of restaurants.
- Travel – plan, travel and keep memories.
- We spend a lot of time planning for our trips, short or long, close or distant. Why not keep a journal of your trips!
- Gratitude – dig deep for all that you have to be grateful for.
- 2-3 new things, people, places or anything that you are grateful for. This is my favourite type!
Gratitude Journaling
Gratitude journaling is one of my favourite types of journaling. It allows us to reflect on our lives and see all that we have to be grateful for. Not only does this type of journaling makes us feel happier but there is some science behind its benefits. It can help increase mental dexterity which helps us to find positive ways to manage challenges we face in our lives. You tend to feel less aggression, become more empathetic, gain more restful sleep, become more productive in your day and generally feel better. A month of gratitude journaling daily has the ability to create space for your to understand, respect and appreciate all that you have. You can follow a gratitude journal template or simply write in your favourite journal 3-5 things you are grateful for everyday.
My favourite journals
The Daily Greatness Journal is an all-encompassing journal and planner. It is an annual journal with check ins every 90 days. It is a highly guided journal and it does take a bit of time to set up as you will need to determine your goals and intentions for each area of your life.
This is the journal that I have been using for the past few months, I am still in the set up phase as I have put a lot of time and focus on determining my goals and intentions before getting into the shorter daily journaling entries. I would highly recommend this one if you want to start journaling but need some help in determining where to start and also looking to identify your purpose in life.
Good days start with Gratitude Journal
This gratitude journal is an annual journal focused on writing down 3 things you are grateful for everyday. It is simple, motivating and has a beautiful cover. It is so simple and easy to help get you started with your journaling journey.
My husband and I actually purchased a copy each we plan to start journaling every morning together before we both start work and our daughter wakes up! I also just love how the cover feels!
Bullet journals are popular as it allows you to be creative and use various stickers, pens, felts, stencils and more to creatively journal. There are tons of blogs and videos illustrating how you can set up your bullet journal.
I personally have never used a bullet journal but I know of friends who have had great success with it, so I thought I would include one here for you!
I love spiral bound journals for when I want to write freely, without a template or plan. A beautiful cover is an added bonus or a quote the resonates with me. I enjoy using every page and corner when I write freely so spiral bound journals allow me to do that.
The key to journaling is to find the journal, the type of journaling, the pen, the space and the time that works best for you. We are all unique and although there are many tips and tricks, always listen to yourself and do what works for you. What allows you to dig deeper and get closer to your purpose in life and encourages you to make journaling a habit.
My favourite pens!
These are my all time favourite pens and make journaling so enjoyable!
How did you learn to do that? Podcast
The How did you learn to do that? Podcast shares stories of people who have made small daily commitments that have changed their lives. It has helped them discover their purpose, increase their level of happiness and become a higher version of themselves. Investing in yourself has the ability to catalyze your life from ordinary to extraordinary. Join us weekly as we explore the stories and lives of those around us!
Join us weekly as we explore the stories and lives of those around us!
