Growing up, I would always wish and wonder how I could be able to keep a track of all my thoughts, dreams, ambitions, happy and sad times. About a year ago, I stumbled across the art of journaling and instantly knew I wanted to do this.
As a private person, I have always struggled to share personal details with others. I often used to hide my feelings or suppress them inside, but when I started journaling, I had a very different perspective of looking at things. I was not only able to write about my true feelings but was also able to start accepting a few things about myself.
For today’s article, I’m going to list down a few spreads that have helped me a lot and I hope they will help you too!
1 . Discover yourself
Why does one often think so hard while writing or speaking something? If we could just express what we think, everything in life would be so much easier! The same goes with journaling, By keeping a journal, you can come across things that you hadn’t really thought of before. We are often so wrapped up with stress from daily life that we tend to neglect our emotions. Writing about them not only helps us identify why you keep feeling this way but also gives us a chance to reflect upon it.
2 . Write a week in review
At the beginning of the end of each week, I like to write all my plans for the week or just reflect on my week. It is a great way to keep a track of your mental health and is also a reflection of your progress. I also like to set an intention for each day. It can be anything as simple as a word, a goal, or even a mantra that you follow.
3 . Can’t Express it? Just Sketch it
Sometimes writing long essays about how you feel might be boring or might seem very overwhelming when you have so many things going on in your mind. By drawing a simple doodle or a mind-map of whatever is occupying your mind can be so relaxing and, who knows, you might also stumble upon a new creative way of writing a journal.
4 . Separate “Work” and “Personal” TO-DO lists
Apart from writing and expressing down my feelings, I also like to write about all the important things in my work and personal life. It does not always have to be “work” or “personal”, you can also try and make any side project lists or anything at all. The options are unlimited.
I find that TO-DO lists have helped me reduce my anxiety.
5 . Long term goals idea
Some people like to take things day by day but if you are the type of person who likes to think about the future then this is just perfect for you! Drawing up a 5-10 year plan with a few things that you would like to achieve is a great way to start a journal. You could also reflect on your life a year ago and see how you have changed or learned new things since then!
There are so many more ways to create your journal, don’t ever limit yourself to one, let your imagination and mind flow into it!
Happy Journaling!