Growing up, journaling was always something that I enjoyed. Whether it be documenting what happened during the day, or even writing a little poem that popped into my head, I have been journaling ever since I could write.
Sadly, as I got older and life got more hectic with college, jobs, and other priorities, my love for journaling slowly faded. Last summer after coming across a “Five Minute Journal” in an Urban Outfitters, it all clicked for me again.
This was the perfect way to get back into doing what I love while maintaining my busy schedule. The whole idea behind this journal is to start your morning on a positive note, and end on one too, without taking more than five minutes of your day.
According to their website “The Five Minute Journal is your secret weapon to focus on the good in your life, become more mindful, and live with intention.” Overall, self-reflection and positivity are vital in living your best life, especially as a college student.
It can be so hard to always see the positive sides of things. Maybe you failed a test you studied extra hard for, or you missed the bus and had to wait in the rain for 30 minutes until the next one. It’s so easy to let these little moments control our thoughts, so we go to bed thinking that we had the shittiest day. The Five Minute Journal challenges that.
Say every possible thing is going wrong during your day. When you finally come home and it’s time for bed, you pull out your journal to write three amazing things that happened during the day. Suddenly, you are forced to think of the positive things that happened instead.
Basically, the journal is divided into two sections: morning and night. In the morning, you write three things you are thankful for, three things that would make the day great, and finally, a daily affirmation.
In the night time section, you first write three amazing things that happened throughout the day as I mentioned above, then finally, you write how you could have made your day even better.
At the top of each page, the journal even gives you either a daily quote or a weekly challenge. The challenges can be anything from texting a friend how much they mean to you, to cooking a homemade meal for someone you love. These challenges are great for pushing you out of your comfort zone, so you are more inclined to do good throughout your day and throughout the week.
When I say that this journal changed my life, I truly mean it. Even though it might seem stupid to write three things you are thankful for each morning, give it a try and see if your attitude towards others and the world changes.
If you don’t want to spend money on the journal, start your own journal with any notebook you have lying around. Try writing out some of the things I mentioned above, each morning and night.
If you have never tried journaling before, this is an amazing place to start. I am so happy to say that it even helped me fall in love with journaling all over again. Self-reflection doesn’t have to be so intimidating and time-consuming. All you need is a pen and five short minutes to make a huge difference in not only your day, but your life.
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Cover Photo (Author’s Own)