I have been journaling on and off (mostly on) for the past 2 years now. Building this habit has been an incredible journey.
Why did I start journaling?
Covid happened, mental health went out of the window, and journaling kept me sane.
How did I make this habit stick?
Fixing a time - I don’t journal at night, evenings, or even late mornings. If it doesn’t happen early morning, it doesn’t happen. Period.
What is the impact?
a) Self-awareness & Realization - I can’t overstate the importance of this. Journaling makes you reflect as nothing else does. You step away from yourself and look at yourself from a third person’s point of view. Humans are self-centered and full of themselves. This ability to reflect and become self-aware is very precious.
b) Gratitude - I force myself to write three things I am grateful for. It can be painful at times but doing this every day makes you realize how lucky you are to have what you have. Also, it makes some bullshit excuses go away.
c) Improved my writing - Over a period of time, my writing improved, and my ability to think clearly improved.
Others - Helped me course correct, helped me solidify my learning from the day, helped me become proactive, and get out of the autopilot mode (which is the default for us).
The myth
Journaling won’t change your life in 1 month or even a year. Even after 2 years of doing this, I don’t feel it has been “life-changing.”
However, it has helped me sharpen my axe and improved many other aspects of life, because of which I am a better person today than I was 2 years back.
How do I start?
a) Don’t worry about the tool/s - Start with a pen and paper if you’d like
b) Stick to a time - Early mornings (just after waking up) or nights (before going to sleep) are the best
c) You will miss days. It is okay. Start again
That’s it for today. Have a focused week ahead, and see you next Sunday!