Are you ready to take your productivity and success to the next level? Well, get excited because I’ve got something special for you! Today, I’m presenting an article written by a friend, and lifestyle designer, Kimberly “Design” Love. She’ll share 10 different tips on journaling in a way that will guide you toward greater clarity, focus, and success in both your professional and personal endeavors. Now here’s Kimberly:
10 Ways to Journal to The Good Life
Are you wondering how to have “THE GOOD LIFE”? Here’s the thing, THE GOOD LIFE means something different to everyone you meet. The important thing is to figure out what THE GOOD LIFE means to you. When I am asked, how I found THE GOOD LIFE? I honestly believe it started with the simple act of journaling. I started journaling off and on back in the 90’s. I had several books that emphasized the practice of journaling, including “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron and “Simple Abundance” by Sarah Ban Breathnach. I also enjoyed reading about great people in history like Benjamin Franklin and Leonardo DaVinci. All of these pointed to the practice of journaling especially in the morning. As a mother of 5 children, back then, I had a very busy life and would often find myself journaling in the evening after my kids had gone to bed or just on weekends. What I have discovered over the years of journaling is that I feel better on days that I journal and that my life gradually began to transform.
In this post, I share “10 Ways to Journal” to The Good Life, a simple practice that can transform your life and business. Your first introduction to journaling may have been the countless hours you spent pining away in your diary during those awkward middle school days. Over the years, journaling has evolved and changed into much more than a simple diary – it’s become a tool for helps you organize your life, prioritize and set goals, reflect on and remember the past as well as envision the future of your dreams. No matter what your personality or creative style looks like, you can make journaling work for you – it’s not a one-size-fits-all all kind of habit.
With all the different styles and elements of journaling, it would seem easy to grab a pen, jump in, and start writing. However, because there are so many journaling routes you can go, it can be intimidating and easily discourage people from taking that first step. Don’t let that be you. Even if you’re a complete beginner, journaling doesn’t have to be scary – you simply have to know how to start. With a few helpful tips, you’ll be journaling like a pro in no time.
Here are 10 Ways to Journal to the Good Life so you can start turning that little notebook full of blank pages into big lifestyle changes.
1. Start Simple: When you first start out, it’s easy to be drawn into the Pinterest world of beautiful journaling layouts, creative artwork and calligraphy, leather-bound notebooks, expensive markers, and the “oh-so-cute,” must-have stickers on Etsy.
However, it’s important to be strong and remember not to feel compelled to go all in right at first. Keep it simple. Start with a cheap notebook (or sketchbook), a couple of pens, and about 10 – 30 minutes each day to practice writing. I like simple composition notebooks that you can get at the dollar store You’ll be able to experiment and find your journaling style without breaking the bank trying to fit in with everyone else’s journaling experience.
As you grow and learn, you can start to invest in the tools that will allow you to create a journal that perfectly expresses your creativity and unique personality. Just take baby steps at first until you figure that part out.
2. Set Aside Time to Journal: Preferably in the Morning: If you want the habit to stick, it’s important to make journaling a priority in your schedule. If you don’t set aside some writing time on purpose, it’s going to fall through the cracks and become second to other obligations. This doesn’t mean you have to schedule hours of solitude each day with just a notebook and a pen to keep you company. Simply find 20-30 minutes in your day where you can go someplace quiet and spend time with your own thoughts. Think about your daily routine and see when it would make more sense to carve some time out of your schedule. Maybe the early morning hours are complete chaos, and you need to wait until the kids are tucked in bed before you start writing. On the flipside, maybe it’s easier for you to find some quiet time as the sun rises and everyone else is asleep.
No matter if you are a morning person or a night owl, the key is to make journaling a natural part of your daily routine. Only then will you form a long-lasting habit that can help to set you up for future success. I like to wake up 30 or 45 minutes earlier than my family, pour a cup of coffee, and write quietly before I greet anyone or look at my phone or emails. As Julia Cameron says, writing in the morning lays out the trajectory of your day while writing in the evening is usually a summary of the past events.
3. Dream About Your Good Life: The next step to a successful journaling experience is to allow your journal to be your dream space. Sure, you may need to vent or rant about something in your journal but set the stage for yourself that your journal not just to rant but to solve problems. Your journal is for your eyes only. A place to dream about your version of the “Good Life” for yourself and your family. Everything that happens once you open your journal to that first blank page is your dream space. Keep in mind, your journal is not going to be the same as your sister’s, your best friend’s or your co-worker’s.
If you have entrepreneurial ambitions, journaling can serve as a platform for brainstorming new business ideas or developing comprehensive plans for business
growth over one or five years. If you’re a writer or artist, your journal becomes a repository for capturing grand ideas and creative inspirations. Many creatives credit their journals as the birthplace of their most significant works, where concepts take shape and evolve into tangible projects. Whether you’re mapping out plot lines for a novel or sketching designs for your next masterpiece, journaling provides a canvas for exploration and innovation.
4. Let Go of Perfection: Going hand in hand with number one (Keep it Simple) is letting go of perfection. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to journaling is feeling the need to be perfect right from the start. Perfectionist tendencies will ruin your experience and keep you stuck on a blank page. Somedays the blank page feels daunting and other days the blank page looks delightful. I aim to complete 3 pages of longhand writing or 750 words typed each day but let’s be clear: There is no right or wrong way to do this. Your journaling experience is yours and yours alone and the important thing is that you just start. I often doodle or sketch in my journal, as well.
Who cares if your handwriting isn’t beautiful, or you can’t draw to save your life? Messy action is where all the magic is at – it’s where you gain confidence and clarity about where you’re at and where you want to be. It’s where you learn and grow and challenge yourself to be better. No one is perfect, even if it seems that way sometimes. Letting go of that perfection perception is one of the best things you can for yourself, in the journaling world and in the grand scheme of life.
5. Make Lists: If you’ve been on the planet for any decent length of time, you’ve probably made a list or two on occasion. If the thought of long, in-depth journal entries stresses you out to the max, lists may be a great way to dip your toe in the journaling pond. Lists are a super easy (and stress-free) way to kickstart your writing habit without putting too much pressure on yourself at the same time. The great thing is, that you can create lists for virtually anything and everything – there really are no limits. From meal plans and business ideas to travel goals and favorite books, you can use your journal to become a list-making pro. You can keep it simple or even go a bit deeper into the self-reflection realm. For example, make a list of fears you want to overcome or goals you want to
accomplish in the next 5 years. List-making is a great way to jump-start your journaling habit and the best part is, you’ll never lack for things to write about.
6. Take Your Journal with You (Everywhere): A great way to ensure that journaling becomes second nature is to take it with you wherever you go. Let’s face it: We all have those moments during our day where we mindlessly scroll social media, wasting time and accomplishing very little. By having your journal handy, you can use those moments for creative exploration, self-reflection or simply to write out a much-needed grocery list that you’ve been putting off. It’s easy to find excuses as to why you can’t write or don’t have the time to fit it into your schedule. By carrying your journal with you, you’ll always be able to find a free minute to tackle a sentence or two throughout your busy day. Another perk? When inspiration strikes, you won’t have to wait until you get home to let those creative juices flow. If you can’t take your paper journal with you, use your phone or tablet to journal. You can use an app like Evernote to capture your journal entries.
7. Set Up Your Space: Journaling is a habit that can be done anywhere and everywhere but when you first start out, it may be helpful to have a designated space for your writing. If you already have a home office, that may be a perfect setup. Otherwise, simply choose a spot with a comfortable level of privacy that is free of distraction. Think of your space as a retreat – someplace you can go to get away from the chaos for a few moments and get in touch with your own thoughts. If you sit down to journal and the TV is blaring, kids are arguing and your phone is beeping with constant notifications, you’re probably not going to accomplish much. You can easily claim a corner of your bedroom, a quiet spot on the front porch (weather permitting), or simply a seat at the kitchen table, as your journaling space – provided there are no other distractions clamoring for your attention. I like to put on noise-canceling headphones and listen to soft instrumental music while journaling.
8. Use Prompts: The biggest obstacle you’ll face when you first start journaling might be knowing what to write about. This can be discouraging and has caused many people to throw in the towel before they even begin. Writing prompts can be a helpful guide when you have zero clue how to even start. Prompts come in the form of statements or questions that are meant to give you a focused topic to write about and can be used to get those creative juices flowing. Whether you are looking to use your journal for self-reflection and discovery, to manage your emotions or to help you deal with anxiety and stress, prompts are meant to guide you and help bring your thoughts, feelings and emotions to life on paper. What are you grateful for? What is your meal plan for the day? What is your favorite memory, book, movie?
I like to start my journal with the question, “Who or What am I most grateful for today?” The options are limitless when it comes to writing prompts. Think you don’t have what it takes to be a writer? Think again. Prompts are an easy, surefire way to help you dig deep and find a way to journal your heart out even when you’re at a loss for words.
9. Set a Timer: Time or lack of, is one of the many excuses for not maintaining a successful journaling habit. This is where a timer can be helpful. Set a timer for 10 to 30 minutes and pull out your journal or open Evernote and write. I often re-open my journal in the afternoon and write about something that is frustrating me. It helps me process difficult situations. It also makes the time factor seem less of a problem when you carve out such a simple, small amount of your day. Plus, it’s much easier to commit to something when you know it’s not going to take time away from any other portion of your schedule.
This is a great way to stop procrastinating and start forming new habits that will serve you long into the future. For journaling purposes, it can even be helpful to use a timer, so you know exactly when your time is up. Once you get into it, you’re most likely going to feel like writing for longer than that. However, the key is to start small and build up over time until it simply feels like just another part of your daily routine.
10. Track Your Habit: If you have any intention of forming a journaling habit that’s going to stick, you have to be willing to work at it a little bit every single day, especially in the beginning. A great way to ensure that you stay consistent is to keep a habit tracker and mark off each day after you get done journaling. This super simple task will help keep you motivated, even on those days when you feel like writing is the last thing you want to do. The more you see those checkmarks add up, the more determined you will be to keep the streak alive – because we’re human and it’s super satisfying to make that little mark once we’ve completed our writing for the day. Keeping a habit tracker will allow you to see how far you’ve come over time and can be the key to building and maintaining a successful journaling habit for years to come. You may discover as I did that by simply observing that on days that I journaled, I had a better day.
I hope you enjoyed “10 Ways to Journal to the Good Life,” and found some ways to turn simple paper into your new life. Please know in the world of journaling, there are no strict rules or complicated steps to follow. Your journaling journey is entirely your own, a canvas upon which you can paint your unique desires, quirks, and aspirations. Whether you’re just starting out or already have a collection of journals, you have the freedom to make your journaling experience totally your own.
It’s like having a cozy chat with yourself, where you can jot down your thoughts, dreams, and plans in a way that feels just right for you. By taking a little time to reflect and explore in your journal, you’ll find yourself on a journey of discovery and growth. So, don’t wait any longer to fill those blank pages – they’re waiting to be filled with your unique story and ideas. Let your journal be your trusted friend on your exciting adventure of designing a life and business you love.
Kimberly “Design” Love is a lifestyle designer and author. After a successful career in interior design and architecture, she redesigned her own life, moved to paradise, and has turned her strengths and talents towards helping people design a lifestyle they love. Her latest book, Design Your Life and Business shares her strategy for designing a lifestyle you love. She’s also created the Dreamer’s Guide to Goal Setting. You can find her blog at KimberlyDesignLove.com