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It’s my simple habit of writing a journal every day.
I wake up at six am, brush my teeth, and then crawl back into bed with my favorite pen and journal in hand. For twenty to thirty minutes, I write uninterrupted.
When I was working full-time, I didn’t have the luxury of journaling every day. Instead, I would try to write for 15 minutes on weekend mornings. I cherished that time with my journal so much that I started looking for spare moments during the day to jot down my thoughts.
Those moments became precious to me. They helped me process my thoughts, connect with my emotions, and gain insights from my experiences.
There comes a stage when journaling becomes an obsession.
Since becoming a full-time writer in January 2019, I haven’t missed a single day of journaling. It has become somewhat of an obsession, but it allows me to capture fleeting thoughts before they vanish like a bubble in thin air.
Whether the thoughts are good or bad doesn’t matter. The practice of capturing thoughts makes me aware of them. Now, I keep a notebook handy at all times, no matter where I go in my home. You never know when a good thought will appear, and I don’t want to miss it.
Some might see it as an obsession, but I think of it as a game.
Did I catch it? Yeah! I did.
Oh! What was that I thought of this morning while reading the newspaper? It was something related to…
I can’t even remember what was it related to. Bugger. All I could remember was that it was very exciting. I should have noted it on my phone. Now it is gone. Forever.
The true benefit of journaling lies in the expression of thoughts.
As you fill notebook after notebook, you’ll find that you’re better able to articulate your ideas. This is a moment to be proud of, as few people ever achieve this level of skill in their lifetime. For many, writing is a daunting task, and the mere thought of composing an article, story, or even a letter can be overwhelming.
In my early days of journaling, I wrote with a pencil so I could easily erase and refine my sentences. It took me three years to graduate from pencil to pen, so if you’re writing with a pen, you’re ahead of where I was.
Fluency is the ultimate reward.
Once you’re confident in expressing your thoughts on paper, fluency will come naturally. Soon, you’ll be typing so fast that your fingers hurt because your thoughts are flowing too rapidly to keep up with.
When I reached this stage, I cried. There was a time when I would sit with a pen and paper, unsure of what to write. Now, I have so many ideas and stories to share that I can’t keep up.
As a writer, everything becomes worth writing about. Simple anecdotes hold captivating stories, and mundane details reveal unexpected insights. When you’ve reached this point in your writing, you’re not far from achieving your goals. It might take you years (like it did for me), or it could happen in just a few months, but when it does, you’ll have discovered the joy and satisfaction that comes from writing.
The result of fluency in writing is a wealth of material.
At this point, you will have accumulated a substantial amount of material that can be turned into articles, stories, and even books. You can either pull content from your journals or start anew.
However, it’s important to note that your thoughts and perspectives may have evolved over time, so re-writing a piece can be more beneficial than digging up something from years ago. With your newfound expression of thought and writing fluency, you have a better chance of producing a high-quality piece.
But, don’t dispose of your journals just yet. They contain a part of you and serve as a reminder of the challenges you faced in the past and how you overcame them. I personally find inspiration in my old journals and use them to generate stories and ideas for my work.
So, how can you take your journal writing habit to the next level?
For me, reflective prompts have been instrumental in unlocking my creativity and critical thinking skills.
They help me explore my thoughts and emotions, and provide me with fresh insights and perspectives for my writing.
Here are some reflective prompts to try:
- What were the most significant events or moments of my day, and how did they impact me emotionally, physically, or mentally?
- What did I learn today, and how can I apply that knowledge to improve my life or help others?
- What are the most pressing challenges I am currently facing, and how can I overcome them?
- What are my goals for the day, week, or month, and how can I make progress towards achieving them?
- What are my strengths, and how can I leverage them to achieve my goals and help others?
- What are my weaknesses, and how can I work on improving them to become a better version of myself?
- What are my values, and how can I align my actions with those values to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life?
- What are the most significant lessons I have learned in life, and how have they impacted me or helped me grow as a person?
- What are the things that bring me joy and fulfillment, and how can I incorporate more of them into my daily life?
- What are my biggest fears or insecurities, and how can I work on overcoming them to live a more confident and fulfilling life?
- How have I grown and changed as a person in the past year, and what experiences or challenges contributed to that growth?
- What are some habits or routines that have had a positive impact on my life, and how can I continue to cultivate those habits?
- What are some patterns or behaviors that have held me back, and how can I work on breaking those patterns to move forward?
- What are some things I am grateful for in my life, what are the various ways I can pay forward.
- What are some obstacles I have overcome in the past, and how can I use those experiences to build resilience and strength for future challenges?
- What are my relationsip with others are like and how can I improve them?
- What are some things I am passionate about, and how can I use that passion to make a positive impact in the world?
- What self-care needs I am ignoring at the moment and how can I prioritize my well-being to live a more balanced life?
- How can better handle the current situation? What coping mechanisms can I use to manage these challenges in a healthy way?
- What are some goals or dreams that I have been putting off, and what steps can I take to make progress toward them, today?
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