Journaling
“Journal writing, when it becomes a ritual for transformation, is not only life-changing but life-expanding.”
–Jen Williamson
Writing is an art, and each writer has the potential to influence the thoughts of others. With his own words, he can enter your mind and change how you perceive the world. Even with the advancement of technology, writing has subsided, and you can now find online journals and blogs, unlike in the past where you could only access pieces of writing via books. Besides being an exciting hobby, writing can also be a rewarding profession if you can easily connect to humankind.
However, it’s not easy to be a successful writer as you will need a lot of perseverance and hard work, just like other professions.
To enjoy writing as an art, you have to discover what you believe in through your work. Gustav Flaubert, one of the most popular authors, highlighted this perspective and is the experience most writers go through.
When you engage in a conversation, you will get new ideas, but you may not understand them till you write about them in a book, blog or even notebook. Writing enables us to clarify our thoughts, get new ideas and even learn more at the right time.
Some time back, many people had diaries and journals which highlighted their day to day life. But few do so today due to technology and social media, though they can be used for the same purpose. Each day, we come across exciting experiences, and it can be something we learn or even heard. You can talk through these experiences and puzzles to solve them but writing about them is the best way to go. Just put it on a paper or screen for you to get a new line of thoughts and more perspective from them.
Why Writing is Important
Writing is a unique language that involves the use of symbols, gestures, alphabets and other styles. It enables one to understand life from a fictional perspective and even become yourself. Even in the digital era, writing is commonly used through text messages, social media posts, catchy phrases, commercials, advertisements and even famous quotes.
Writing can also help one remember a past struggle, experience, or accomplishment; whether they are good or bad. But also note that even the best writers were at once amateurs. For you to become a successful writer, you should be willing to follow the best practices. This will also help you to bring out your true potential and utilize it to your advantage.
5 Journaling prompts for self-Reflection and Discovery: –
A daily sentence: –Start with one sentence a day. This prompt is helpful if you want to journal regularly but struggle to find the time. According to James Clear, author of “Atomic Habits,” keeping the workload light can help establish journaling as something you do day in, day out without much effort.
Morning pages:-Write three pages as soon as you wake up. Morning pages are a way to get rid of your negative thoughts.
Daily Recharge: – Keeping a Journal and reading it periodically will help you identify your behavioral patterns and observe how you grow over time.
Gratitude Journal: – Write 5 things you are grateful for everyday.
Address the negative (in doses): – Journaling about your negative thoughts and emotions will help you get rid of them.
Bottomline
Also, writing gives everything in the world meaning. Strong communication is what people need for them to communicate efficiently and effectively. This is the aspect that keeps the world running. You will also realize the value of communications, especially in businesses as it helps customers develop trust in your brand, attract customers, and conduct business deals. Written communication must adhere to the best practices, i.e. if you write an email with multiple grammatical errors or poor spelling or pronunciation, you will easily lose a customer in a business deal or even a business contact.
Good books have been written on Journaling. Some of them include: –
- Writing Down Your Soul: How to Activate and Listen to the Extraordinary Voice by Janet Conner
Ø How to Keep a Daily Journal: An inspiring guide on the benefits and 10 easy steps to help you get started to transform your life by Katie Collins
Ø The Bullet Journal Method: Track Your Past, Order Your Present, Plan Your Future by Ryder Carroll
Link for some learnings: –
https://malpaper.com/blogs/news/5-ways-journaling-heals-the-soul-and-mind
Questions for reflection: –
Do you plan your day the night before?
Do you document your thoughts in a journal?
What is the time you pick to document your journal?