Is writing a journal like having a best friend forever?
Of course you can confide in a close friend, if you have one. But, even the most caring of friends may unwittingly influence your thinking.
Your emotional and mental growth depends on your ability to work things out independently. That’s maturity and confidence.
Your spiritual growth depends on the insights you gain from your journey and the intuition you develop as you process things. No friend can do that for you.
How to write your own journal
On each birthday, I begin a new journal to guide me through my year, until my next birthday. It contains, goals, dreams and interpretations, my feelings and problem-solving efforts.
It’s like talking to a close friend who’s with me along the way, and much more. It’s affirming, motivating, enlightening… and gives me the reality-check or kick up the backside when I need one.
There’s no way reflecting on your life in your head can do all that. A journal helps you track your patterns—that shoelace you’re STILL tripping over!
My journal is an A4 fine-lined day-book, with numbered pages. (I like to cross-refer occasionally so numbered pages help.) You can get them at any office supplier, and can always cover them with something pretty if you prefer.
At the start of each birthday year, I write my goals for the year, taking up two full pages: one page for personal goals and one for professional.
Writing a journal is a personal thing.
My personal goals for the year are divided into sub categories including goals for home and garden improvements, social, health and fitness issues I want to address, goodies I want to save for, services I want to provide to friends or to the community. And fun stuff I want to make sure I fit in, to balance my life.
My professional goals are equally subdivided into training and professional development, business development (since I’m self-employed), marketing, networking, technical/computer related stuff, and so on.
I also note which date marks one quarter-way through my personal year, which date marks half-way through, and which marks three-quarter way through.
Sometimes I look at the dates and think: Waaah – it’s already one quarter way through my year and I’ve only done x amount…it makes me get a move on.
I get a huge kick to cross things off the list, especially if it’s still early on in the year.
It gives me the impetus to keep moving and shift items from good intentions to actual activities that get the results I want.
There hasn’t been one year when I’ve done absolutely everything I intended to do—and sometimes I’ve added things to the list as I went along and shifted priorities.
How do I go about writing a journal?
There are always overflows onto the following year. But that’s ok, because I can see how much I actually have achieved and can feel good about those achievements.
It helps to write your journal in different coloured pens; I use blue for dreams, green for interpretations, insights and emotional reflections, black for practical plans and problem-solving and purple for spiritual insights.
A red pen highlights any predictions I’m making of what’s in store, which are dated when they come true.
It makes it so much easier to flick through any particular aspect to spot trends or changes.
Track your achievements
In the last few pages of the journal I keep a record of what I’ve accomplished, so that when I feel down, I can remind myself that I’m not such bad cookie after all.
Track synchronicities and manifestations
There’s also a section at the back dedicated to unexpected help I’ve been given. I record when I’ve put a question out or asked the Universe for something, and when it actually appears in my life. It helps me track the distance between the question and the answer and whether things are going faster or slowing down.
Have you tried keeping a journal, even if only occasionally? Do you have the courage to face your patterns? If you’d like to know more about the processes or how to interpret information, recognise patterns and identify achievable goals, then contact me to arrange a convenient time.
I’d love to know what you think of what I’ve said here.
You can give me your feedback, ask a question by email.
If you or someone you know would like a personal consultation, please call +61 439 969 081.
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