Journaling was a phenomenon that I had resisted for a long time. Too long, as I discovered once I finally gave into the trend that so many people were talking about. You see, I write for a living. I do it all day, almost every day. So the thought of adding yet another task involving words to my already super long to-do list, just wasn’t appealing

Until Journaling, was …

When I started journaling, it was in response to an online course that I was taking part in at the time. Daily journaling was one of the suggested activities, so, having invested some time and money into the course, I decided to give it a try. Albeit reluctantly. And then, after about a week, I started to notice some small changes in my perspective.

I found myself looking forward to that time spent alone with my thoughts.

On more that one occasion, I remember thinking to myself, “This is something I need to write down tonight before I go to bed.” When I started journaling, I noticed that I was more present during other parts of my day. I was being more mindful, more aware of how I was feeling, and more intentional in how I responded in certain situations.

And, the best part? I liked it. It didn’t feel like I’d added anything to my plate – instead, it felt like I had gotten a new pair of glasses that allowed me to see the world (and myself) a little bit more clearly.

A couple of months into this new practice of mine, I became aware of some other changes as well:

1. I found myself writing down short-term goals and being excited about reaching them. My journal became like my accountability partner – how cool is that?
2. Every day, even without consciously thinking about it, little notes of gratitude started to appear. They included the simple things – like the sun appearing on a cloudy day, the kind gesture from a stranger, or an unexpected phone call from a friend.
3. My mindset started to change. I’m not saying I didn’t still have crappy days where I just wasn’t feeling it, but on the whole, I noticed that, on more days than not, I had more perspective. This perspective wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies, but it was more honest. It was more accepting of things that I couldn’t change – about processing them at the time (instead of letting them build up inside), and then about letting them go.

Now, I must mention that these changes didn’t happen over night. It took some time, some consistency, and some patience with myself. Sometimes I had writer’s block (irony, much?), but I hung in there and even found myself searching for journaling prompts to help me get back on track.

To date, these have become some of my favourites:

• Write down 10 things that you like about yourself
• Tell about someone who inspires you
• Name 3 good things that happened today
• Share a favorite place and how you feel when you’re there
• Create a bucket list of places to see and things to do
• Where do you want to be (personally or professionally) in 6 months?
• Name something you did this week to take care of YOU
• Write about a lesson that you learned the hard way
• Share a favorite quote

And that is just the beginning – there is really no end to the things you can write in your journal and no end to the personal growth you can achieve when you put your mind to it. Another thing I found when I started journaling is that it is so interesting to be able to look back at what you wrote the week, month, or year before. It’s so cool to see how far you’ve come, how much you’ve grown, and how your perspective has evolved in the time that has elapsed.

Finally, I’ve found that my journal has become much more than just a place to record my thoughts.

While that is definitely it’s most important role, I also love that it has nurtured my creativity – I draw and doodle in the margins and add colors whenever the mood strikes me. I never thought I was someone to get on board with the whole, “adult coloring book” trend, but doodling in my journal is really calming and therapeutic.

So, that’s the story of how this content-writer-by-day turned into a self-proclaimed lover-of-journaling-by-night. I spent so many years thinking I was all out of words, only to discover that I really had so much more to say – on my terms, in my way, and when the time was right.

If you’ve been thinking about starting to journal, but don’t know where to start, or, if you know your mindset could use a reset, then I invite you to check out The Lightbulb Moments Journal. This journal is the PERFECT way to start your creative practice as it contains inspirational quotes, loads of prompts, and tips and tricks to help you nurture your self (mind, body, and spirit)!

Until next time, happy journaling!