Journaling for people who hate journaling
It doesn't have to be what you think it is.
It's easy to feel consumed by daily digital demands, and it's crazy to think that there was once a time when none of this existed. How did we survive? Quite well, actually.
This is why I've learned to love journaling. As well as making you think about things, it’s also nice to put pen to paper and have something tangible I can keep my day in. In all honesty, I never thought I'd journal. I firstly didn't have the time to write about how my day was, and secondly, I didn't like the idea of writing down my thoughts or feelings. I'm not too sure why, but it almost made me feel like I would be validating a lot of feelings I maybe didn't want to think about.
What I've learned is that journaling can be tailored to you. It can be molded to fit what works for you. That's exactly why I now love it. I'm not going to say that journaling offers a sanctuary for self-discovery and reflection, because this kind of stuff is honestly why I also stayed away. I'm just not that person.
I thought I'd try it out and ordered the Intelligent Change 5 minutes a day journal. I initially thought I'd be returning it or just using it as a coffee table book because I didn't have much hope I would like it. It was definitely a spur-of-the moment purchase.
Fast forward, and it's been a whole month of me writing in it every morning and evening. I know, right, who am I?! Well, it's nothing like I expected and actually doesn't focus on any negative feelings you may have had throughout the day. It focuses on what your intentions are for the day and gets you thinking about the things that you're grateful for. It teaches you to remember the highlights of your day and what you learned. It's definitely helped me to appreciate the smaller things in life. It’s also helped me to focus on the good. The fact that I’m not writing any negative thoughts down or writing the bad parts of the day, almost deletes them out of my memory and forces me to focus on only the good.
Ultimately, I want you to know that if you hate the thought of journaling, then give this a try. I think you're going to surprise yourself.
Do you ever go back and read what you wrote say last week? That thought makes me cringe! But I like idea of it of writing thoughts, just don't want to call it journaling!