Back in the day, I wanted to keep a diary of all the cool stuff I was up to. Like, I thought of keeping count on the food I ate and thinking one day I would look back on what gourmet food I experienced. I didn’t do it every day, just whenever something really stuck in my mind. I would write the thoughts, observations or ideas on a gridded paper from the dollar store.

I started reading about our subconscious brain. You see, our brains have this secret side called the subconscious, which works behind the scenes without us even realising it. It’s like the backstage crew of our thoughts and feelings.

Turns out, giving this backstage brain some love can actually make a big difference. Imagine it’s like a garden. If you water and care for it, the flowers bloom better, right? Well, our subconscious is a bit like that. When we pay attention to it, like through journaling or meditation, it becomes happier and calmer. And guess what? When our backstage brain is all chilled out, we get superpowers – like focusing better during the day and having more peaceful sleep at night.

That’s when I turned to journaling – not just for the memories, but to figure out my thoughts and plans too. And it became my go-to move whenever I felt super worked up about anything. Pouring out my thoughts helps clear up the mess and shine a light on what’s real.

The world seemed much clearer.

You might be wondering, “How do I even start journaling?” Well, let me show you some workflow and templates that I usually use.

Prompts:

• Goal Setting: List the top two things you’re focusing on right now.
• Feeling emotional or something negative: Write down what happened without any judgments. Then, neutralise negativity with these steps:Remind yourself that thoughts can be tricky.Feelings are like reactions to those tricky thoughts.Practising self-compassion? Remind yourself of the things you’re already doing for yourself. Stuff that makes you better and happy, like working out or reading for growth.
• Reflecting for a Fresh Perspective: Journaling isn’t just about jotting things down. It’s like looking back at your life movie to see patterns and lessons. You can make changes to avoid getting stuck in the same old cycles. Plus, journaling helps you connect the dots between things happening in your life.
• Gratitude: Think of something you have at the moment. Can be the things you currently own, things that is surrounding you then say that you are grateful for these things 

Final Notes:

Journaling doesn’t have to be everyday. Trust me, writing too much about your daily life can sometimes feel like a big weight. Instead, focus on moments that truly matter to you. I call this Trigger-Based Journaling. Anything that triggers you in a way that makes you feel overwhelmed or when you want to preserve a memory. Write it down. It’s okay if some days don’t have much to say. 

Personal and Unique: Remember, your journal is all about you. If you want to jot down just one sentence to sum up your day, that’s totally cool! You set the rules. There’s no “perfect time” to write or a specific way you should do it. It’s your call to decide:

• How much you want to write
• What tone your journal will have
• How you’ll format it
• When you’ll write in it
• Feel like writing? Write. 
• Don’t feel like it? That’s fine too.

Remember, your journal is your safe space. You’re the boss – you decide when, how, and what to write. So, let’s embrace the art of journaling and discover the amazing things it can do for us!