Episode #95 Start A Journal

Three Problems

• We tend to sacrifice reflective exercises in seasons that require the most focus even though these very exercises could create greater clarity.
• We often give up on a journaling practice after we skip even a single day.
• We are at risk of forgetting our most transformative realizations and most powerful epiphanies if we fail to write them down.

Five Principles

• Journaling can be helpful not only in the emotional dimension of life but in every other dimension as well.
• There is no right way to journal nor an exact science to engage in reflective practices.
• Every person’s journal should look different because every human being is unique.
• A journal is not an end in itself but instead a means to an end.
• Sometimes prayers can become more honest and more focused when they are written than when they are merely thought or spoken.

Five Practices

• When you are struggling to make an important decision, put it into words and onto paper by creating a pros and cons list.
• When it comes to the practice of journaling, demonstrate a willingness to break the rules you have set for yourself.
• Conclude each journal entry by identifying a choice you can make in light of your reflections.
• Revisit prior journal entries in order to evaluate your growth, your resolve, and your commitment to doing the things you said you would do.
• Initiate the practice of keeping a gratitude journal by spending the first few minutes of each day writing down something you are grateful for.