My current journal practice
I share this with you in hope that you find something helpful here.
I journal daily, first thing in the morning. I use a note-taking app that supports encrypted notes and syncs the content across my devices.
For context here is how my journal template looks like today.
Today
I am grateful for…
- ………………
- ………………
- ………………
What would make today great?
- ………………
- ………………
- ………………
Daily affirmation. I am…
………………………………
Yesterday
3 Amazing things that happened yesterday…
- ………………
- ………………
- ………………
How could I have made yesterday even better?
………………………………
Thoughts
………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………
The journal has two parts. Today and Yesterday.
Today
Gratitude
It is amazing how my day gets better with some gratitude first thing in the morning. A lot of cultures and religions have some form of this.
Some of the questions I found helpful:
- What are you taking for granted that could be gone tomorrow?
- What has been bothering you, anything about it to be grateful about?
- What is in your life right now that would be amazing for someone who lived 100 years ago?
- Anything that is silly and small but you appreciate in your life?
What would make today great
Life can be challenging, sometimes very challenging. I am of course is no exception. But almost always, I find something small that would make the day a little bit better. What if I can’t think of something? Then it is a sign! I should come up with something to add to my day. It is amazing how something as small as taking a relaxing shower and eating a nice snack could do to your day.
Affirmations
This is a statement that I repeat to myself daily about myself. Something that I would like to achieve or become. Something important to me.
Yesterday
Amazing things that happened yesterday
I write down the things that have happened yesterday that made my day great. It is fun to see how unexpected things happen during the day.
Improvements
Simply I try to answer the question: How could I have made that day slightly better?
Thoughts
This is a free form text. I am free to write whatever has been on my mind, my raw thoughts. I write what happened during the day and what kind of thoughts and emotions I had.
Once I am done, I get a feeling of calmness.
Now I have some distance from the emotions and thoughts I had that day so I can learn from them. It is amazing how much one can learn when they write down their thoughts.
That section can be very therapeutic. It does take some time to write down though. Sometimes I just don’t have the energy. So I decided it is an optional section. I fill it more often than not, but I don’t stress about skipping it either.
And that is it for my journaling practice. It is always an evolving process.
Feel free to reach out to share your thoughts and perhaps your own journaling practice.
Last updated on 10th January 2022