Some people really find it relaxing and positive when they sit down to write something down in a journal. They might talk about the things they did that day, what kind of food they ate, or if that attractive neighbor said hello, but journaling can be used as a much more powerful tool than a collection of unconnected events. How about taking the time to journal with intention.
Have you tried to journal with the intent of accomplishing something?
What is the definition of intention? One definition in Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines intention as “to have in mind.” A determination to sit and just write in your journal intentionally about one thing or another may seem like a difficult task. But it really isn’t.
In the next few paragraphs, you’ll see a few simple tips on how to journal with intention. I will use setting goals as my example.
Get a Notebook
The simplest thing to use for journaling is a notebook. I like to just buy spiral-bound notebooks at Walmart for about two dollars. But I do have some nicer journals too.
There are some amazing journals out there, both in the way they are set up and the look of them. But these types of journals are only good some of the time.
If you will be doing a lot of writing in order to journal with intention and keep track of your goals, you might want to look beyond hardbound journals and go for more of a flexible notebook. A notebook gives you more space to write, and you don’t feel restricted by what a small and fancy journal can provide you. Plus, they can be pricey.
You can use whatever you decide but you need to have something that will be accessible to you as soon as something comes to mind.
Depending on how you want to structure your journal, you might want to leave the first few pages blank. That way you’ll have a spot to list some of your goals.
Start with Gratitude
When starting to journal with intention or a purpose one perfect example is to start with expressing gratitude. List those things you are thankful for. This is a powerful way to align yourself with a positive spirit of change and success. Things can be rough sometimes, but if you’re living in a developed nation, then you still have it better than a large portion of the world.
It is easy to lose sight of how much better off we are sometimes because so many people spend billions to get our society to consume goods instead of care for their own well-being or the well-being of others in any sort of meaningful way. Advertisers spend so much trying to get us all to continue purchasing things and not being happy with what we have. So just be thankful for those things you do have.
Expressing gratitude brings you feelings of peace, love, and kindness. You will feel more relaxed and can move on to other things such as setting your goals.
Long Term Goals
Take the time to think about what your long-term goals should be.
After you’ve written out your long-term goals, you can look through them to see if there are any that can be completed in shorter periods of time.
For each goal be sure to write the action steps you will need to take to complete each one. You will want to write out the details about each one and how feasible it will be to get them done sooner.
Include with your goals any sort of positive affirmation that you may think of to support your stance on why you believe that you can execute the goals.
Also include some positive self-talk that will keep you feeling inspired about the path you’ve chosen. It never hurts to give yourself a little extra backup or a pat on the back.
While writing out your goals you may notice that some of them can be completed sooner, so you may elect to move them to the list of your short-term goals.
Short Term Goals
Short-term goals are goals that you have discovered may not take as much time to complete. To make your short-term goals easier to follow you can even categorize them. You may categorize your goals for work, school, or home.
It is important to take a look at the goals that are related to your emotional wellbeing. Take some time each day to make sure that you’re taking care of yourself. If you find that taking care of yourself is a weak area of your life, you can make concentrating on yourself part of your short-term goals.
Use positive affirmations with your short-term goals as well. During the time you’re focused on these goals, it is a good idea to stay connected with your plans daily. Make it a practice.
Write down the reasons you have for wanting to pursue these goals.
Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously
The best way to have success with this kind of process is to have fun and be consistent with your routine. You should be relaxed with yourself. And take your time. If for some reason you get too busy to write in your journal every day it is not the end of the world. Just write in it tomorrow.
You should not get in the habit of putting off writing for days at a time if you can help it because you may not be able to remember what happened entirely. The worst thing you can do is connect negative feelings to your journaling process. That would completely defeat the purpose that you have been aiming for.
The most important thing about journaling with a purpose or with intention is is that you are always moving forward and taking note of your progress.
Learn to laugh at the things that you can’t change today and forgive yourself for the time you need to take tomorrow.
Journaling is a process. Take your time and enjoy the time that it takes to sit down, have a nice cup of tea, or something else you enjoy, and write about your day or your week.
Happy Journaling!
Pamela
