Have you ever been driving or cycling or taking a walk when you suddenly become aware you have zero recollection of the distance you’ve traveled or the sights you’ve passed? Where were you?
Oh, you were floating around somewhere just not in the present.
You were thinking about something that (maybe) happened yesterday, last week or five years ago or about plans for tomorrow, or next summer or even what to make for dinner.
“It is in the present not the past and certainly not the future that we are able to see the landscape and travel every mile.” Dani Shapiro best selling author
WE’RE SO RARELY IN THE PRESENT
Being present allows us to see the gifts life has to offer and to also to make the changes to create a life we love. There are ways to become present; meditating, breathing, or journaling to name a few.
Journaling is such an awesome practice to cultivate.
It anchors us firmly in the present moment and allows our busy minds to focus on one thing. On the pages of the journal we can purge thoughts that don’t serve us and most importantly we can tap into the deep pool of wisdom we all have.
WHO KEEPS A JOURNAL
JK Rowling keeps a journal. Oprah keeps a journal. Elizabeth Gilbert keeps a journal. That’s just three successful women who engage in this practice. It’s one of the ways they’re able to consistently make positive changes in their lives, they reflect daily and learn from their experiences. They get beneath the surface to their wise woman core.
Journaling the path to the wise woman.
I WAS TOO BUSY
For the longest time I knew the benefits of journaling and yet I kept putting it off because I told myself I didn’t have time for it. I was just too busy. (sound familiar?) Then life took me to a place that completely overwhelmed me. It was there I finally found the time for things that really mattered. Journaling and developing a gratitude practice were the 2 things that got me back on track. I continue to practice both daily, they are lifesavers.
IT’S A NAVIGATIONAL TOOL
The journal became a life map that helped me navigate. It revealed things I could let go of and dreams that were buried deep. It allowed me to reflect and capture important thoughts. It was the place to sort of where I’d been and where I wanted to go.
Journaling provided a road map to navigate life.
HOW TO GET STARTED
The start-up is easy all you need is a notebook and a pen (journaling is best done by hand) and some prompts to get you on your way. Try a new prompt from the list below and write every day for 15 minutes – that’s 1% of your day! Doable right?!
JOURNALING PROMPTS
What’s one thought that has been getting the best of you lately?
How has it been influencing your behavior?
What is worth focusing on today what is not?
What do you need to come to peace with? Why?
What does your actions say about your priorities? What changes do you want to make?
What is something you need to let go of?
How have you stretched your comfort zone in the last month? What did you learn? What’s a new comfort zone challenge you’d like to conquer?
What can you easily do to be kinder to yourself today?
How will you embody love today? What will you specifically do?
THEN THERE’S THESE……
These are my favourite journal prompts and best attempted after you’ve been journaling for a bit. The idea here is to ask yourself the question and then let it go in a flow of consciousness capturing the thoughts and words as they surface. The thing to remember here is not to ‘think’, just relax and let the heart (not the head) do the talking. This is where I have tapped the deep pool of wisdom that resides within me. Profound insights and answers have shown up that are beyond anything my conscious analytical thinking mind could ever have dreamed of.
HEART PROMPTS
What do I need to know?
What is my next step?
What do I really want to do
What is my dream?
What is my inner voice trying to tell me?
CONSISTENCY IS EVERYTHING
These journaling prompts mean almost nothing if they are not practiced consistently. One morning of journaling by itself won’t cut it. It is the compound effect of simple, seemingly little actions taken over time that lead to life changing positive results.
It’s like putting one foot in front of the other every day for weeks and by doing so average every day folks have climbed over 29,000 feet to the top of Mount Everest.
CHOOSE TO PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER
Choose to open your journal and write for 15 minutes daily.
You’ll have the power to take control of your life and make any changes you want and fulfill any dreams that are calling.
Be sure to let me know how it’s going. I love hearing from you.
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ONE THING THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
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