Journaling
Whether you love it, or you hate it, journaling is an incredibly powerful tool to help you pull ideas out of your head and look at them, objectively, on paper.
Journaling can be a bit intimidating, especially if writing or self-reflection aren’t skills that you regularly practice. Knowing where to start can be even harder.
There are multiple types of journals and journaling methods out there, and plenty of articles arguing which type is the best.
Personally, I believe that as long as you are taking time to sit down and reflect, there is no one-size-fits-all or “best” methodology. The goal of this post is to help educate you on some of the different types of journals and methodologies so that you can adopt a practice that best fits your needs.
Types of Journals:
Morning pages: Popularized by Julia Cameron, the morning pages are a daily brain dump, completed in, you guessed it – the morning! The purpose is to help you get everything out of your brain so that you can start your day with clarity and easy.
Bullet journals: An analog method that will help you track the past, order the present, and design your future. Rather than using lines or paragraph type responses, everything is very short and to the point. There are lots of how-to videos out there to learn more.
Memory Journals: Not actually sure what to call this, but it’s what my dad does. That man has more journals than anyone I know, each one filled with special memories from trips or family gatherings. Sometimes it’s a paragraph-type entry, sometimes there are photos or drawings. Other times, he just writes the event (“Thanksgiving 2019”) and has everyone that was there sign the page.
Progress Journals: I used this type of journal when I worked in a corporate setting. It was incredibly helpful to have something to reflect on when completing my mid-year and year-end reviews. Rather than focusing on what I had been involved in or completed the past month or so, I was able to flip back to the beginning of the year and discuss, in detail, all of the projects I worked on, the additional responsibilities that I assumed, and the feedback provided by other individuals in the organization. It provided me with substance when it came time to request promotions and raises.
Guided Journals: These journals have prompts that help you reflect on your day. Finding one that aligns with your goals should be your top priority when evaluating these! Make sure the prompts “speak to you” and give you ample space to respond if you tend to be wordy or heavy-handed like I am!
YOU NAME IT Journals! People keep gratitude journals, food journals, workout journals, travel journals, judgment journals (a personal favorite), creative journals, emotions/feelings journal, reading journals, prayer journals, dream journals, pregnancy journals, work aspirations journals, and so much more.
Finding a Journal Method that Works for You
While there are clearly A LOT of different types of journals for you to choose from, the most important consideration for you should be, “How do I want to track all these fabulous things?”
For some, pen and paper are the only way to go. It is tried and true, can be taken anywhere, and is absolutely my method of choice because I love writing! There is something magical that happens when I put a pen to paper and let my creative juices flow. In fact, I use many of my journal entries as inspiration for my blog posts. That said, the obvious disadvantage here is you can forget to pack it, spill coffee all over it, or leave it in the back of a taxi in NYC. [Guilty of all three.]
If the thought of carrying around a physical journal makes you want to pull your hair out, have no fear! Technology is a wonderful thing. My one client keeps a “regular” pen and paper journal where she completes her morning pages, but she often completes her coaching reflections on her computer in a word document so that she can easily email me her responses prior to our sessions. Personally, I use my phone when I wake up in the middle of the night full-on inspiration. Rather than turning on a light and finding my journal, I open the memo field on my phone and brain dump as much as I can, which then allows me to drift peacefully back to sleep.
Journey App
As much as I do love writing, I am not great at maintaining a daily journaling habit. Unless my journal is right in front of me, I won’t remember to sit down and reflect; grabbing it only when my mind is really full, and I have some deep reconciling or heavy feelings that I need to resolve. And, midnight memo-field entries, while productive in the moment, aren’t sustainable because I easily lose track of where I saved an entry or an idea.
Recently, I’ve discovered the Journey App. It is a free and flexible journaling app that has a lot of different elements to it, like:
mood tracking
photo journaling
geotagging if you’re always on the go
calendar and metrics for habit tracking
space for unprompted/free/open journaling
and, guided journal prompts!
If I am in the mood for a deep dive, I will still pull out my handy dandy paper journal, but the guided coaching programs in the Journey App have been created by coaches (like me!) to help you focus and self-reflect on a daily basis. Sometimes I respond with a single word, sometimes I respond with a few paragraphs. It all depends on what moves me at the moment!
With plenty of topics to choose from, this app can help you build your journaling habit by guiding you through various programs focused on self-discovery, empowerment, mindfulness, and living with intention. Just pick a topic that “speaks to you” and then over the next seven days, you’ll receive a daily reminder to jump into the app and respond to the journal prompt. It’s pretty simple, which is what makes it great for creating a powerful self-reflection habit!
Here’s a brief overview, along with a sample prompt from each of the guided coaching programs that I contributed to the app!
Master Your Mindset I & Master Your Mindset II
Our mindset is a lens that filters all experiences we have. Mastering your mindset will allow more positive experiences to flow into your life. These journal prompts will allow you to do just that!
Part One will explore what situations evoke specific energies, the spectrum of your reality. Part Two will explore how your feelings, values, and purpose can help you become aligned. These prompts also align closely with concepts that I discuss with my clients!
Example Journal Prompt: When you feel lost or powerless, focus on what is in your immediate control.
Example Response Guidance: When I feel lost and powerless, one thing I can control is…
Becoming Fearless I & Becoming Fearless II
Fear is the anticipation of a negative outcome. It holds you back from achieving mastery and from making the changes you desire. These journal prompts will empower you to explore what being fearless means to you specifically, and what actions you can start taking now to cultivate the courage to overcome your fears.
Part One will explore your relationship with fear and part two will allow you to explore how your fears are impacting you as it relates to a specific change or situation. All prompts in this program are a direct pull from a Becoming Fearless program I did with one of my clients! Her results were astonishing!
Example Journal Prompt: What does being fearless mean to me?
Example Response Guidance: Being fearless, to me, means…
Energy Alignment I & Energy Alignment II
Imagine for a moment you’re leaving work after a hard day. You’re frustrated, you’re depleted, you’re exhausted, and could roll into bed immediately. You hop in the car and by a stroke of luck, your favorite song is on the radio so you turn it up. Suddenly, you feel energy surging through your veins, and the exhaustion is replaced by exhilaration. How does this happen? Our energy is the currency we exchange every day without formality. Energy is everything and everything is energy.
In Part One, we review your energetic experience with prompts grounded in the chakra system and its corresponding energy points. Part Two will explore how to leverage your positive energy to activate change and become more energetically aligned.
Example Journal Prompt: In what situations do you feel the most grounded and safe?
Example Response Guidance: I feel grounded and safe when I am….
Looking for clarity around what type of journal or journaling methodology is best for you? Working with a coach can help you narrow down your focus, and develop a sustainable and life-long habit of journaling and self-reflection! Feel free to drop me an email at jenn@conshycoaching.com to get the conversation started or, head over to the Work With Me page and schedule your free coaching exploration call today!
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Please note: As a contributing author and creator of journal prompts for the Journey App, I was requested to write this blog post highlighting the benefits of the app. All views and opinions are my own.