Every Monday on Greater Than, I share a Monday Motivation podcast that’s meant to get you thinking about a new idea or challenge for the week.

Today, I’m talking about journaling, and I’m challenging you to practice journaling every day for the next seven days. 

I’ll even help! Every night this week at 9:30 p.m. ET on my Facebook page, we’ll do quick journal prompts to help you get started with the habit of journaling. Nothing fancy, just accountability.

Why journal?

A journal is simply a record - of events, of thoughts, of ideas, of feelings, etc. 

In a time when we are truly living out history with the COVID-19 pandemic, now is the best time to start keeping a journal. As years go on, we will forget the details of the day-to-day shelter in place and social distancing we are experiencing right now. So, if anything, journal simply to remember what life is like today so  you can pass it on to future generations.

There are, however, a lot of benefits to a journaling practice. The University of Rochester Medical Center says that journaling can help to reduce stress and manage anxiety. It can help to identify negative thoughts and behaviors and provide a space for positive self-talk.

An article in the New York Times outlined additional benefits to include more self-confidence, a higher IQ, a stronger immune system, and better sleep.

three steps to start your journaling practice today:

Decide what to use.

I’m a big fan of pen and paper - I recycle all those swag notebooks I pick up at random conferences and events. I just stash them in a corner of my closet and when one journal fills up, I use another one from the stack.

There’s also benefit to using digital methods for journaling. I use Evernote - I can keep it on all my devices and tag notes so they are easier to find. In fact, I write all my blog posts and many social media posts in Evernote to keep them all in one place. 

Of course, it’s worth recognizing that social platforms like Instagram and Facebook are great tools for maintaining thoughts and ideas. 

Make the time to do it.

I’m a beginning of the day journal-er. However, you should do what works best for you. Maybe it’s nap time if you’re home with kids all day, maybe it’s lunch if you’re a professional with a packed schedule, maybe your mind needs to decompress so end of day is ideal. 

Whatever time it is, stick to that time on a regular schedule. While daily helps to build the habit, maybe weekly is more reasonable. You don’t have to do it every day to see the benefits of a journaling practice. 

WRITE!

When it comes to a journaling practice, there’s no wrong way to write.  You’re not writing a book, you’re just capturing thoughts, ideas, moments, feels. You can use bullet point or full sentences. You can fill pages or only one line.

For me, there are a handful of questions that I regularly reference to get my mind going:

• What am I anxious about right now?

• What am I excited about right now?

• What inspires me?

• What have I learned from this event?

There are a plethora of prompts on the internet if you want to get more creative and thought provoking in your writing. For example,  the editors at WordPress have one year’s worth of prompts available to you. 

Or just simply Google “journal prompts.” You’ll never be short of an idea.

If you want to hear how I continue to reference my journal I kept during my cancer journey, check out today’s Greater Than episode! 

I hope to see you on Facebook tonight and throughout the week!