Side note: This is all my opinion, and unlike with my YouTube videos, I've not done any specific research on this. This is raw and just my theory, opinion and experience.

I was just journaling, I find it's really helpful to write things out - Far better than thinking, it's the act of writing and then reading it back that really seems to validate and ensure your thoughts are true. Otherwise I feel I can make incorrect conclusions, or even just forget them immediately and not actually gain from thinking/journalling in the first place.

Similarly to how you can read a book, but not really remember or learn from it - Sure, it was an enjoyable read, but if you didn't LEARN and REMEMBER, then it was more entertainment than actual education (which is fine, but typically when I read it's non-fiction and thus learning is one of the important goals).

So I've taken journaling to the next level now and it's been a game changer.

You see, up until recently I've journaled on and off but I never really actioned my findings.
Without action, Journaling is still therapeutic, but you are really only getting perhaps 20% of the benefit in my opinion.

But first...

Benefits of journaling

Reduce stress

This is the basic level of journaling really, so you're already benefiting.

You simply start with the question 'What are you worried about, what is on your mind?' and go!

You'll often find things you didn't even realise. Maybe your taxes being due in 3 months is kind of stressing you out, secretly in the back of your mind it lingering there. If so that's great, you've identified it.

However people often stop there.

Discovery things about yourself

You'll find that your journals will eventually follow a natural theme.
Maybe you're stressing about things in each entry. Maybe your pessimistic about XYZ.
You spot these trends, and this is good, this is you and knowing who you are is always going to be a good thing.

Make decisions

Often the things we identify that are stressing us out, are pending decisions or actions we should take.

Journaling for me allows me to type out a for/against list and conclude and move forward.
It also gives me a archive to return to, if I ever questioned that decision.

Taking it to the next level

Earlier I mentioned how it helps you discover things about yourself, but I intentionally left out the word 'learn'. I think to 'learn' is too remember, to have that knowledge and thus avoid making that mistake again.

I've journaled for a while, but never really learnt about myself. I've made observations, but they go into my journal and soon are gone from my mind, often forgotten and never to be revisited again.

So this is where the important steps comes in.

Take what you have discovered about yourself - E.g. 'I love high pressure timelines' and place this into a new journal/page/area - Whether its a notepad on your phone, a separate page in OneNote, wherever - just somewhere you can review it occasionally.

Now add a monthly reminder to go back and read that.

This has been key for me. Maybe I just have a terrible memory, but by doing this, I'm slowly accumulating a list of facts I know to be true about myself and by placing that monthly reminder in my calendar, I go back, remind myself, and use those facts in life.

Whether it shapes the job you go for (If you love high pressure), or determines what foods you eat (If you've realised that eating red onion makes you want to eat something sweet after ) - Yeah, random examples, but this is what's cool about journaling, you learn random stuff....about you, the person you'll be living with forever. Pretty important hey?

Anyway, I've found this process to be very useful and figured someone else may benefit too.

Cheers for reading, now go take 5 minutes now and just load up notepad. Start with this question 'What is worrying you today?'

Have a great day!

Benefit How to gain this benefit Next step
Reduce your stress This is journaling basics really. You simply write down what your worries are, what stressed you out. Add journaling to your calendar, so you journal often.
Question your thoughts I like to take a 5 why approach to some things.
'I want to have a six pack' Why?
Ok why? ok cool, but why ?
Drill in to each conclusion. You'll find the root. Now read the row below 😉 		Read the row below!
Learn about yourself As you journal and discover new things 'Wow I really can't focus with a messy desk', add it to your other page of 'Things I know to be true about myself' (Call it what you like) Add a monthly reminder to review this each month.
If you dislike some truths, you can potentially work on them - If so, put a process in place to do this.
Make decisions Put a for/against list together in your journal for this decision. Now brain storm. Return tomorrow. In X time, make your decision, but do set a deadline.
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