“I want to write, but more than that, I want to bring out all kinds of things that lie buried deep in my heart.” —Anne Frank, The Diary of Anne Frank
What do the following people have in common?
- Thomas Edison
- Leonardo Da Vinci
- Oprah Winfrey
- Ronald Reagan
- Marcus Aurelius
- Anne Frank
- Abraham Lincoln
Besides changing the course of history, they all shared a common practice.
They kept a JOURNAL.
Journaling is a life changing habit.
When I first heard about journaling, I was sceptical.
I thought writing in a journal was something that people who wrote bad poetry did.
I was wrong.
Jim Rohn said, “If you’re serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured, and unique individual, keep a journal.”
There are a number of studies that show keeping a journal helps you better cope with STRESS and ANXIETY.
A journal will help you:
- PRIORITIZE your day.
- CLARIFY your thinking.
- Stay ORGANIZED and FOCUSED.
- Increase your CREATIVITY.
HOW TO JOURNAL:
FIND YOUR PLACE
You don’t need a vista.
You don’t need an ocean view or a Pottery Barn table.
Da Vinci wrote (in one of his journals), “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
Keep it simple.
Pick a spot where you can open up your blank notebook, feel comfortable and write down your thoughts.
GET YOUR TIMING WRITE
Start by allocating 10 minutes each day.
We are all busy.
But we all need time to THINK and REFLECT.
For many, there is a burst of creative energy that comes after a good night’s sleep.
For you NIGHT OWLS, there might be no better way to clear your mind than writing your thoughts down before bed.
Capture those ideas on paper.
WHAT TO WRITE?
The first step is the hardest.
Don’t let what to write be an OBSTACLE.
Here are some journal prompts to get you started:
- What’s got my attention?
- What made me happy today?
- What surprised me?
- What challenges am I facing?
- What am I grateful for?
- What excites me?
- What scares me?
- What did I learn today?
- What great quote did I hear?
- What people do I need to spend more time with?
NO FEAR
Write without fear.
Lose your inhibitions.
Don’t hold back.
Let your writing express how you really feel.
This journal is for you.
No one else.
THE BENEFITS
Journaling will help you enter each day with greater clarity.
Your actions will be more focused.
You’ll start to feel GRATITUDE for the little things.
2,000 years ago, the stoic philosopher Epictetus wrote, “Just as one person delights in improving their farm, so I delight in attending to my own improvement.”
So…
What’s on your mind?
What’s keeping you up at night?
How can you make tomorrow better than today?
Do what some of the greatest minds in history have done…
#WriteItDown
-Joe Ciccarone
The Vibe 