How to Start Journaling & What You Might Get in Return

I'm a person who achieves absolute gratification by crossing out the items in my daily to-do list. So, naturally, I'm constantly experiencing this urge to finish a task, no matter how big or small it is, as fast as it's only possible. There are a few problems with that:

1. First, my to-do list is not constant and may change over the day (usually, it gets bigger). So by crossing out 2 lines, I might eventually add 2 more instead.
2. Second, sometimes, I'm trying to complete a few small tasks at the same time. Sometimes it works, but often, it slows down all simultaneous processes and I know for a fact that I would eventually be better off if I do all of them separately, one by one.
3. Third, I get disappointed when, say, it's 5 PM and I still have the majority of my list untouched, because I'm stuck with one task that I underestimated initially.

Ok, Anastasia, you are a productivity nerd, but how is it related to journaling? This is a fair question. As a person who rushes into things and tries to complete as many tasks as possible within a limited amount of time, journaling is the thing that helps me tremendously to develop patience, a positive non-judging mindset, and find the issues that might not be on the surface of my mind. And there are two more benefits: when you write motivational and goals-related things over and over again, they start to become a reality, and when you put down the things that scare you multiple times, you will eventually realize that either it's something you shouldn't care about much or there is a better solution to this problem that you might have overlooked.

A fun fact that I learned back when I was a student at the University of Sheffield: When you write something down, not only do your visual systems work, but your motor systems as well. The more you write something down, the better you can absorb and retain the information you need to.

So, how to start journaling?

There are a few ways to start journaling — in a notebook or online. I prefer the first old-fashioned way. So I take my notebook, a pen, devote about 10–15 minutes each day, and start writing down my thoughts.

There are many things to write in a journal — you can either write everything that's on your mind or follow one of the hundreds of prompts available online, depending on what you feel is more applicable to your situation.

Over the last month I've followed these prompts:

1. What's bothering me today? What are the "what if" scenarios in my head?
2. What are the things I'm blessed for? What are the things I'm proud of?
3. How do I work towards my goals?
4. What are the things I did for myself today?
5. The things I forgive myself for.
6. Today's affirmation.
7. What were the challenges today and what can I learn from them?

I know this list isn't brief and it is not always easy to answer the questions directly, and that's fine. I found these journaling prompts diverse enough to find out more about what is on my mind that sometimes makes me stressed, distracted, or anxious. It also helps me to find the weak spots, opportunities, or remind myself about what I should be blessed for. Ever heard of how we underestimate what we have? This is completely true and until you actually think about it every day, you won't start doing it. I do it all the time — take many of the things that I have or achieved for granted, which is wrong and basically leads to underestimating your own self for no reason.

A concept I've been reflecting on recently is imposter syndrome, which refers to the persistent feeling of self-doubt and the belief that one's accomplishments are undeserved, despite evidence to the contrary. This psychological pattern can lead individuals to underestimate their abilities and feel like frauds in their professional or personal lives.

If you are wondering now how to start journaling and fit it into your busy schedule, don't. You can start even with a few minutes here and there and you don't need to be pressured by any prompts, unless you want to describe everything in detail.

The most interesting part is that when you put an issue on paper, one that you were or weren't aware of, it is like a first step to its resolution, because you acknowledge the fact that it is sitting there and makes your life uncomfortable. And the more you analyze it — the more ways of resolving that issue will arise in your head that may ultimately eliminate the problem completely or at least help you to digest it and live without being burdened by it. In any case — it is good for the health of your brain and your ultimate happiness.

Again, don't feel obliged to spend tireless minutes on your self-reflection journaling. One day it might be one page, another day — 5 pages, it should come from your desire to write at that particular moment.

Start small by building this habit — anyone can find spare 5 minutes per day. If you're unsure how to establish a new habit, James Clear's "Atomic Habits" is what you might find useful. You can read the book, explore his blog, or listen to his MasterClass. Whichever method you choose, it's a great starting point for developing sustainable habits.

So, to recap, sit down in a calm place, decide what questions you are going to ask yourself, and write down everything that's on your mind. If you don't want to answer in a particular order — that's ok. The most important thing is that you showed up for yourself and made it happen, even if for a few minutes. Repeat the next day and the day after. If you skip a day or two — that's ok too, but try to maintain consistency anyway to achieve optimal results. This way, step by step, you will start to feel better at least for the fact that you invest time in your mental health, which is as important as your physical health and will positively impact your overall happiness.