Your Journal: The Most Important Book Ever Written.
All human emotions can be traced back to a particular event. The better we understand what’s going on around us, the better we’ll understand the conflicts that are going on within us.
Journals support our memory; they clarify trends in our behaviors and emotions and assist us in making better decisions to improve our lives. My journaling was always a struggle until I learned this system from renowned personal development author and speaker Jim Rohn. His system answered all the questions I had on the matter. I hope they answer some of your questions.
Why should we journal?
There’s something magical about writing a problem down. You start to discover ways to resolve it. When we write things down, we tend to become more factual about the situation we’re describing and more realistic. Then, as we reread what we have written, we tend to see things as they really are, instead of the way we think they are.
Journaling is also one of the best ways to develop more effective communication skills. As you become better at saying what you really want and how you really feel about yourself, you will be able to better express yourself and your feelings to others.
How should we journal?
Start by writing down the issue, and then analyze what you have written. Some points to consider are if your concerns are making the matter seem worse than it is or if your enthusiasm is making it seem better. Or are you blaming someone else or circumstances for the situation rather than seeing yourself as the cause?
Or are you expecting circumstances or other people to change in order for your problems to be solved? Remember, things get better when you get better.
Once you’ve taken a second look at what you’ve written, record all the steps you can take to solve the dilemma. After you’ve taken action, it’s crucial to record the eventual outcomes. If it worked out well, celebrate. If it didn’t, you want to remember what not to do in the future. Every mistake has a price tag, but the most expensive error is the one not learned and often repeated.
Include sections within your journal. Towards the back of your journal, create a few sections. One for your index, another one for goals, quotes, or interests that you feel warrant a section of their own. The index section is for easy reference. List the highlights of your entry, i.e., financial ideas pages 5, 7, 12, 36, 111, and so forth. That way, when you’re looking for information on a specific topic, you know where to find it.
What kind of journal is the best to buy?
The best journal is the one that will inspire you to write regularly and is easy to take most everywhere with you. You never know where you’ll be when you have that brilliant idea or see an inspiring quote. Your thoughts, questions, and ideas are unique. Store them someplace that feels good to you.
What should we journal about?
Write a brief description of what’s going on in your life, dilemmas you may be facing, how you would like to see it differently, and what steps you believe you need to take to get there. Or, your first entry could be the reason you bought the journal in the first place. What were you hoping to achieve? Or just capture good ideas for a book, conference, conversation, unique quote, financial, personal development, family, or business ideas.
Review your journals frequently.
Set aside some time each week or month to review your recent entries. Once a year, take all your journals and read them from cover to cover. What you read will probably make an incredible story of personal growth. Your journal will become a book of self-discovery and self-awareness.
Think of your journal as the ultimate BFF who is always ready to listen and never judges. You don’t have to inhibit yourself, write proper grammar, or be politically correct.
Ultimately, your journal is just that. Yours. Be flexible, and create your own system if you like. Whatever you decide, keep on journaling. It will take you places you never dreamed of.
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