How Journaling Helped Me

I never thought I would ever write a journal, but I did for a couple of months. And it worked wonder.

My mind fog cleared, I could see what worked and did not work and where my anxiety and fears where coming from. Besides, this stuff was also leaving my head and lifted the burden.

And that all by answering a few questions each evening as part of my evening routine at that time.

But not some random questions. They were tailored for self-reflection.

I started out with 3 simple questions originating in positive psychology. Then changed and exdended them over time.

Positive psychology sounds nice, just focus on the good stuff, and be grateful. But it is missing a huge aspect of being human. The downsides. The negativity. The darkness.

Honestly, not everyday is bright, and sometimes it is hard to see a beacon of light in the darkness. Desperatley looking for it does not make the situation better.

But also looking at the darkness and reflecting what went wrong and where did open a new gate.

It turned out, those changes brought me clarity.

It worked so well that I even created a paperback journal for myself. and then later published it for others with a few different designs (red, cats and tree, plus a few more in German).

The books contain with latest version of my journaling process but I am not here to sell you those. I want you to consider journaling to gain clarity about your life even when you think it is not your thing.

The core is to answer these 6 questions each day, preferably in the evening. If you can’t make it, first thing in the next morning. Otherwise your memory will fade and you’ll miss things.

What made or ruined your day? What was good? What could you have done differently to make it even better? What was bad? What could you have done better so that it would have been less bad What else is on your mind? Write down all thoughts.

You don’t have to answer all questions. Not all days are equal.

What I recommend though is to write it on paper as writing with a pen on a sheet of paper helps with gaining clarity. The effect increases somehow, not sure why :-)

However, it does not matter if you just use blank printer paper, a plain notebook or my journals. I used plain printer paper for months until it became a mess of loose sheets and got I tired of keeping them and designed the first book.

Also, listen to your guts when answering the questions. Those guts are your unconsciousness and it tells your truth.

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p.s.: don’t procrastinate, pick one of my notebooks red, cats and tree and get started.