I love to write.

The feel of a pen in your hand, the crack of the spine on a new journal. The smell of fresh pages just waiting for you to fill them. These all bring me joy.

For February, I set a joy goal to journal every day. I’ve been journaling or writing in a diary since I was a kid. But in the last few years, I have been sporadic at best. Even though I enjoy it, I had not made it a priority. I decided I wanted to change that!

On Monday, February 1st, I sat down and wrote in my journal. And over the following twenty-eight days, I continued to make journaling a priority. {Okay, let’s be honest, I wrote almost every day. Doing something every single day is hard! I did miss a few days, and that’s okay! I was still very consistent so I consider this a win.} In those twenty-eightish days, I gained three really important things, clarity, peace, and focus.

Clarity

I don’t typically have a plan when I journal. I just start writing with whatever is on my mind. But sometimes I do need a prompt. Using a journal prompt encourages me to think about things I may not have considered. My writing often ends up in a rabbit hole of thoughts and ideas that have been marinating my brain for some time. They needed to come out but I just didn’t know it.

The other helpful prompt is to start writing about something I am stuck on or frustrated with. Then I just keep answering the question why over and over again. It encourages me to think, to be honest with myself about the situation. And here is part of why I love journaling, no one is ever going to see what I write. There is no fear it what I put down on paper. It is for me and my eyes only. I can be brutally honest and vulnerable. We all need that from time to time.

Whatever path I take to start writing, the process often brings me clarity. I start to realize new things about myself or a challenge in my life. For example, I had been in a really bad mood and grumpy. I decided to bake cookies one night. When I went to journal later that day, I realized my mood had completely shifted. I didn’t even realize it until I took the time to pause from all the craziness, but spending time baking helped shift my mood. Now I know, next time I’m in bad mood, I have to whip up some cookies!

Peace

My life is crazy busy. I imagine yours is, too! I typically journal at night, just before bed. It gives me the opportunity to release from my mind all the things swirling round from the day. I often also end up writing out a to do list for the day ahead. If I let all these things just sit in my brain all night long, I don’t sleep well. How can you fall asleep when you’re also repeating to yourself, don’t forget to buy eggs at the grocery store tomorrow?!

At the most basic, journaling is a brain dump. It gives us the chance to empty out all the thoughts and emotions swirling around in our brains so we can find peace. With that peace we are able to focus on what is right in front of us, the people we are with, or just the peace to close our eyes and drift to sleep.

Focus

Focus is the combination of the clarity and peace. When my ideas and thoughts become clear, when I have emptied my brain of all that is pulling me in fourteen different directions, I am able to focus.

I can focus on the most important tasks. I can focus on the people I am with. I can focus on what really matters. With focus I am able to make intentional progress. Progress in my business, in the things that bring me joy, and in the relationships that matter.

I am hopeful that my habit of journaling regularly has been revived. After making it a priority for 28 days, I have been reminded of why I enjoy it so much. As I continue to grow my business and develop new programs, new ways to support my clients in their own goal journey, I know journaling will be an important part of the process.

Will you start or continue on your own journaling journey?

What will you find when you take the time to write whatever is on your mind each day?

{If you need inspiration for where to start, what to actually write about, check out my free journal prompts. You can download it right now! Then grab a pen and your favorite journal and get started.}