Everyone knows that the new year is a great time to start something new, start anew. In this blog we will look at all the ways you can use a journal to help you stick to your goal and create new habits.
Journaling may be a new habit you are trying to implement into your everyday life, so here are a few tips for getting the most out of your journal. There are no rules to journaling, you should follow whatever format works for you, whatever feels the most natural.
The more you know about what you want, the easier it is to get it. You want to travel, where? The more detail you can add to your writing, the better.
Some of these tips and prompts may not resonate with you. That’s fine, just skip them. One of these journal prompts may even cause your brain to take you in a completely new direction. Let it happen, go with the flow, often you’ll learn a lot about yourself from those unexpected twists.
A journal should be an extension of yourself, so above all things, be honest. You will be the only one who sees what your journal holds. There is no need to be afraid of judgement. Do the best by yourself and be honest and tell the truth.
Now onto the next bit, in reality unless our goals are truly meaningful, 100% personal, and manageable, we’ll quickly abandon them, like most of us usually do in the second week of January. Here are a few journal prompts to help you focus and really plan out what you want your new year's resolutions to be about.
Start BIG!
What is your absolute ideal for this year?
- What does my dream life look like?
- What brings me the most happiness?
- If I wasn’t worried about time or money, what would I do, be, or have?
Yes, we get it. This may seem a little counterintuitive, but we’re often told to start small and let things grow, see how things pan out, but when it comes to getting focused on what you really want, it’s important to start with the big picture. This gives you the opportunity to think about your life as a whole; where it is now, and where you want it to be. Give yourself the freedom to dream so big that it gives you butterflies and scares you a little.
Zone in
What is your journey going to be?
- What can I do this year to bring me closer to my dream? What can I do to start living that life right now?
- When I picture myself in December next year, what do I see? What will I have accomplished? What kind of person will I be?
- Now that I know what makes me happiest, how can I implement that more into my life?
You’ve already created your outline, the new year is a great stepping stone to start on to travel the path that will get you there. This is your time to brainstorm, plan, all the ways to get on the right track. Now that you’ve gotten clarity on the big picture, it’s time to start thinking specifically about the coming year and the smaller, more manageable steps to take to bring your goals to fruition.
- What goals can I set to help me have the kind of year I am after?
- How can I take those year-long goals and break them down into manageable steps? What can I do today? This week? This month?
- How can I make more time for the things that bring me the most joy and happiness? What things in my life can I let go to make way for the things that matter most?
Don't be hard on yourself
Reflect throughout the year
- Have I met my goals for today? This week? This Month?
- What can I do to keep myself on track?
- How can I pick myself up if I divert off track?
It’s important to know that the coming year probably won’t go perfectly or how you think it will, there will be plenty of ups and downs. You might not achieve every single thing you set out to do, and that’s okay. Some days might be a little more chaotic, and you might not accomplish your goals for that period. The most important thing you can do when that happens is forgive yourself, you’re only human after all. Just make sure you keep your heart focused on the big picture. You may not have a perfect year, but if you stay focused on what really matters, you’ll still be so much closer to your ideal life at the end of the year than you are right now. Any progress is good progress.
We hope everyone had a very happy holidays and that the new year brings nothing but happiness and growth for us all. Good luck with your new year’s resolutions and we can’t wait to see all the new spreads.
