These daily keys, or "journal entries," are just small writing prompts to get you thinking. They are going to challenge you, help you, and sometimes make you uncomfortable to talk about. Growth comes from a level of discomfort, and pressure makes diamonds. Join in on this journey as we work through the folds of our thoughts and emotions by writing in your journal privately or through our website's comments and forum section.
We all get super busy in our day-day life. Sometimes we forget to take a step back to evaluate and have some self-awareness around how we are feeling, what contributes to these feelings, and what we need to do to help us deal with or correct them. We need to take all of this into account to live a more balanced life. Each subject will carry a different weight for the readers that engage with it; ultimately, these Weekly Keys are here to help with your overall mental health by becoming a self-actualized person.
Here are a few tips before you start to journal.
Tip #1 - Make sure to put some dedicated time aside:
It could be 10 minutes or an hour, depending on the subject. If you say, you will "do it later," Make sure to set an exact time of when later is. This ties into setting time aside for you to do the work and if you aren't purposeful with your time, it gets away from you; you blink, and now it's the end of the week.
Tip #2- Set the right atmosphere:
I know we all have a busy life, kids running around, spouse or significant other can't find their house keys or that brief they've been working on, dishes are in the sink, or mother in law is calling to plan that luncheon with you and the kids.
*Breathe*. Suppose some of this can be paused and addressed in the next 10 minutes to an hour. Then do that. Go to a safe space in your home. It could be your office, your craft room, outside under a tree in the backyard. Somewhere you feel you can breathe and be at peace with yourself and your mind.
Tip #3 - Bring your creative and focus accessories:
I mean by that is whether your journal is an inexpensive composition journal you picked up at Target or one you customized off Etsy and delivered. The things you write in or with can make a world of difference. I have eight different kinds of journals because I'm indecisive and never know what I want. However, I like having the option to write in various journals depending on the subject or my mood.
I would also recommend finding a pen (or pencil if you don't like to commit to things) that you like that writes nicely. I also suggest a strong cup of coffee, or maybe a tea that helps calm the mind or body. Light a candle or burn incense or sage.
Tip #4 - Meditate (if you have time)
I typically spend part of my Sunday or Monday morning meditating and cleansing the house. This helps me with my self-reflection and helps my state of mind as I go into my journal entry. If you do not have time to do this, it is NOT a necessity, just a recommendation. (I linked our blog on meditating for those unfamiliar with it or for those who would like some more information on it.)
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