Journaling Tips: The Mindfulness Journal

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Mindfulness.

This has become a very commonly-used word these days. Mindful living, mindful eating … Are there other ways you can incorporate this philosophy into your life?

Mindfulness is a complete body, mind, and spiritual practice. Through meditation and contemplation, you begin to remove negative energy from your life. You also begin to see what is triggering you and how your body reacts. One way to manage this is with a mindfulness journal. Here we look at how to create a mindfulness journal and how to effectively use it every day.

The Set-Up

A mindfulness journal resembles what most would call a devotional journal. In many cases, people use a small blurb or quote to push their journal along. This blurb, quote, or statement gives you something to reflect on your own life. For example, you may choose to have a reflective quote from the Dali Lama or Edgar Cayce to start off each day.

As you use your journal, you can reflect on the quote and write down your thoughts on how that quote applies to you. Many mindfulness journals are prompt-based to push you to focus on you and your feelings about your day or any stressors in your life.

When to Use

The ideal time to use a mindfulness journal is in the morning. This allows you to ignite your focus and maintain that focus all day. It’s usually part of a meditation routine that allows you to meditate for several minutes, write about your thoughts, and take those thoughts with you throughout the day. It’s a form of written meditation that can help you de-clutter your thoughts.

How It Helps

You can consider this as taking out the trash of your life. You use meditation to take out the garbage that clutters your soul and spirit while journaling allows you to take out the trash that clutters up your mind and refocus on you and your well-being. It’s a way of getting to know yourself again. This means reflecting on your entries and learning from them.

The How-Tos of the MIndfulness Journal

Dig Into Sensory Details

Pay attention to the physical world around you. If you’re stuck on what to write about, focus on something you saw, heard, tasted, smelled, or felt recently. Try to pin down the sensory details of the experience.

Focus on Gratitude

What are you thankful for? Write about it in your journal. Gratitude and mindfulness go hand-in-hand – they’re both about slowing down and appreciating what you’ve got in the here and now.

Get Creative

If you don’t feel like writing a traditional journal entry, then don’t. It’s fine to draw pictures, make lists, or write poems in your mindfulness journal. Do what works for you.

No Pressure

If you’re a perfectionist about your journal, stop! There’s no right or wrong way to keep a journal. No one else has to read it. It’s okay to write boring entries, spell things wrong, and use messy handwriting. Your journal is for you and no one else.

Use Your Memories

Reflecting on a memory can be a good exercise in mindfulness. Pick a memory and try writing down all the sensory details you can remember about it. If you have lingering emotions surrounding the memory, explore those in your journal too. You can do this exercise with big memories but reflecting on your small memories can be valuable as well.

Notice Your Self Talk

Are you in the habit of noticing the dialogue inside your head? If not, your mindfulness journal is a good place to capture this. Negative self-talk, like “I’ll never get this right,” can cripple your self-esteem and make you less productive, even if you’re not aware you’re doing it. On the other hand, positive self-talk – such as “I work really hard” – can help you feel more confident and get more done over the course of a day.

Make a Routine

Like any other healthy habit, you’ll get more out of journaling if you do it regularly. Set aside a regular time every day or week to write in your mindfulness journal.

Mindfulness has the potential to transform your life. It can help you become more productive, more content, and less stressed. Journaling is a simple, accessible way to get in touch with yourself and live in the present moment. It’s a great way to practice mindfulness. If you want to boost your mood and your productivity, you can take the first step by starting a mindfulness journal today.

Do you have a journal? Do you feel like it’s helped you?  Tell us about it in the comments.

Also, do you need prompts for your journaling? Check out these journaling prompts.

Have a beautiful day!

Loving Life—The Reboot

Dominique