It’s amazing that something so simple, and somewhat old-fashioned, can have such a powerful impact on your inner peace, confidence, and success. Just by writing down your thoughts, experiences, and dreams, you can completely change the game.
Are you using the power of journaling to improve your life and relationships?
Journaling is a powerful tool that completely transforms your life. It’s one of the essential tools I’ve used to revolutionize my own life and part of what I share with my clients and students.
Daily journaling was instrumental in my transformation from being an insecure and fearful person into a radiant and vibrant human who’s in Love with life. Trust me, it’s awesome in every way!
If you want to make changes in your life for the better and become the best version of yourself each day, use what I share with you here. Trust me, it will make a massive difference!
More than meets the eye or paper
It’s no secret that the act of writing things down has incredible power. Too often we try to rely on just our memory to get things done, to stay organized, and to move us forward.
Also too often, we keep things stuck in our heads, trying to “figure it out” up there where things just get more complicated and convoluted. Journaling is about taking all those ideas and plans and getting them out so they can be seen and understood.
By writing out your thoughts, beliefs, and dreams you can see yourself more clearly. This fresh perspective gives you clarity on what changes you can make to move in the direction you want to go.
When you combine journaling with other personal development resources (check out the Growth Farming podcast for insights into my essential tools) you change the way you think in a positive direction.
One way of doing this is through the practice of writing affirmations. Writing affirmations that empower your beliefs in self-love, including expressing your dreams, plants seeds of Love in your mind that produce the life you want.
This is one key way to improve your own self-love and grow healthier relationships.
My journaling origin story
I started journaling when I was in high school. I used my journal to write down my experiences. But really I was writing down my thoughts and feelings, even though I didn’t realize that was what I was doing at the time.
I’d have an idea for a song I was writing and I’d put a few lines down in my journal. Then I’d write about the girl that the song was about. And I’d write about how much I liked her, or why I liked her.
I’d dream about stuff I wanted to experience. I was playing in a band at the time but we didn’t have any shows going and I didn’t think we’d get any. So I wrote that down.
And guess what? We played maybe two shows in front of an audience the entire time we were together.
I dated a girl in my junior year of high school and broke up with her and then tried to get her back and wrote all that in my journal. Lack of belief in myself is evident in those old journal entries.
The struggle was a consistent theme in my journaling back then. And I experienced more of it. This is why being intentional about what you journal is really important.
I’m not saying to not write down your pain and suffering. Do that if it helps you sort through your emotions and let the pain go. Then ask yourself what you’ve learned from these experiences.
Journaling helps you become a stronger student in life and in self-discovery.
Journaling is a powerful way to learn about yourself
Using a journal daily is also a great way to change your story. Because what you write down is like a contract you’re making with yourself.
If you’re someone who’s into manifestation, you know the power of journaling. Here are five ways to use journaling to manifest a better life for yourself:
- Write down what you want to have and experience. Believe that it’s happening or that it has already happened.
Example: “I had a great conversation with my friend today and we healed from an argument we had last week. Our relationship is strong again and it feels great to reconnect with her. - Affirm to yourself the power and the GOOD that you are.
Example: “I am strong and whole in myself. I am chosen. I feel Love all around me.” - Write yourself love notes. That’s journaling.
Example: “I appreciate how kind and considerate I am to others. It feels really good to bring a smiling face to people I see throughout the day. I love that about myself! I am beautiful and amazing and am very proud of the person I am and the person I am becoming!” - Write yourself stories about you succeeding in your dreams. That’s journaling.
- Write about your experiences, the good and bad. Write what that showed you about yourself, your strengths, and your powers. And your weaknesses. Not to focus on them, but to be accepting and gracious with yourself exactly as you are. That’s real self-love.
Let your journal be a conversation with yourself that you do FOR you.
Love yourself enough to write down your thoughts. Use this to change your beliefs about yourself.
Want more help with changing your beliefs and growing in confidence? Use the Reshaping Your Beliefs ebook for a step-by-step process.
The most successful people all use journaling to level up in life
Some people I’ve learned a lot from in the realm of journaling are best-selling author Benjamin Hardy, who blogs a lot about the power of journaling regularly. Oprah Winfrey has taught me a lot too. In her book, What I Know For Sure (reviewed in my 2020 reading list), she describes how journaling had such a transformative effect on her life during some of her most difficult and trying experiences.
The more I read biographies of super-successful people, one common denominator they share is journaling.
If following in the footsteps of successful people is something you want to do too, I highly suggest you utilize and use this tool.
Plan your journaling practice to grow consistently
Nowadays my journaling happens usually first thing in the morning.
I write myself a Love note about how much I love myself. Affirming my inner strengths. I claim what I want to experience and trust God is bringing me everything I ask for (on paper) in divine timing.
The pages of my journals also talk about my experiences. And what they are teaching me about myself so that I can continue to grow.
I use journaling to document my experiences. That is what I used to only do before I gained a conscious awareness of the power of writing down my thoughts. I also use my journal to teach me where my actions, attitudes, and beliefs are not in alignment with my true self. That true self is Love.
After meditation or a spiritual experience, I write down what I saw or heard, or felt. Or both. Journaling empowers all the other self-love and personal development methods because it puts everything out in the open to be seen.
Be creative to bring this practice to life
Sometimes writing the same things down every day can seem boring. I get that.
My friend Adam uses his journal in a unique and creative way. He takes his affirmations and draws them out in word pictures or quotes in different font styles. He’ll add drawings and pictures that bring a creative spark to what he’s empowering himself with.
Let your creativity flow. It’s your journal and your experience. Add doodles or quotes you’ve read that really empower you.
There’s no one way to do this. Allow yourself the space to let your imagination flow. These little sparks add new levels of interest and fun to the whole process. Which helps with continuing the practice daily.
Why journaling makes such a difference
There’s immense power in taking our thoughts and transforming them into words through pen and paper. It’s a constructive way to organize our dreams and goals.
Usually, some of the best epiphanies and realizations happen after you think out loud. And writing it down gets these thoughts into a tangible form where they can take shape to become something greater than just a thought or idea.
Writing them gives them breath. All living things have breath. Think about that for a minute.
Breathe life into yourself by writing out your thoughts, feelings, and dreams.
When you put energy into your creative expressions, powerful things happen. Infusing these thoughts with Love is the key to transformation, both for yourself and for your relationships.
There’s power in the written word. It sinks into your subconscious mind and takes root. All beliefs and thoughts influence behavior, attitudes, and actions.
Use your journal as a vessel for planting and cultivating Love inside of you. Give this a try daily for thirty days and watch how your life transforms!
D Grant Smith is known as the Growth Farmer, which means he has an old-fashioned approach to living a whole & healthy life. Get his free ebook called Love Is The Seed To Success, that gives help in healing relationships and growing healthy ones. His new book Be Solid: How To Go Through Hell & Come Out Whole is about the journey into self-love and self-care after heartbreak and personal loss. He’s an empowerment superhero who would love to give you encouragement so feel free to reach out!
