Confession: I love notebooks, journals, and planners. Confession, part two: I have a stack of them that I haven’t used in months on my bookshelf!
But there is one kind of “upgraded” journaling I do every single day and I recommend it to everyone.
It was designed specifically to help you “focus on the good in your life, become more mindful, and live with intention”. If you try it, you’ll see for yourself in a week or two that it actually works.
It’s The Five-Minute Journal. Have you ever heard of it?
It was made popular a few years ago by Tim Ferris, an author and podcaster who specializes in maximizing the human potential. The journal is based on positive psychology.
I really like this style of journaling because it’s fast and simple… plus, it forces you to slow down for a couple minutes both in the morning and at night, to set intentions and reflect on your day.
Here’s the basic format…
Every morning list 3 things you’re grateful for, 3 things that “would make today great”, and 1 daily affirmation.
Every night write down 3 amazing things that happened during the day, and a sentence or two about what you could have done to make the day even better.
The published version of the original journal keeps all this to one page, so your answers can stay short and sweet.
According to Intelligent Change, the company that publishes the official Five-Minute Journal, the format is set up to train your mind to focus on the positive things happening in your life… and shake you out of negative thought loops that keep you feeling stuck.
Overall, this will help you to develop a deeper sense of control over your actions and your life.
If you like journaling, try “upgrading” to this format for a while to see how you like it!
If you don’t normally journal, this is the PERFECT format to experiment with. You can buy an official journal, or make your own version based on the questions above.
If you give this method a try, I’d know to know about it! Just hit “reply” on this email and let me know. I always love to hear from you!