Write it off.

The last newsletter gave an introduction to creating and leveraging a Gimmick for your benefit. It’s a quirky way to gain perspective on your self-concept.

The idea was to create a picture of yourself with an emphasis on qualities and traits. Two things that not only help us create the life we want but also define us in the eyes of other people.

The majority of people put their self-development on the back burner. Which is understandable as we all have things to take care of.

But there are ways to create progress every day, even if it’s a little bit. I did it with journaling and mindfulness.

It started with regaining control over how I manage frustrations. That was the first roadblock. From there, each subsequent challenge became easier to manage.

People often think mindfulness will get rid of XYZ. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.

Things that frustrate or challenge us only become easier to manage to the point it seems like they don’t exist.

Journaling was the underrated method that brought me consistent success. It’s easy to implement and adapt and I’ll share what worked for me.

Tools of the Journalist.

An Atomic Note is a great method to start with. It’s a short, purposeful entry specifically about one topic.

If you have a lot on your mind that day, just start a new one. This leaves you with notes ready to be organized by topic.

If something has been bothering you but you haven’t pinpointed what it is, this could help you find clarity. The one-topic idea will help you easily identify patterns.

Atomic Notes offers the flexibility to write out problem-solving methods or even create pros & cons lists.

I’m a fan of the Brain Dump. I’ve filled up notebooks with thoughts pouring out like a broken faucet. You just keep writing. There are no prompts, no structure, no rules.

It’s great if you have a hundred things on your mind but you currently don’t have the time to sort them. Sometimes we need the space to completely clear our minds.

Due to the free-flow nature of it, you may want to take note of when the topic changes if you want to revisit it later.

It provides similar benefits to an Atomic Note, I was able to identify patterns that needed to be addressed.

The brain dump was a game-changer because it was easier to build my writing habit due to the free flow nature of it.

Another way to go about it is using Prompts. “What am I grateful for today?” is a common example. You can easily find more by Googling it.

This is the middle ground where you want a little guidance to get your writing started while also having the freedom to let it go where the flow takes it.

Following prompts allows you to clearly see what has changed over the past couple of days. Through that, you can identify things of value or get to the root of issues.

Mix It Up if you want. Sometimes I’ll pivot to an Atomic Note from my Brain Dump when I see a pattern I want to correct. I’ve also used Prompts to start and then have it turn into a Brain Dump.

You decide what works best for you in producing the results you seek. While journaling is a rewarding habit to build, the endgame is leveraging that to create a better life.

Create something meaningful.

I know you’re waiting for me to share some juicy tidbits from my journaling. Before that, we have to address the habit of journaling.

By the way, you don’t have to call it journaling if you don’t want to. Call it whatever you want as long as you can stick to doing it consistently.

As far as the time of the day, I’ve journaled both at the start and the end of it.

I found the latter was more productive as I was able to reflect on everything I’ve experienced throughout the day. I was able to clear my mind of things which held no value.

Journaling when I woke up left me in a good mood and a headspace of feeling more grateful. It provided a focus I could carry throughout the day which helped eliminate distractions.

As individuals, you know your problem-solving process and what works best for you. Like journaling, you have the flexibility to create the schedule which is most efficient for you.

I will say to allow yourself to be uninterrupted during the time you journal. You are doing it for yourself after all.

So you have the how and the when. Now you define the why.

Breaking stagnation.

We don’t go in circles here, so we need to know where we came from. Journaling can make the marathon of life a little less challenging.

Some people journal just to clear the mind and that’s fine. But why stop there when the opportunity to build a better life is so close?

Identify & correct things which enable resistance in our lives. They can be patterns we repeat which keep us in a limiting cycle.

Once you’re aware, developing a process to remove resistance becomes much easier. It’s problem-solving while investing in yourself.

Explore interests you hesitate to take action on. There is so much value in writing about something you tried and failed at.

Don’t have a journal filled with “What ifs.” Writing about your experience in something new further highlights what you excel at and what can be developed.

At the end of the day, the main goal is to clear space in your mind. Less congestion allows for better functionality and efficiency. From there, you determine the best path toward growth.

The door’s open to better productivity at work, engaging more with those you care about, and better understanding the life you want to create.

You get to see the small wins compound over time in addition to recognizing not everything is as big as it seems.

So get it on paper. (Or digital paper.) Use prompts or freestyle it, it doesn’t matter as long as you write it. But writing with a positive purpose will allow you to be more present in the experiences life has to offer.

Thanks for joining!

If you found value in this, I’d love it if you shared it with a friend.

Have a great week and we’ll talk soon.

-Matt