THE JOURNALS
THE MEANS TO GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND WELL-BEING



CONTENTS: (See detail of each journal, below.)

Why journal? 

The logistics of journaling

My Journal  (See "Related", right sidebar.)

My Gratitude Journal  

My Happiness Diary   









 




Resources and articles - See at bottom.
  ____________________________________________________________


WHY JOURNAL?

Because it is effective. 

[By "effective" I mean it has "effects" right this minute on clearing your mind, settling it, in some way as a short term benefit, AND, I believe, it must be used to create long term effects, to better one's life, with full followup review of what I can gain/correct/use in my life, so that I am not just writing about problems or whatever that repeat themselves, but so that I am resolving/solving/improving in the area so that my life is solidly built on a strong foundation of beliefs and thinking that works! (See, and fully utilize, Effective Journaling - Getting The Greatest Results In Your Life! .)]

It not only has you "experience" your life in more depth but it adds back more "life" as you write and look at what is going on.  If you add some of the techniques in this website, you can even enhance the effect immensely. 

There is a scientifically proven long-term effect on happiness of just journaling daily 3-5 items for which you are grateful for.

In this era of "immediate gratification" and "give me results right now", this exercise may seem like it has no effect.  But it does.  It tends to build a
muscle that adds strength to one's life and increases the ability to observe what is going on (the first step to any progressive process), to enjoy it and/or modify it for the next time.  But it happens layer by layer, with no seeming effect, until one day you realize things are "better"  - you're more mellow, more in control, your life is easier.  Your brain becomes more alert and more intelligent, as it is re-wired and enhanced through the process of using those "circuits" in the brain so that your capacity and ability are much greater. 

From "Why Write It Down":

"One of the benefits of journaling is that it forces specificity and thereby engages the higher brain's reasoning power and specificity power.  In fact, noting down that a thing you were scared about actually resulted in "nothing actually happening"  engages the reconditioning of the fear system to lead to extinction of the fear.   (The gradual exposure to something feared is often used to extinguish fears, phobias, and anxieties, as our primitive brain gets the message over and over that "nothing actually happens", so it sees there is no threat to react to!)"

Read and be clear about all the effects of writing it down (link above), so that you will be convinced of and know the value of journaling and other written practices.

A particularly good effect from a practice I suggest you add is to "solve" (or learn from) immediately anything that comes up.  For instance, in the Improvements Journal, a format where you write down an impressive action by someone and then in the response column you write down that you will commit to do it, and any action you will take (like rehearsing the cool moves and/or facial expressions).  If you're experiencing being "down" in any way, you can write your internal conversations that are pulling you down and then, right away or when you are brighter, you write a response that is more true, rational, and healthy. 


THE LOGISTICS OF JOURNALING

Have at least one bound journal that can be opened so it is flat.  Preferably a full page size (about 8 1/2 x 11), so you can have more room to flow more thoughts or do diagrams or pictures.  If you need to, you can buy one with a lock.

Keep it by your bedside (or any convenient place that is very easily accessible).

Use it at a set time (or two) each day.  Often the late evening is a good time to wrap up the day, being sure to include a few things that you are grateful for and/or worked out for you. 

After you write something put in large lettering above it (so it can be identified later) what it is about.  Examples:  Gratitude, appreciations, affirmation, philosophy, psych issue, etc.

The supplement approach is to use a "journaling by subject", with tabs for key subjects or using a "tree outline" journaling software.  See For Your Journaling - Just Do This, for how to set this one up - it is my most preferred.


MY JOURNAL (The general journal for all my journaling)

People who write about what is happening in life notice what is happening and by that greater consciousness and awareness are able to make better choices in life.  Doing this also adds meaning and depth to life.  If utilized in certain ways (see the writeup), it can help one identify issues and concerns so that they can be more permanently resolved, for greater peace of mind.


MY GRATITUDE JOURNAL (Now expanded, separate page The Gratitude Journal.)

The purpose of this journal is to write out everything you are grateful for so that you will hard wire your brain for being grateful and to create greater happiness by focusing on this side of life.  It is a strong base for being happy, but is often seen as perfunctory and not meaningful.  Although it is "simple", it has been identified to create a whole new life and to change the hardwiring in the brain if done over a period of nine months or longer.  People who write down 5 things they are grateful for during the day report a significantly higher degree of happiness each day.  See How To Keep A Gratitude Journal at eHow.com. 

Examples of gratitude journaling: Some Postings To My Gratitude Journal.  A perspective that helps is in Life From The Perspective Of A Caveman.


MY HAPPINESS DIARY (See expanded, separate section:  The Happiness Diary.)

The purpose of this diary is to increase our happiness level through awareness and, believe it or not, through changing the "hard wiring" of our brain to notice AND to seek out happiness causers.  It helps to cultivate positive feelings and to experience them more deeply.  It also changes one's perspective on life, which has a much greater effect than improving one's circumstances in life - and it is much more under our control.  Greater effect, more control over causing it - a very potent combination.

As soon as possible after experiencing happiness or anything positive, write it down in detail and rate the feeling on a scale of 1 to 100. 

Although it would be a good lifetime habit, do it for at least three months (or even a few weeks if that is all you can manage).   


MY JOURNAL OF IMPROVEMENT

(Link, above.  Possible alternate titles:  My Racket And False Beliefs Journal, My Analytical, Progressive Journal, My Journal Of Increasing Power, or think up a name that would "feel right" and good to you....)



RESOURCES AND ARTICLES

Journaling Tools - Life Journal - Try the software free trial.

Five Best Journaling Tools

Create Write Now, The Journaling Center - Using a journal to get healthier.





Read one of the most essential books for living your life:
The Science Of Happiness, Stefan Klein, Ph. D.
Amazon.com:

In Association with Amazon.com

Spend at least 5 hours to set up how you want to utilize this!

READ ALSO

Effective Journaling - Getting The Greatest Results In Your Life!   


START HERE

After reading the page you are on right now, go to

For Your Journaling - Just Do This

IDEAS, WHAT TO DO, HOW TO DO IT

My Daily Journal - Notes On
Journaling And Making It    More Useful - Particularly useful - use this to decide what approach and tools you will use for your life

The :"How Am I Actually Doing Journal" Entries - An Awareness Exercise And A Device To Progress From 

What To Write In My Journal - How Can I Squeeze The Most Benefit Out Of It - Discussion; see instant reference for subjects, below.

SOME TYPES OF JOURNALS

My Improvement Journal

The Gratitude Journal  

The Happiness Diary


FOR INSTANT REFERENCE:

What To Write In My Journals - Summary Page - At a glance, the alternatives on what to enter.  Keep referenceable, preferably in front of journal


Robin Sharma: "Groundbreaking research on elite performance and ultra-achievement is now confirming that keeping a journal on a regular basis boosts mental focus, increases self-confidence, elevates your mental attitude and increases the levels of happiness that you feel."  Video on why and how to keep a journal.



Results, Benefits

Clear up your thinking.
Re-experience the day, victories, nice times
Solve problems
Look at and disappear fears
Discover what you really want...
And on and on...read the discussion

Leave no open loops!

Set up followup tasks, leaving no item open.

   Solve every single problem
   Correct every single bad belief
   List/tickle every single want/goals

The purpose of journaling

Everything you do in life is for a purpose and to get a desired result in life.  Journaling is one of the means to achieve the ends in your life.

MY IMPROVEMENT JOURNAL - When something doesn't go as you would like, you have the opportunity to "look" and see what was behind it and to correct the approach, and, as you do so, you find yourself on an upward curve of personal effectiveness and power.  It is a journal with pre-set up questions that lead to specific focuses and the opportunity for analysis to progress to solutions and strategies that work to remove the barriers and to create the life I love.