3 Reasons to Start Journaling by @SandraDawes

by Sandra Dawes | Featured Contributor

If you’re a fan of Oprah’s or watched The Secret you’ve probably heard of the benefits of doing a gratitude journal. Taking the time out to reflect on all we have to be grateful for is a great exercise and one that I not only suggest to clients, but also do myself. Journals don’t have to be dedicated to gratitude to add benefit to our lives. Here are 3 reasons you should start journaling if you don’t already do it:

1. It’s an amazing way to track your growth 

   Ask anyone who’s been journaling for a while, and they’ll tell you that they sometimes go back and ready old journals and are amazed of how far they’ve come. When we’re in the trenches, focused on our goals, it can be easy not so see all the progress we’ve made. It’s also great to look back on the difficulties you’ve already experienced and remember that you were able to overcome them. Who knows? It might make for a great book one day!

2. It allows you to reflect on the day 

   Our days can get so crazy that we don’t even remember half the things we’ve done. Taking time at the end of the day to reflect on what worked and what didn’t gives us a chance to re-calibrate for the following day. If we aren’t constantly checking in with ourselves, things can quickly snowball and get out of hand. Checking-in daily allows us to stay more mindful and aware.

3. It’s a powerful medium for stating declarations and commitments 

   I don’t know about you, but there is something powerful about commitments that I write down in my journal. When I make a commitment to getting something done in my book, I hold myself to it. It’s been said that writing down our goals makes them more real, so why not write down the things you’re committing to doing with real actual deadlines? Of course you can’t just write it and forget about it. The point of journaling is to go use it as a point a reference as you continue along the journey.

There are not hard rules about journaling. Your entries can be as long or as short as you want them to be. You can do it by doing it old-school with a notebook and pen or you can do it electronically. Maybe doing it as a voice note is your thing. It doesn’t matter how you do it, I think it’s more important that you do it. Journaling increases our awareness. It allows us to identify patterns we might be missing. The biggest benefit of all to journaling is that it gives us a moment to pause. Who doesn’t need that?

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Sandra Dawes is a recovering control freak and excuse maker, as well as founder of Embrace Your Destiny, her life coaching practice. Her work involves teaching women how to stop making arguing for their limitations so that they can create the life that they want. Sandra’s inspiration to help others in this area comes from her own journey and experiences in dealing with the heartbreak of losing her father. She published her first book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve, a story that outlines her personal journey, in November 2013.

In her down time, Sandra loves to read, do yoga and spend time with her partner Satnam and their dog Lulu. For more information on what she does, visit www.embraceyourdestiny.ca.

Sandra Dawes

Sandra Dawes is a recovering control freak and excuse maker, as well as founder of Embrace Your Destiny, her life coaching practice. Her work involves teaching women how to stop arguing for their limitations so that they can create the life that they want. Sandra’s inspiration to help others in this area comes from her own journey and experiences in dealing with the heartbreak of losing her father. She published her first book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve, a story that outlines her personal journey, in November 2013.

In her down time, Sandra loves to read, do yoga and spend time with her partner Satnam and their dog Lulu. For more information on what she does, visit sandradawes.com.