Journaling is one of the greatest habits you can have. It ignites your creativity and gives you time to reflect on your life. Journaling has many benefits. For example, it can:
· inspire you to become more mindful
· increase your emotional intelligence
· clarify your thinking
· encourage you to develop an attitude of positive expectation
· improve your writing skills
· help you slow down so you can reflect on your life
· document your life experiences for future reflection
· enhance decision-making
· connect you with your inner world
· boost problem-solving skills
With a journal, you capture life’s special moments: good and bad. Life’s special moments aren’t just big events - tiny things can be just as meaningful. Research shows that great leaders take the time to reflect. The Harvard Business Review published an article relating the vital role of journaling and reflection to effective leadership. The first step is to simply pay attention to what you’re thinking about throughout the day. Become more aware of moments that standout in a typical day. As soon as something meaningful happens, jot it down so you can recall it later that night. These are your creative snippets and they don’t have to be grammatically correct – scribble just enough words to capture the essence of what you want to journal about.
“Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket” is an example of a memorable creative snippet I wrote about in my journal when I first started my business. I saw a Wonka bar at the store and it reminded of how much I loved the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory as a kid. It’s always been a symbol of unlimited creativity for me. Willy Wonka was unique and he appeared to have no competition. So, I bought the chocolate bar and hung the golden ticket wrapper on my office wall. It gave me the positive vibe I needed to get going with my new business venture. I looked at that golden ticket and felt like I couldn’t fail! And that’s what I wrote about in my journal.
Here are some more examples of creative snippets:
· Overheard 6-year old say “Grandpa…you’re my favorite
old man”
· Had the worst meal of my life
· Finally saw the 1960’s Batman episode featuring the Joker and Batman surfing
· Inspiring phone call with Susan, my business mentor
As you make daily journaling a habit, you’ll find yourself seeking out new experiences simply for the sake of having something unique to write about! Order that octopus soup. Remove all the cushions in the living room and make a massive fort with your nephews. Open the sunroof and turn up your favorite song on the way home from work. Give someone a fifty-dollar bill as a tip for no reason other than how it will make you feel – and then write about your experience!Your journal is the perfect place to celebrate your baby steps of progress. If you’re launching a business, write about buying a package of index cards that you’ll use to cover your office wall with intentions for your business. Your journal is the perfect place to celebrate the tiniest of baby steps of progress you are making in your life. If you are launching a new business, write about buying a business card holder for the desk that you don’t even have yet!
Keeping a daily journal is an effective way to spark your creativity and help you think like an innovator and visionary.