How Journaling Can Change Your Life and 55 Prompts to get You Started

How Journaling Can Change Your Life (Make You Rich) & 55 Prompts to Get You Started

⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 4 Mins
Last Updated: April 2022

In this article:
Why should you journal? 

This post is absolutely jam packed with the goods on journaling and why you NEED to do it, and how it can literally change your life! It includes:

• The 4 most common reasons you should journal and how it can help you navigate your day to day existence and your personal growth goals.
• Links & resources to over 100 more real reasons why you should journal, including the health benefits, so please feel free to go down the rabbit hole.
• Amazing videos on how to journal, why to journal, and best of all, how journaling could actually make you rich based on actual results from someone who's tried it.
• A free downloadable journal with 55 self-improvement writing prompts to set you up for success and personal growth.

A journal is a tool to cleanse your mind and provide needed clarity in the hectic world that surrounds us.  Why should YOU journal???
 
1.   To work through issues 
Sometimes just by writing your challenges down and being able to look at them through the lens of a bystander can give you the clarity and distance needed to see the issue through another standpoint. You can also write and brainstorm possible solutions in your diary to deal with your challenging circumstances, and by doing so, you put yourself in a solution based state of mind which triggers your brain, and your subconcious, to come up with answers to your problems.  It's very difficult to keep it all straight in your head especially when you consider all of the emotional triggers that are going off in your body at the same time.  Write it out and get some perspective. The very practice of writing out your problems can be cathartic and getting it out of your head and onto paper can be a good coping mechanism.
 
2.   Build Self-Awareness 
Writing allows you to gain perspective and more self-awareness over what is going on in your life.  As your write about your experiences, wants, dreams, etc you become self reflective as to your actions and intentions, your habits good and bad, and ways that you can improve and remove yourself from old unsupportive patterns of behavior.  Self reflection and awareness are key pillars to creating a fulfilled life. Ideally you should make time at least once a week to review the prior week and measure yourself and to plan your following week.
 
3.   Promotes Mindfulness 
The act of journaling itself helps the author to remain present by focusing on the task of writing.  As the writing process itself requires your complete attention you are therefore evoking a mindfulness practice.
 
4.   Brain Dump 
One of my favorite ways to use journaling is the brain dump.  There is so much going on in my brain, so many ideas, to-do's, deadlines, etc that it can become overwhelming (and make you slightly crazy?) .  That is why in my journal I create categories (purpose, career or business, finance, relationships, health & well-being, etc) and I dump everything I am thinking about per category onto the paper.  I continue to add to this dump anytime a nagging thought comes to mind. This way I won't forget anything which allows my brain to stop dwelling on it so I can move on because I know that I have it available to come back to, and will not lose it. It also allows me to organize my thoughts by putting them into categories and from there I can further examine them, (Can I delegate, automate, delete?) prioritize them, and track my progress all while releasing the stress of juggling them in my mind.
 
There are so many more science backed ways that prove that journaling is good for your overall health and well-being that it is just too much to list.  But don't take it from me, if you want to know another hundred (I'm not kidding ?) real reasons (Like stress relief, memory enhancement, immunity boost, increased IQ, overall better health, etc) why you should journal check out these articles:

• 83 Benefits of Journaling for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress
• ​5 Powerful Health Benefits of Journaling 
• 10 Surprising Benefits You'll Get From Keeping a Journal
• Journaling for Mental Health

 

Journal

Here are some more prompts, ideas, and inspiration for journaling from the best of the best (The people making the millions and the top performers in their respective industries) and how keeping a journal helped them become the successful people they are today. 
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On top of the above resources, I have created a list of 55 journal prompts that you can download, print, and use to get you started in gaining the benefits from writing and journaling.
​

55 page journal including prompts

Get it HERE.
 
Take control of your mind and take control of your life.  Journaling is one of the best tools that you can use to sharpen your thinking, become self aware and design a life that you love.
 
Design YOUR Life.  Be Authentic. Be You. Be Sharp!

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Sources:  

• Positive Physcology. "83 Benefits of Journaling for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress".  By Courtney E. Ackerman, MSc. Updated April 28,  2020. 
  
  • ​https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-journaling/
• Intermountain Healthcare. "5 Powerful Health Benefits of Journaling." By Kasee Bailey . Updated June 31, 2018. 
  
  • https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/live-well/2018/07/5-powerful-health-benefits-of-journaling/
• Huffpost. "10 Surprising Benefits You'll Get From Keeping a Journal" By Thai Nguyen. Updated December 6, 2017. 
  
  • ​https://www.huffpost.com/entry/benefits-of-journaling-_b_6648884?guccounter=1
• Health Encyclopedia. "Journaling for Mental Health" By L Renee Watson MSN RN, Marianne Fraser MSN RN, Paul Ballas MD. 
  
  • https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1
• Subscribe to MindValley Talks on YouTube ~ https://youtu.be/UHbBAe0E2lQ
• Subscribe to Robin Sharma on YouTube ~ https://youtu.be/LfxwCKin5Bg
• ​Subscribe to Tim Ferriss on YouTube ~ https://youtu.be/UFdR8w_R1HA