Do you write in a journal regularly? Or have you for some period of time in your past? I must admit that I am a sporadic journaler. For a period of time I can be very committed and it feels like a habit. And then I fall away. I really don’t know why that happens. I find that a simple strategy to get into the routine again can be this journaling jumpstart: a one-line-a-day journal.
Writing just one line eacg day in a journal designed just for that purpose is a great way to start a micro habit. You can expand from there, writing more than one line or transfer to a different kind of journaling later if you choose. The point is to get started.
Here is a simple one-line a day journal of mine: One-Line-A-Day Journal . It’s a printable that you can get right away and get started. Your line of the day can be a highlight, a thought, a memory, a question, or anything else that comes to mind.
You may wonder what the value of this could be. Here are 3 benefits:
- It is a way to mark the days. I don’t know if this is your experience, but for me days blend together so easily. This has accelerated during the past years of the pandemic. Just taking a couple of minutes to identify something about this day, this 24-hour period of your life, is a pause to acknowledge it and its value to you.
- It records a memory that you can review later. That one line can remind you of more of that day, and the collection of lines can give you perspective on that week, month or year of your life.
- It may arouse your interest in a larger or different kind of journaling.
Why and How to Explore Other Types of Journaling
Many of us think of journaling as deep reflection about our lives. And that scares or puts off lots of people. It may be because they are not interested in doing that or because it just seems like too much time and effort that takes away from the realities of life.
Journaling is a multi-faceted tool that can be valuable in many stages and situations of our lives. As I wrote here (https://carolbrusegar.com/journaling-as-a-tool/) , it can help you gather ideas and brainstorm solutions, capture your life experiences, discover more about yourself, and track your personal growth in one or more areas.
Journaling can also be a real catalyst for increasing your creativity. To boost your creativity, expand your journaling from only words in full sentences to include drawing, mixed media, mind mapping, and brainstorming. For more details on this, see https://carolbrusegar.com/journaling-techniques-to-boost-your-creativity/
Using the one-line-a day journaling jumpstart can be the beginning of something more. If you would like to explore the possibilities of journaling, I invite you to sign up for my FREE 7-part ecourse: “Journaling: a Prism to Clarify and Enhance All Aspects of Life.” Get the details here: https://carolbrusegar.com/journaling-explore-the-possibilities/
I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives – regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age – the next stage of their lives – to be the best it can be.
Here are a few of my books on Amazon.com. Search by title or go to my author page: https://amazon.com/author/carolbrusegar
