![]() Do your best to come up with something new every day, but of course over time, you’re going to repeat a few things. Just be sure to take care of these specific prompts first. Remember, if you have more to say, by all means, say it. For each I’ve written an explanation of what’s intended and how to best use them. If you can’t get even 10 minutes to yourself to have a few clear thoughts every morning, you need to take a serious look at your lifestyle and make some changes.įollowing are the prompts I suggest using. You don’t need to commit a lot of time to this-10-20 minutes should be plenty, although if you’re able to commit more, take advantage of it. Before you go back inside or do anything else-especially check your phone or computer-find a quiet place to sit alone and do your thinking and writing. Leave your phone and anything else you know will distract you inside. Get outside first thing in the morning and take a short walk if you can. Don’t just jot down some notes while you’re creeping through commute traffic. Second, create a situation that allows you to relax and focus. If you’re going to spend the time to do it at all, do it well. The results will be commensurate to your effort-if you do it half-heartedly, you’re going to get minimal benefit. You need to put genuine thought into what you’re writing. First, of course, you need to take it seriously. In order for this to work as well as it can, you need to do it right. You may discover a new prompt that you want to include in your daily routine in the process. Be sure to do the basics, but once you have, don’t restrict yourself if there’s more on your mind. In any case, I suggest allowing yourself to go as far-afield as your mind carries you each day as you write-as long as you answer the prompts directly first. In other words, you can respond to the prompts exclusively, or you can use them as launching points for more in-depth consideration and writing. This process done precisely as written is going to be effective if you take it seriously, but you can also use it simply as a framework to expand from and create your own process. All I’ve done is pare down the process to what I’ve found to be the most important ideas to focus on daily-what you need for this to be effective, and nothing more. I certainly didn’t create the idea of journaling or even the basic prompts here-you can find variations of these ideas in plenty of books, and they’re pretty obvious if you spend a bit of time considering the issue. The question for me became, How do I get this done in a way that isn’t daunting and off-putting in its extensiveness, that is concise but maximally effective by stripping away extraneous activities but preserving the critical core, that isn’t just tolerable, but even enjoyable? If I couldn’t answer that, I knew this kind of activity would never become a habit for me, and I’d never be able to benefit from a practice I knew without any doubt would help me immensely. Knowing this for years hasn’t magically made me do it. However, it’s also a fact that it only works if you actually do it, and do it sincerely, and for it to work as well as possible, it has to be done consistently over a long period of time. It’s a fact that this sort of mindset remodeling and control is effective, potentially to a staggering extent. It’s a chance to reflect on the previous day, make adjustments, and prepare your mind for the day now beginning. The following prompts and ideas rely on that timing send you into the day ready to be who you want to be and achieve what you want to achieve. Your mind is also more receptive to suggestion first thing in the morning than it is later in the day-in other words, any mindset work you do is going to be far more effective.Ī morning journal routine is meant to take advantage of this unique window of time. It’s a time when my mind is open to possibility and unburdened by the often overwhelming pressure of responsibility and obligation. Even if I’m exhausted, it’s always my most productive time of day, the time when I’m able to work with the most enthusiasm and clarity. The morning for me has always been a special time that offers a sense of inspiration, renewal and optimism.
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