Introduction #
I love journaling.
If you were to ask me what has impacted me the most, I would say it’s journaling. It changed my perspective on a lot of things, helped me become more self-aware and resilient, identify problems and solutions, and achieve most, if not all, of my goals. Journaling also aided my relationships, mental health, and productivity.
It’s been over 500 days since I started journaling, and I’ve done it every day since.
Why I Started #
During Ramadan 2022, a challenge called “The 29 Challenge” began, and I participated, trying to build a couple of habits.
The challenge ended, and fortunately, I was selected as one of the winners. As a result, I went on a trip to Turkey with amazing people.
During the trip, we gathered in circles every day, and Mujtaba would ask, “How are you feeling and what are you grateful for today?”
I found myself struggling to answer. Feelings? Gratitude? I had never been asked that before. What should I say?
I wrestled with this question until the end of the trip and realized I might not know myself as well as I thought.
The inspiration to journal came from that experience. I also wanted to document my journey, so I decided to start journaling every day.
I arrived in Baghdad on November 1st, 2022, and began from there.
How I Journal #
When I first started, I used a small notebook because I was just beginning, and I didn’t want to burn out. For the first couple of weeks, I wrote about my feelings and gratitude. After that, I started keeping a diary, continuing to write about my feelings and gratitude until the end of the year.
In 2023, I felt the need for a change, so I switched from pen and paper to journaling with Notion after two months of journaling.
Pen and paper had a certain feel to it, but it also had limitations for me. With Notion, I can include pictures from my day, have unlimited space to write, and write faster. Many things are automated, such as prompts, titles, and dates, but I learned how to use them over time and as I became comfortable with Notion.
I journal at night, so when it’s 10 PM, a page is generated with the date of the day and the prompts and tags I can use, such as mood and media.
I sometimes use different prompts, but mostly, writing about my day, feelings, and gratitude is enough. You can always create personalized prompts that align with you, and ChatGPT can help you generate them.
The Benefits of Journaling #
If you’re overthinking, struggling to focus, or feeling lazy, journaling can help you reflect on your thoughts and unblock your productivity.
Three months make up a quarter of a year, so every quarter, I read what I wrote in the previous quarter.
I set yearly goals with deadlines like Q1 (the first quarter/first three months of the year) or Q4 (the last quarter). Reading the previous quarter helps me understand why I achieved or didn’t achieve my goals and learn from my mistakes since I review everything I did.
Sometimes, I use prompts like “lessons learned,” “a message to my future self,” or meditations (inspirations and peaceful thoughts from meditation). I tag these prompts so I know which days I used special prompts.
Reflecting this way helps you identify your triggers—what makes you happy, sad, or angry—and what makes you more productive. You can also identify problems or bad habits that need addressing.
Additionally, you can identify toxic and healthy relationships, monitor your health and well-being, and track your progress in whatever you’re doing.
Yearly reflection offers the same benefits as quarterly reflection, but it’s harder to read 365/366 days in one go. You can divide them into multiple reading days as you prefer.
Reflecting on your day while journaling provides similar benefits, but it requires journaling correctly and consistently over time.
Conclusion #
Journaling might seem challenging at first, but once it becomes a habit, it will be as easy as drinking water. Take small steps, and you’ll get there.
You’ve heard about my experience—aren’t you inspired yet? Just kidding. Whether you decide to try it or not is entirely up to you. I’ll create a Notion tour and a tutorial on how I journal and use Notion for productive and creative purposes.
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me on any social media platform. I wish you all the best—you’ve got this! 🔥✍️