From Chaos to Clarity
Journaling is more than putting words on a page. It's a life-altering tool.
Real talk
A client recently asked me, "After years of helping other people with their mental wealth, do you always keep it together even on rough days?"
Here's the real talk:
I don't have it all together, and that's OK.
Bad days? Yep, I've got my share of them too.
My way out of the fog of a bad day? A simple mental wealth deposit: journaling.
Why journaling?
Journaling is more than putting words on a page. It's a life-altering tool that propels your creativity, sharpens your memory, amplifies your overall well-being, and brings you closer to your goals.
The benefits of long-term journaling include:
Improved working memory
Reduced blood pressure
Improved immune system functioning
Reduced absenteeism from work
and much more
I share the research for context, but let's be honest. The only way to know and find out how journaling can benefit you is to do it.
Start with whatever you have available. Sure, there are leather-bound, gold-trimmed journals. There are even journals that sync to an app on your computer or phone. What is most important is to start or restart adding journaling to your weekly routine.
Digital journals
Digital journals can be used as an alternative to physical journals. Examples include apps like Notion or Apple Notes or word processors like Google Docs. The benefit of digital journals is the ease of analysis and search of your journal entries.
If you were like me when I started journaling years ago, that blank page of your journal might cause you to freeze up or be overwhelmed. Thoughts like these run through your head:
What do I write?
How long should I write?
Should I use a pen or pencil?
It has taken me a hot minute to figure out my journaling ritual. Here's my current flow. Take what works and leave the rest.
My routine is a sweet 20-30 minutes all about me:
✨ Start with a 5-15 minute meditation or focused breath work. I do this in silence or guided meditation with an app like Calm or Peloton.
✍🏾 Then, I write the date, time, and location at the top of the page. This helps get me going, and at least I now have something on the page.
🖤 Next, I write 2-3 words to describe how I'm feeling. If I'm having trouble finding my words, I use a printed copy of BEAM's version of the Feelings Wheel.
🙏🏾 After that, I write a sentence or three about what I'm grateful for over the past 24 hours. Manu people underestimate the power of gratitude. You can keep it simple, like I woke up, or something more complex, like I received a significant community award yesterday.
🌊 Finally, for 5-10 minutes, I let my thoughts run wild on the page. Sometimes, it's structured thanks to a prompt I read. Other times, it's a stream of consciousness. Neither one is better than the other.
That's it. Some days, this ritual takes me longer than 30 minutes, and others shorter than 20 minutes.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Refrain from judging what you write.
Grammar doesn't matter.
Start with 3-8 minutes, 4-7 days a week.
If you miss a day, that's OK.
Here is a 4-step quick start recap:
Set a timer for 3-8 minutes.
Open your journal.
Start with three things you're grateful for today, then write until the timer stops.
Close your journal.
Your journal is your story. It's a window into what you were thinking, experiencing, and feeling at hundreds of moments. You are the only one who can share all that's going on in your mind.
While journaling is an excellent practice for productivity, clarity, and your mental health, I challenge you to journal for the present and future versions of you.
Have you dipped your toes in the journaling waters?
What did you discover in the depths?
What did you like or dislike about it?
I'd love to hear your take—please comment or like this post if it resonates.
Are You Aware?
When talking about culture and business, it’s hard not to include crypto assets. No this isn’t a pitch. But it is a poll.
One of the oldest is Bitcoin. This past week on May 22nd, Bitcoin Pizza Day was celebrated.
While there are different takes on how Bitcoin is viewed, one thing holds true…it’s not going anywhere. Some people use it in commerce, others as protection against economic and political forces in their country. And still others, it’s peace of mind.
What about you?
Until Next Time...
What are 1-3 life or work challenges impacting your mental health?
When you reply, it's actually me responding to messages :)
Are You Aware? is a weekly newsletter by Anthony Ware. For now, this is a weekly collection of news, insights and research on business, mental wealth, research, and culture.
This newsletter will evolve based on Anthony’s work and regular feedback from you, the readers who invest part of your week to read each new article.