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10 Reasons to Practice Self Care

10 Reasons to Practice Self Care

Self-care refers to activities and practices that support your overall well-being. Practicing can help maintain your physical and mental health and reduce stress. Below are 10 reasons to practice self-care.

Examples of Self Care:

-Write in a journal to release emotions and reflect on your day.
-Go for a walk or engage in some form of exercise to boost endorphins.
-Treat yourself to a spa day or a massage.
-Connect with nature by spending time outdoors or hiking.
-Indulge in a favorite hobby, such as painting, knitting, or playing an instrument.
-Practice deep breathing exercises to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
-Unplug from technology for a designated time each day.
-Pamper yourself with a facial or a DIY beauty treatment.
-Enjoy a cup of herbal tea and read a good book.
-Participate in a yoga or Pilates class to improve physical and mental well-being.
-Take a digital detox by setting boundaries with your phone and social media.
-Spend quality time with loved ones and engage in activities that bring you joy.
-Get a good night’s sleep by establishing a relaxing bedtime routine.
-Watch a favorite movie or TV show and allow yourself to unwind.
-Practice self-compassion by being kind to yourself and practicing positive self-talk.
-Try a new recipe or cook a special meal that you enjoy.
-Engage in creative outlets like drawing, writing, or photography.
-Set boundaries in your personal and professional life to prioritize self-care.
-Practice mindfulness or meditation for a few minutes each day.
-Take a long, relaxing bath with candles and soothing music.

1. Physical Well-Being:

Exercise, proper nutrition, and regular sleep will help you maintain and improve your physical health.

2. Mental and Emotional Well-Being:

Self-care activities reduce stress and promote relaxation, like meditation.

3. Improved Productivity:

Taking care of yourself will lead to better productivity in various areas of your life, such as work, studies, or personal goals.

4. Increased Self-Esteem and Self-Worth:

Engaging in self-care activities promotes self-love and acceptance, which will lead to improved self-esteem and a greater sense of self-worth.

5. Enhanced Relationships:

Taking care of yourself allows you to better care for others. When you prioritize self-care, you have more energy and emotional availability for your loved ones, leading to deeper and more meaningful connections.

6. Stress Reduction:

Self-care helps to reduce stress levels and prevent burnout. It provides the tools and strategies to manage stress effectively, leading to a healthier and more balanced life.

7. Improved Mental Health:

Self-care practices are effective in managing and preventing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. They promote overall psychological well-being and act as a preventive measure against mental health problems.

8. Increased Creativity and Inspiration:

  1. Self-care focuses on creativity by engaging in activities that bring you joy and allow you to explore your passions.

9. Long-Term Health Benefits:

Regular self-care has long-term benefits for your mental and physical health. You are investing in your future well-being and preventing potential health issues.

10. Overall Life Satisfaction:

It helps to create a better balance in your life, resulting in happiness. When you prioritize your needs, you can live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

We shared 10 reasons to practice self-care. Please comment below if you are currently in a routine that you love!

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Top 5 Skin Care Products

Top 5 Skincare Products

Skin Care Tips for Your 30s

Our posts may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Taking care of your skin and having a routine in the morning and night is so good for you both mentally and physically. Mentally, washing your face can wake you up and set the tone for the rest of the day. Physically, your skin will look clear and fresh. Below are the top 5 skincare products that I use daily.

1- Face Wash-

My favorite face wash of all time is from Deep Clean. I use it once a day and I LOVE it. Washing my face puts me in a better mood instantly. This foaming facial scrub removes oil, makeup, and dirt.

2- Face Moisturizers-

Face and lip moisturizers are great for dry skin. The formula makes your skin feel smooth. This incredible moisturizer works on your face and your body. You can even use the formula as a hand cream for dry relief.

3- Lip Moisturizer-

I get chapped lips CONSTANTLY and this lip Moisturizer plus drinking water HELPS so much. This lip moisturizer is dermatologist recommended and has an average 5-STAR rating from customers on AMAZON. The moisturizer is proven to relieve dryness and soothe chapped, cracked lips.

4- Dead Sea Mud Mask-

This dead sea mud mask is a MUST add to your skincare routine. The daily mud mask routine is an acne treatment perfect for oily, dry, or sensitive skin. The mask removes excess toxins, oil, and dead skin. The high-quality treatment is cruelty-free and alcohol-free.

5- Gua Sha Facial Tool-

You are supposed to rub your face with a Gua Sha facial tool. I have never used it, but my SISTER loves it and that is why it is on this list. According to research, the face roller relieves muscle tension, helps firm your skin, and reduces facial puffiness. Not only can the facial tool lift your skin, but it helps shape your jawline.

Have you used any of these products? We would love to hear your review below!

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8 Reasons to Start Working Out with Chloe Ting

8 Reasons to Start Working Out with Chloe TingSee the source image

Chloe Ting is a great fitness instructor on YouTube. She has videos for beginners to advanced. She always offers modifications to each workout too. Below are 8 reasons to start working out with Chloe Ting on YouTube!

Reason #1: You will feel better afterward-See the source image

Exercising releases endorphins, and Chloe Ting’s workouts on YouTube will do just that! Her workouts will change your mood to a more positive one.

Reason #2: Easy-to-Follow Instructions-See the source image

She shows you how to do the movements in her videos. If you are a beginner, there is no need to worry. She gives you easy-to-follow instructions on how to complete each workout.

Reason #3: All you need is a yoga mat, yourself, and the internet. See the source image

You do not need to pay to work out with Chloe Ting, nor do you need any extra equipment. All you need is a yoga mat to get started.

Reason #4: You will get abs if you do this YouTube video every day!Get Abs in 2 WEEKS | Abs Workout Challenge - YouTube

If you do this specific YouTube Video every day for two weeks, you will get ABS! There are videos students have shared on YouTube showing off their abs after completing the challenge.

Reason #5: She offers challenges that you can participate in!AMAZING Before After Results from Chloe Ting Challenges | Get MOTIVATED -  YouTube

As I stated PREVIOUSLY, there are two-week challenges that she offers. These challenges have evidence that shows that they WORK.

Reason #6: It is easy to start if you are a beginner.

There is no need to worry about being advanced she offers easy modifications to each move.

Reason #7: She has healthy recipes on her website.https://static.chloeting.com/recipes/62a0557f67d6a45205716bc4/images/crispy-salmon-tacos-1664309469563-1.webp

We all know that weight loss is not simply working out. She has healthy recipes on her website that you can get for free!

Reason #8: She inspires and motives you.

She motivates you to keep going and stay positive throughout the workout.
What are you waiting for?

Start working out from home today with Chloe Ting!

Our headbands are sure to stay in place with ALL of your CHLOE TING workouts!!!

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How Drinking Water Aids in Weight Loss

How Drinking Water Aids in Weight Loss

Drinking water is the utmost important step that aids in weight loss. Water is 100% calorie-free and can help you suppress your appetite before meals. 

-Drinking Water Increases Your Metabolic Rate-See the source image

Most of our metabolic processes take place in the presence of water. Water helps in the digestion of food and helps burn more calories. This will lead to losing belly fat.

-How much water to drink to lose weight?See the source image

Drink at least eight cups of water every day or 64 ounces of water to help aid in weight loss.

-Drinking Water Benefits:

You will start feeling less hungry and lose weight. This is because bowel movements will be more regular. You will get rid of waste through urination and perspiration. Drinking water will result in a positive mood change.

-Signs of Not Drinking Enough Water:See the source image

-Headache. tiredness, weakness, light-headed, low blood pressure, high heart rate, muscle cramps

What are you waiting on? Start drinking eight glasses a day and change your mood to a better one. 

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5 Different Types of Goals to Create

Setting goals is super important, as this is the first step that can help you get to where you want to be in your life. We are going to list five different types of goals to set so that you can achieve a well-balanced life at both work and at home. You can do anything you want in your life. All you need to do is simply create a goal and then you need to have an action plan, but we will get further into that on another post.

What kind of goals should you set?

Before we dive deeper into this post, you need to make sure that your goals are S.M.A.R.T. goals.

What are S.M.A.R.T. goals?

These are goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. This method helps you stay organized and actually reach your goals by a specific date.

Below we will not only list five different types of goals to set, but we will also list examples of broad goals that you can set for yourself. You will need to take the broad goals that we list and make them more relatable to yourself as well as make them more specific. Instead of ‘Stretch’, which is one of the goals that I listed below for an example, you would need to write ‘Do my right and left lunges for one minute every day and get my left and right split by a specific date’

#1: Relationship Goals (Family, Friends, Romantic)

Why is it important to set relationship goals? Relationship goals with family and friends are arguably the most important, as we are all social beings. You can only thrive and survive by having close relationships with our friends and family. Listed below are ideas of what kinds of goals that you can set with the people in your life!

Family goals: ((Plan a vacation as a family, go on a family road trip, be there for your children, have regular family meetings, attend all events for your child whether it be a soccer game or a dance recital, establish family traditions, be a good son, daughter, sibling, etc.))

Friendship goals: ((Don’t take one another for granted, appreciate them, spend quality time with your friends, set dates to see your friends next, invest time into your friendship, be honest, keep promises and commitments, don’t gossip behind your friends back, be understanding, communicate, go on a road trip, plan a coffee date, go out to eat, attend a concert, create the ultimate friendship bucket list, go to the beach, go apple picking, etc.)

Relationship goals: Choose your life partner, go out on regular date nights, support each other’s dreams and goals, do something new once a month, communicate, go on vacation, decide whether or not you want kids, discuss marriage, discuss money, create a bucket list together)

#2: Financial Goals (Saving, Spending, Money)

Why is it important to set Financial Goals? Setting financial goals can help us take control and feel more confident about our spending decisions. Plan out how much time it will take to reach each goal and how much money you will need to contribute within that period. Identifying goals and creating a realistic plan for them allows you to track progress and can motivate you to keep going.

Financial Goals: (Paying off debt, saving for retirement, buying a home, starting a business, feeling financially secure, etc.)

Saving Goals: Set your goal as far as what do you want to save. Is it a vacation, college education for your kids, a down payment on a house, or retirement? Decide what you are working toward rather than choosing a number or vague idea of ‘saving more’.

((Set a specific savings goal, set a savings deadline, track your goals, break down your savings goal into smaller chunks, automate your goals by setting up an investment account whether it be a IRA or brokerage account))

#3: Career Goals (Work, Business, Sales)

Why are career goals important? A career goal is setting short-term and long-term objectives related to one’s career path. Setting career goals is important, as it helps propel individuals to actually accomplish whatever it is that they want to do.

Career Goals: (Goal: CEO of a large engineering company: Steps: Graduate High School, Graduate College with a degree in engineering, Work for an engineering firm, Enroll in a management position, Advance studies, XYZ)

Business Goals: (Goal: Successful Business Owner: Steps: Figure out what kind of product or service you want to offer, design a website, use search engines to drive traffic to your site, figure out a problem that people have that needs to be solved, learn from other successful entrepreneurs, have self confidence, learn about marketing, learn about sales, XYZ)

#4: Bucket List Goals (Travel + Things to Do)

Why is it important to create a bucket list? A bucket list will give you purpose in your life and bring you the ultimate joy, as you will be able to create lasting memories. Memories are one of life’s greatest treasures. The list will make you think about what is important to you.

Travel Goals: (Visit all 50 states, Travel Internationally, Backpack through Europe, Visit Epcot in Disneyworld, Swim with Whale Sharks, etc.)

Things to Do: (Zip Lining, Whitewater Rafting, Cat Cafe, Hold an Owl, Snorkeling, Sailing, Surf Lesson, Waterfalls, Swim with Dolphins, etc.)

#5: Fitness Goals (Health + Wellness)

Why is it important to have goals for your health? It is important to focus on your health and wellness goals, as exercising and eating well can help reduce the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure.

Health Goals: (Drink 8 cups of water a day, eat healthier, have more fruits and vegetables, have desert 1 time a week, etc.)

Wellness Goals: ((Journal, read a book, donate time or money, be kind, be giving, etc.)

Fitness Goals: (Stretch, run 1 mile a day, walk 10K steps a day, ab workout, yoga classes, etc.)

How to Actually Achieve Your Goals?

Once you write out a basic list of goals that you want to complete you need to make each goal more specific and create an action plan. The action plan consists of specific steps you need to take in order to get to your goal.

Original Goal: Stretch

Updated Goal: Get my right and left split in a month

Action Plan: Right and left lunges for 10 seconds on each side every morning

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Top 10 Goal Setting Mistakes to Avoid

Setting goals are important, as it helps you organize your time and resources so that you can make the most out of life. It gives you motivation and creates a vision of how you want your life to look. The benefits are endless, as it will not only inspire you, but it will also set a direction for your future. It will give you clarity when you have to make a decision and a lasting purpose.

  1. Not Setting SMART Goals- SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. The SMART method helps you organize and actually reach your goals. It sets you up for success.
    1. Specific: The goal is clear and well defined. Vague Goal: “I want to get in shape.” Specific Goal: “I want to join a gym, workout two to three times a week, and lose X amount in 2 weeks because I would like to get in shape and be a healthier version of myself.”
    2. Measurable: You can measure your progress. Criteria: “Every week I will lose one pound of body fat”
    3. Achievable: It is not impossible to accomplish
    4. Realistic: It is within reach
    5. Timely: It has a specific start date and target date
  2. Not Believing in Yourself- The key to achieving anything in life is not necessarily whether others believe you can because some might not, but rather if you believe in you and have confidence in yourself. You can do anything that you put your mind to. If you do not yet believe in yourself then repeat the following self-affirmations every day and you will start to; I am confident and value myself, I am growing and learning every day, I am confident in my abilities.
  3. Not Writing Your Goals + Action Plan Down- “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” Writing your goals down will help you get a clear vision of exactly what you want. Not only will you need to write down your goals, but you must also have an action plan in place to help you get there. What do I need to do right now? Today? This week? This month?
  4.  Not Breaking Down Your Larger Goals into Smaller Goals- Having big dreams is not a bad thing. I highly encourage creating your dream vision life and board for that is the first step to ever achieving anything. Dream it, believe it, manifest it! However, dreams and goals take time and if you break it down into smaller, short-term goals it will better help you reach your long-term, larger goal.
  5. Setting Vague Goals- An example of a general goal would be “I want to get in shape.” A more specific goal would have all of the answers as to who, what, where, when, and why you want to reach the goal. To make your goal specific you need to answer a few questions:
    1. Who is involved in the goal?
    2. What do I want to accomplish?
    3. Where is this goal to be achieved?
    4. When do I want to achieve this goal?
    5. Why do I want to achieve this goal?
  6. Not Setting a Deadline for Your Goals- Your goals have to have a specific start and end date because if not you will not be motivated to take action to get to where you want to be.
  7. Not Being Consistent- People might have trouble committing to their goals because they lack consistency, they tend to procrastinate, or are lazy. Having an accountability partner increases your chances of success.
  8. Not Having a Plan- Having a plan is necessary to succeed, for without one it is no doubt that you won’t. How are you supposed to reach your goal without having a step-by-step action plan?
  9. Not Taking Action- You need to actually accomplish the items on your to-do list to get one day closer to your goal.
  10. Setting Extrinsic Goals- Extrinsic motivation is more likely to lead to burnout or lose effectiveness overtime.  Intrinsic goals come from within and are personally rewarding to you. Extrinsic goals come from the outside. You engage in an activity not because you enjoy it, but rather because you get something out of it whether it be a reward or to avoid punishment. Intrinsic motivation is a more effective long-term method for achieving goals and completing tasks.

Fun Quotes:

-“Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves”

-“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and starting on the first one” -Mark Twain

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6 Tips for Finding a Purpose in Life

When we think of our purpose, chances are we think of big goals and achievements. In reality, living with purpose is not about accomplishing goals or our to-do lists but rather living a meaningful life is about finding purpose in everyday moments. Your life purpose is something you have always known either consciously or unconsciously. It is unique to you. Part of your purpose includes the work that you were meant to do. The world needs you to do it and if you choose not to than the world loses the benefit of that aspect of you. When your work is aligned with your purpose it is easier to do and you attract more of it. This is helpful for anyone who is marketing themselves. Many people find their purpose accidentally. Some people find work and life experiences that use their purpose without really consciously knowing what that purpose is. 

1. Purpose comes in finding the meaning in each situation we face everyday
2. Purpose gives us a sense of direction and helps us get to our destination
3. Where can we find it? We can find it in our commute, at work, in our interaction with our loved ones, family members, and friends, in our hobbies, in our day-to-day routines
4. How? When we start engaging, listening and caring than we start to feel a greater connection and bring purpose to our everyday interactions
5. Another great way to find your purpose in life is simply by finding a passion. Mine used to be dance and it left me feeling super fulfilled and happy. I am hoping to incorporate dance back into my life in hopes to once again find fulfillment and joy.

Benefits of writing a life purpose: Increased drive and motivation, focused mindset to achieve your goals and purpose, clear path to success based on your ‘why’, sense of fulfillment knowing you’re guided by something meaningful

Life Purpose Examples:

  1. “My life purpose is to stand up for issues I believe in and to contribute positively to my community. I want to leave the world knowing that I made it a better place.
  2. “I hope to build a loving home with my family and to care for my children. I want to support their endeavors while still leaving time for my passions. I will be the best version of myself so that I can lead my children by example.”
  3. “My life purpose is to find success in my career. I would like to be a notable person among my peers and be valued for my contributions to my field. My hope is that I will retire feeling fulfilled with what I have accomplished.”
  4. “The purpose of my life is to be my true self, uninhibited by fear. I want to inspire others to live authentically and with passion.”
  5. “My goal in life is to harness my creativity and imagination to unearth truths about myself, my community, and society at large.”
  6. “The purpose of my life is to be a source of light to other people and radiate positivity. I hope to find an inner strength that is inspiring to others”
  7. “I want to live enthusiastically. I want to marry my best friend and settle into a long life together. I want to be fulfilled in my work and find meaning through art. I want to die knowing I lived the best way I knew how.”
  8. “My purpose is to raise a family of caring, passionate, and independent children who find success in their own way and with integrity. I believe that being a parent is the joy in my life.”
  9. “In my life, I want to achieve a harmonious balance between my career, my family, and fun. I plan to work hard but also seek excitement and adventure where I can.”
  10. “I envision a life where I take things slowly and stop to smell the roses. I never want to miss out an opportunity to find joy in the little things. I will explore my world with open curiosity and be fully present with all experiences.”

Tips for Finding Your Life Purpose:

  1. Donate Time, Money, or Talent- If there is one habit that you can create to help you find your purpose it would be helping others. Altruistic behaviors include volunteering for a nonprofit organization, donating money to causes you care about, or simply helping others around you on a day-to-day basis.
  2. Discover what you love-Thinking about what you love to do can help you find your purpose. Consider what types of skills, talents, and passions you bring to the table. Then brainstorm how you might turn your passion into something meaningful to you.
  3. Surround yourself with positive people- As the saying goes, you are the company you keep. What do you have in common with the people you choose to be around? The people you spend time with outside of family and work. The people you surround yourself with says something about you. If you are surrounded with people who are making a positive change you might draw from their inspiration. However, if you are around negative individuals who drag you down, you might want to make some changes.
  4. Start conversations with new people- Resist the urge to browse through social media when you are alone on the subway or waiting for a friend at a restaurant and ask strangers if they are working on any projects or what they like to do for fun. Talking to strangers can open your eyes to new activities or career opportunities that you never knew existed.
  5. Explore your interests- Is there a topic that interests you and you are regularly talking about or sharing articles for? Also, consider the conversations that you have been having with others. Do you like talking about history? The things you like to talk about may give yourself insight onto your life purpose.
  6. Listen to people- There might be a good chance that you are already displaying your passion and purpose to those around you without even realizing it. Other people might give you some insight. Hearing others say what they notice about you might reinforce some of the passions you have already been engaging in.
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6 Tips for Manifesting Your Future

Manifestation Blog Post

What is Manifestation? Manifestation is where your thoughts and energy can create your reality. It is not only believing in yourself, but also in what you want out of life and knowing that you can accomplish it. Once it is real in your head then it is more likely to become real in the physical. Manifestation is claiming your future as yours. The catch is you have to take action everyday.

What is a Vision Board? A vision board is printing out a bunch of photos of things that you want in your future, places you want to go, or who you want to become and putting them together in a collage. Once you see it printed, it will more likely happen for you in your future. For example, you can print out the word ‘positivity’ if you want to lead a more positive life or you can print out a place you want to visit like Greece.

1. Always stay positive! How are you ever supposed to get what you want in life if you are acting like negative Nancy? Well, it simply will not work. If you say things to yourself like, “I know that I can do this, as I simply have it within me… I am great at what I do… I will take action everyday towards what I want… ” then you will more than likely get to your goal, however if you say things like, “I suck… I am not good at anything… I simply cannot do that… or I do not have it within me…” well, you probably won’t end up having it within you and will not take action. Stay positive in your mind. What you think, you become.

2. Say it like it’s already done! If you want to lose weight than you must say it as if you had already lost the weight whether or not, you have. Say things that you have not yet done in order to get to that goal and you’ll more likely take action towards what you want. “I am so fit, as I work out twice a week and run a mile every other day. I am so healthy; in that I drink four to eight glasses of water a day. I am so in shape, as I had fruit for breakfast, and I ate a super healthy salad for lunch.” These statements will help you lose weight, even if you have not done these things yet. Since you have said them out loud, you are now more likely to do them in the future.

3. Do not spend time thinking about anything opposite to what you want. Do not think for a second that you are not worthy of getting what you want. Kind words to speak to yourself include “I deserve to have it all, I am worthy of finding love, XYZ…” versus “I do not deserve to find love” Since you believe you do deserve to find love, it will more likely happen for you. It is all in your head.

4. Meditate on what you want. Breathe in and repeat, “I am beautiful, I am kind, I am successful, I am giving, I am caring, I am clean, XYZ…” whoever you want to become and breathe out the opposite of who you want to be.

5.See it, smell it, feel it, hear it. Create a vision board and repeat out loud whatever it is that you want! Vision boards are an excellent way of seeing what you want prior to it becoming true. Both of these will help.

6. If it’s real in your brain, it will be real in the physical. If you believe in something, then you are more likely to take action. Once you take action everyday towards what you want it will more than likely happen for you.

Stay positive as you manifest your future because you deserve to have it all! Please feel free to comment below if you meditate on what you want or practice any of the tips I have listed above. I would love to hear about your experience!

XOXO,

Ashley

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38 Lists to Make When Life Gets Overwhelming

38 Lists to Make When Life Gets Overwhelming

Making a list will help you focus and actually get things done. Crossing off items off of your to do list will stimulate a release of dopamine. Dopamine is what allows you the emotion of accomplishing a task. It is a good feeling that can help you feel motivated and keep you productive. I have always loved writing lists since I was a teenager and had fun making them. I would write things down that I didn’t necessarily need to get done like my bucket list to my favorite movies that I had watched or books that I had read. As I grew older, I continued to make them, as it helped with important tasks that I needed to complete for school, work, and even choirs that I had to do around the house. Benefits of writing lists include getting completely organized and decreasing clutter in your mind. It can dig yourself out of a procrastination loop. Lists can help you deal with life when it gets overwhelming because it does. It has even helped me manage anxiety when they have threatened to overcome me.

Listed below are lists you can make that can help you get organized. Some are even just for fun!

  1. Things that inspire you
  2. Things that make you happy
  3. Things you are grateful for
  4. Your priorities (Life, this year, this month, this week, today)
  5. Key dates- Birthday’s, Appointments
  6. Your to-do list for the day
  7. Hobbies you want to take up
  8. Classes or Activities that you are currently enrolling in
  9. Words of wisdom for when times get tough
  10. Your favorite movies, songs, books, TV shows
  11. Your happiest memories- so far
  12. Your bucket list
  13. Places to visit
  14. Bills to pay and due dates
  15. Things you have accomplished in your life so far
  16. Books to read, movies to watch
  17. Your goals (short term and long term)
  18. Actions that you need to take to get to your short term goals
  19. Self Care Ideas (Yoga, Stretch, Exercise, Walking, Healthy eating, Meditating)
  20. List things to throw out, keep, or giveaway
  21. Restaurants to try
  22. Things you want to learn
  23. Shopping List (Groceries, Clothing, Necessities, Cleaning supplies, etc.)
  24. Gift Ideas
  25. What are your values and why?
  26. Your favorite places you have been to thus far
  27. Birthday Wish List
  28. Plans for the day, week, weekend, month, and upcoming holidays
  29. Who are your favorite people in the world and why?
  30. Things you love about yourself
  31. Things you love about someone else
  32. Outfits that you will wear for the week
  33. What do you need to do at work tomorrow? This week? This month?
  34. Recipes to try
  35. Quotes that inspire you
  36. Write down your valuable possessions
  37. Things you cannot live without
  38. Choirs to do (Laundry, Dishes, Cleaning)
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4 Reasons to Start a Journal

4 Reasons to Start a Journal

Having a journal can help you have a better connection with your values, emotions, goals, and dreams. Journaling what you believe in, why you believe it, how you feel, and what your goals are can help you be more clear about life in the present moment, what you want out of the future, and give you a deeper understanding of yourself and the relationships around you. This is because you must sort through the mental clutter and provide details on why you do what you do and feel what you feel.

Listed below are four reasons why you should start a journal today!

  1. Learn from past mistakes. Do you ever feel like you are just passing through life and have nothing to prove that it even happened? Did you achieve something? Who knows. What you do know is that you do not want to make the same mistakes. Our lives are full of knowledge and insight and the most recent events in our lives contain the most useful hidden gems of them all. How do we get those lessons? The answer is simple. Journal writing. This simple practice can not only help you learn from past mistakes, but it will improve your mental clarity.
  2. See the bigger picture. Writing about our experiences offers the ability to see the bigger picture of our lives and what we want out of it. It will help us get clear on our priorities in life.
  3. Therapy. Writing can help bring yourself out of a bad place and acts as our own therapist as you can vent about your emotions.
  4. Goal Setting and Achieving. Lastly, you can even get clear on what you want out of life this month, the next six months, and even in five years. Journal writing can help you figure out what your goals are and make a plan to achieve them.

Other reasons…

  • See the bigger picture of our lives
  • See what you have accomplished big or small on a day to day basis
  • Learn from past mistakes
  • Increased productivity
  • Improved Insight and understanding
  • Increased self-awareness
  • Track overall development
  • More gratitude and appreciation for the little things
  • Clarity and focus
  • Better mental health
  • Increased mindfulness
  • More likely to set, chase and achieve goals
  • Strengthened willpower
  • Boosts confidence
  • Improves your mood

Where to start? Do you need inspiration? Attached are a list of things to write about.

For example, you may structure your journal like this:

  • What am I grateful for today? (Give 5 meaningful examples)
  • What are the top 3 tasks I need to accomplish today?
  • What goals am I currently working towards? Setting SMART goals are an great way to achieve them. They have to be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time oriented.
  • How do I want to better myself today?
  • To do lists (Fun Fact: Crossing off items off of your to do list will help stimulate a release of dopamine. Dopamine is what allows you the emotion of accomplishing a task. It is a good feeling that can help you feel motivated and keep you productive.
  • 1 Positive thing that has happened to you today
  • 1 Thing you are looking forward to
  • State your purpose and mission
  • Affirmations ( I am fully confident and secure in myself. I am beaming with confidence and self-assurance. I don’t let my insecurities prevent me from reaching my goals.)