The Power of Intentional Journaling

 A new year, a new you! So, the saying goes, but how do you get around to actually carrying out those New Year resolutions? That’s where positive intentions and journaling come in. These two combined are an effective way to boost your mood, unleash creativity and to process thoughts and emotions.

 Intentions are powerful. Life coach and author Stephenie Zamora sums it up nicely. “When you’re clear on your intention, you take inspired action that’s in alignment with your words and truth. You also quickly manifest what you desire because you’re clearly putting out words and actions that are in alignment with the things that you want to attract into your life.”

 And to be clear, there is a difference between affirmations and intentions. An affirmation is a positive statement that helps shape and train our thoughts and beliefs, while an intention is a clear step or action we can take to help us move forward to a desired goal or destination.  

 But, that being said, setting an intention is slightly different than just writing a to-do list. Think about how you want your day to go, rather than what you want to accomplish that day. In other words, select one behavior that will help you accomplish the many tasks on your list for that day. Need a few examples?

• I intend to be mindful today
• I intend to use my creativity to find solutions
• I intend to forgive others

 Using a journal to record these intentions is key to your success. It is the perfect way to set those intentions and to follow up to see how your progress is going.

 Kelly Carmichael suggests two journaling sessions a day with specific prompts for each session. This keeps your journaling to 5-10 minutes – a timeframe that is doable for all of us.

Your morning session will bring clarity as you prepare for the day while your evening journaling provides closure and a chance to review your successes.

Morning Prompts

I am grateful for: (List 3)

Intentions for the day: (List 3)

Evening Prompts

Days accomplishments: (list 3)

Goals for tomorrow (list 3)

 It can feel like a bit task to take on the responsibility of being an intentional journaler, but you will be rewarded for your efforts!