Forming new habits is a wonderful way to improve your life, reach your goals, and have the motivation and momentum to accomplish anything you want. Tracking is a bit part of habits, as well as understanding exactly what is expected of you. This is where using a journal can come in handy.

Use Your Journal When Creating New Habits

The first way a journal is going to help you is during the beginning stages when you are deciding on the habits you want to form in your life. You can start by talking about where in your life you want to improve, or some goals you have. Maybe you come up with a few different daily habits you feel would get you closer to your goals, starting just one at a time.

Journaling before you set your habits can also help you to work out the details. You know which ones to start with, what the daily habit and schedule should be, and how ti can fit into your current lifestyle.

 Combine Habits with Your Goals

You will also have some habits that are related to goals you haves et for yourself. These habits help you to complete tasks required for your goals, all of which can be tracked right there in your journal. It makes it a lot easier to see how things are progressing and see that you are working toward a goal. This can create a feeling of accomplishment, clarity, and awareness about how hard you are working toward something.

Track the Progress of the Habit

Naturally, your journal will also be used to track your new habits. Remember to include the start date, what the habit is, why you are doing it, and track each day, including if you kept up with that new habit, and how it is going.

Look for Ways to Improve the Results

If you feel like your habit isn’t quite giving you the results you wanted, don’t quit it just yet. Use your journal to really work out what has been going on and where you think it might be going wrong. Sometimes, it is because you were not consistent with it or not working hard enough on the new habit. In other ways, there is just one small detail about it that needs to be changed. Journaling is going to help with this from the time when you create your habits, throughout the entire tracking process.

Check out Mindshift Monday’s episode on journaling that encourages you to start the habit of journaling to benefit your mental health, especially if you have symptoms of anxiety or depression. Learn more about journaling in a journaling workshop that teaches you how to journal, creating a habit, journaling for anxiety and depression, and includes a PDF journal with prompts. 

https://ashleyburciaga.podia.com/turning-journaling-into-a-habit