I now realize that inside my dozens of journals written from my teens to late twenties were entries that all followed the same formula:
What happened to me.
What I thought about it.
And how it made me feel.
At that time, it was instrumental to my growth as a person. Journaling about past experiences was cathartic and it was an integral part of me learning about me. I achieved a deeper “knowing” about my feelings, my sensitivities, my soft spots, and my triggers.
In essence, my journals encapsulated all my past experiences. It served me well in my search to be aware. Today, journaling looks a lot different.
Journaling Then Vs. Journaling Now
Today, my journaling has shifted to writing about my current-to-future state. I mainly write about what I want my future state to be, as opposed to writing about my past state.
If you scrolled through my 2020 journal you would read about my personal vision, mission, core values, ideas about the curriculum I want to create, and blog topics, as well as outlines, characters, chapters, and concepts from books I want to write.
Writing The Future
As I enter the next chapter in my evolution, I am eager to blend and balance my daily home-work-wife-mom-me life. I am determined to find more buoyancy in my own personal multi-hyphenate ecosystem.
Since making the shift to scribe about my future, I have experienced a massive shift in how my mind consumes time and generates energy. When I spend time thinking about something I cannot change – the past – it’s funny how relentless my mind can be with not letting it go (and exhausting).
When I spend time focusing on my future it is full of possibilities and it allows my brain the freedom to roam and explore the full spectrum of opportunity, creating renewable energy for my mind and spirit.
Tips to Keeping A Futuristic Journal
Here are a few topics to consider if you want to keep a futuristic journal:
- Personal Goals to be Achieved this Year
- Personal or Family Vision
- Personal Life Core Values
- Personal Mission
- Daily Mantra
- Word of the Day, Month, or Year
- Top 3 Things that will Help me Achieve (work or personal)
- Top 3 Barriers
- List: What no Longer Serves the Future You
- I AM Statements
- Ben Franklin Matrix: I Will & I Will No Longer Declarative Statements
- My Fundamental Beliefs
- What Does a Rich Life Mean to Me
Stop Driving In The Rearview Mirror
When I first met Josh, now my hubby, 15-years ago he would often tell me to stop driving in the rear view mirror. He would observe how much time I would spend regurgitating the past. He helped me realize how much time I spent trying to control something that could never change.
Back then, my tender mind did not realize how much control I could actually have over my future (versus my past). There is no doubt that taking time to document your day-to-day experiences – a daily log of happenings, thoughts, feelings, food, workouts, etc. – is a great way to make improvements in your life.
Either way, taking 5-minutes every day/week to keep a journal and get to know the past or future you will create a shift in your life!
