The Beautiful Mess of Self-Reflection

Born out of the pandemic, like many, are new routines and ways of being. For us, one of our favorites has been a daily morning reflection and journaling practice. This practice has grounded us in self-awareness, acting as a safe harbor to sort through emotions, reactions, and gratitude (Heck, sometimes we even throw in a song title or two that we are listening to, or a recipe we want to try out!). It’s a beautiful mess.

The point is – journaling is not supposed to be perfect. It’s a way for us as leaders and humans to process the thoughts and emotions that are keeping our minds and hearts busy. It’s an opportunity to be reflective, and see trends or ideas that may emerge that were previously hidden to ourselves. It is a tool that allows us to be our best selves and show up as the best leaders we can for our teams.

Not sure how to start? Here are some tips to start journaling.

Tips:

• Pair it with a daily routine – for example, your morning coffee, your bedtime ritual. Do it when it makes sense for you.

• Journaling doesn’t have to be a lengthy process. Try starting with just 5 minutes.

• Make it enjoyable rather than a to-do. Brew your favorite coffee or tea. Turn on some of your favorite music (We’ve been enjoying working and journaling to this in the background lately).

• Get a journal that you love and aesthetically pleases you - one you like looking at or holding in your hand.

• Find prompts, a sentence starter, or a theme for each day or week to pay attention to if you are lost for starters. Check out Pinterest for ideas, or the book linked above.

• Easily able to get off track? Find an accountability partner.

• Allow yourself to be messy. Journaling is about the process, not the destination.

Does the term “journaling” feel too woo-woo? Consider it a data log and trend analysis (Shout out to my engineers). Either way, find a technique that works for you. Share with us what the process is like for you!