"The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now. And the more grateful you are, the more you get." Oprah Winfrey
At Skinfood.care it's a key part of our mission to examine and provide advice on all aspects of our self-care routines; from maintaining our skin through the use of proper skincare and eating nutritiously, to also finding ways to nurture ourselves as people. How can we be more positive? Our thought pattern can have a huge impact on not only our present consciousness but also what we choose to attract and bring into our lives. This is why, when Oprah mentioned that one of the most important things we could do was to keep a journal and write in it everyday 5 things that we were grateful for, we went straight down to the stationary shop to buy a notepad and pen.
Key Benefits of Journaling
Benefit #1- Organise Your Thoughts
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by day-to-day life and all that it entails, especially during a global pandemic. By keeping a diary, it can help you to organise and separate your thoughts. This act helps you to take the reins over your own personal narrative; summarising your day more positively and reflecting on how you feel in a more balanced way.
Benefit #2- Train Your Mind
Self-reflection and taking time to be with your own thoughts can be a useful way to train your mind, especially during a difficult period when a variety of other things may have gone wrong. The practice of showing gratitude, conditions your mind into learning how to focus on the silver-linings in every situation. This will generate an overall shift in attitude and mentality. Your brain is a muscle and just like those in your body, it needs training too.
Benefit #3- Relieve Stress
In the words of Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post, "Gratitude works its magic by serving as an antidote to negative emotions. It's like white blood cells for the soul, protecting us from cynicism, entitlement, anger, and resignation." Shifting your thoughts from what might be causing you stress onto what you value in life can create a positive shift in your own thought-pattern, helping to lower your stress levels long term.
Benefit #4- Think Abundantly
The Law of Attraction dictates that we manifest what we channel our thoughts and energies into. Simply expressed; all thoughts turn into things. Therefore, by definition, should we continue to think in a repeatedly negative manner we will not only encourage this cyclical way of thinking in our own minds, we will also be projecting that into our future. Thus, focussing on the positives on a day-to-day basis can help you to think more abundantly, encouraging you to be more optimistic about your current circumstances and to manifest brighter days ahead.
Where To Start
1. The first step is to buy yourself a notebook, I recommend buying one which you find to be visually engaging. This way when you see it, it will be more inviting and encourage you to keep up the habit. (Try to purchase one which is lined as it will make it that much easier to jot down your thoughts in an organised manner.)
2. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. Why not set yourself a challenge of writing in your journal everyday for 21 days in a row? By the time you overcome the initial hurdle of slotting it into your daily routine, it will feel like second nature to you.
3. The beauty of having things written down is you can look back and re-read all of your past entries. It's an incredible way to remember small moments that are otherwise easily forgotten, track your own progress and generally help you to focus on the positive aspects in your life.
Take a look at some of our #SkinFood favourite journals below!
Paperchase
Cote D'Azur Ruled Notebook
Here is an example of something small and beautiful that you can keep on your bedside table. The colours are divine, and the image allows your mind to wander. Picking up a notebook such as this, from Paperchase, will encourage you to write and will make the daily practise of journalling feel like less of a chore.
Michelle Obama
Becoming, A Guided Journal
Following her enormously successful auto-biography Becoming, which if you haven't read you most definitely should, Michelle Obama launched a guided journal to help encourage valuable moments of self-reflection and understanding. If the notion of getting started or perhaps not having enough to write seems daunting, this more targeted journal where you respond to specific questions might be a better option for you.
Comentários