Now, not all of us are natural-born writers, but today I want to make a case for regular journaling. Journaling is an amazing practice to get into because it offers so many benefits. These benefits can be applied to both your business and your personal life, so it sounds like a win to me!

Once I tell you how journaling can change the game, you’ll be hopping on Amazon or running to your local Target to pick up a new notebook. Bonus points if you pick up a couple because you know you’re gonna be going through them.

Oh, and keep reading ’til the end. I’m announcing and giving details about my new November Journal Challenge! Everyone can participate, and can kick-off their journal journey together. And what better time than November? A month where we reflect and give thanks for everything in our lives. More about that at the end of the post – now, onto the benefits!

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Journaling Benefits

There are many benefits to journaling and they can apply to all areas of your life. One of the best parts of journaling is that it’s allll about you. You don’t have to show it to anyone! All of the thoughts that you choose to write down are yours and yours alone, so you don’t have to worry about what you say. We want complete honesty on those journal pages! And once you get used to it, ooooh it’s gonna feel good. Trust me.

So by now you’re probably wondering, what the heck are the benefits Michelle?? Just tell us already!

Okay, okay. Here they are:

• Achieve your goals – Using a journal for goal setting is a great way to keep progressing personally and/or professionally. It helps you track your intentions and the steps you’re taking to reach the goals you’ve created.
• Reduce stress and anxiety – We all know that it can be difficult to kick negative thoughts to the curb, and oftentimes we’re guilty of obsessing instead of letting go. Journaling your thoughts is a great way to free yourself from the endless loop of worry we can all get stuck in from time to time.
• Brainstorm Ideas – Diving into your imagination and getting all of your ideas on paper is a fantastic idea, especially in business! Brainstorming is a great way to come up with new ways to keep progressing or to address any current gaps in your business. Plus, you never know what great idea will come to you next!
• Self-Reflect – Journaling is a great time to look inward and reflect. Self-reflection is key to looking at how far you’ve come and also seeing how far you want to go. Self-reflection allows you to celebrate wins and also find areas for self-improvement. It can also boost your confidence and make you feel great!

Journaling has a ton of other benefits in addition to the ones I’ve listed here. I seriously encourage you to give it a try and see how you like it! I’ve included five thought-provoking journal prompts to help get you started.

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Prompt #1: What kind of boundaries did you set for yourself and others this year? How did you uphold those boundaries? Where did you let them slide?

Prompt #2: How would you describe the version of yourself from the past year? How have you changed since last year? In what ways have you grown this year?

Prompt #3: How satisfied were you with your work this year? What did you enjoy and not enjoy? 

Prompt #4: What role did your environment play in your life this year? (Think of your living space, community, workspace, nature, etc.).

Prompt #5: What emotions did you experience this past year? Did you allow yourself to feel or talk about them freely?

Complete these journal prompts when you have time to sit, relax, and truly think about your answers. They’re all open-ended questions so you can write whatever you’d like. Follow your thoughts in response to these prompts wherever they may take you. There’s no right or wrong answers! And if you enjoy this exercise, you’re going to love this …

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I’m starting a brand new CHALLENGE for the month of November! For the whole month, I challenge YOU to complete a weekly journal prompt.

I’ll be sending out journal prompts every Monday in November via email, and I’d love for you to participate! All you need to do is sign up for my email list and you’re part of the challenge. Every week, you’ll respond to the open-ended journal prompt and you’re good to go. You can keep your writing to yourself, OR you can send in your responses! If you choose to send in your writing, you’ll have the chance to be featured in my email the following week!

So what are you waiting for?! It’s time to sign up and get ready for the VERY FIRST prompt. It’ll be coming straight to your inbox on the first Monday of November.

Thanks for participating! I can’t wait to share this experience with all of you.