We have, on average, 500,000 thoughts a day. Some are important, and some are not so important. Even so, each thought requires making a decision, and each decision defines who you are a bit more. It’s tiring to sometimes deal with all hundreds of thousands of thoughts while categorizing and organizing them in our minds. We’re almost held hostage by all the decisions we have to make and the ones we want to make.
It makes us feel forgetful, unorganized, and anxious as we struggle with what to pay attention to in the short and long term. To foster personal growth in our students, at Giant Leaps, we use journaling as guided practice in our lessons so students become more knowledgeable about themselves and make more intentional decisions about their future.
Journaling and How to Start
Like being able to google search effectively, journaling is a skill that goes primarily unnoticed. Yet, studies show journaling lowers anxiety, reduces stress, and helps foster creativity. What journaling does is help prioritize problems, track day-to-day moods, and create opportunities to reflect on life. It is a powerful way to get a birdseye view for parts of our lives to reflect and ponder about our actions or what actions to take. Regardless of the reason for journaling, it is a personal activity that can be highly beneficial.
Even if there are several benefits to journaling, the troubling part is always starting. Most give up on journaling before even starting because they don’t know how or where to begin. If you’re new to journaling, start with a simple prompt. There are prompts online or in journals specifically designed for beginners. Once a student understands the benefits of journaling, they can start coming up with their own prompts as well as search for journals more tailored to individual needs.
How to Build The Habit of Journaling Regularly
The hardest part of any new task is building the habit, but each person develops habits differently. However, here are some recommendations that may help. First, it’s essential to understand the reasoning behind why to journal. Start with simple questions such as, What are your goals? Do you want to improve your mental health? Become a more productive leader?
Once a clear reason is developed, it will be easier to stick to journaling. Remember to set aside some time each day or week specifically for journaling to make it a priority. Also, if a day is missed, just start again the next day. Finally, be honest when using a journal. It’s a time to reflect so make sure to write about what’s really going on in your life, both the good and the bad.
Giant Leaps Learning: An Enrichment Experience Worth Writing About
At Giant Leaps, we promote the emotional and educational growth of our students to increase engagement and intentional thinking. That is why we give a journal and recommend journaling for our young leaders. Our coaches guide them through a comprehensive learning program while building habits to last a lifetime.
Help your child take the leap, and contact us today to learn more about our program.
