New Journal Practice
Research has again and again shown that our success is heavily dependent on our mindsets. Yet our natural bias towards problem solving often ends up telling our minds that our lives are full of problems. It doesn't help that we live in a society that capitalizes on our insecurities. Add negative self-talk and critics at work and home, it's hardly surprising that many of us feel overwhelmed, despite being surrounded by abundance and opportunities.
To counteract these negative effects on my mindset, I began a daily morning journaling practice of noting down one entry of each of the following:
Something I'm proud of from any point in time in my life in my Brag Book. The goal is to remind myself that I AM capable by celebrating and reliving my wins.
Something I'm grateful for in my Gratitude Journal. The goal is to reset my "appreciation baseline" to a level where I'm happy with what I have.
This two-pronged approach gives me home base where I am and have enough, while empowering me to go beyond my comfort zone and pursue what I truly want. So each month I'll share my entries in addition to my normal essays in hopes of inspiring you too of remembering your wins and reaffirming your sources of contentment.
For my Brag Book and Gratitude Journal, I got a mini passport sized version of my beloved Traveler's Notebook with two inserts for each book. The mini 0.3mm Frixion erasable pens fits perfectly inside without the need for an external pen holder. I also use the plastic pocket that comes with this kit to hold extra ink refills because these little guys tend to run out fast! The rubber band included with the kit holds everything together in a neat package that fits into my jacket pocket. In a pinch, I can also use this notebook for mind mapping ideas on the go.
😁 From the Brag Book
From this weekend on the way to my family's Memorial Day vacation:
May 2023
“I stood up to a man causing a scene at an McDonalds in Galveston, Texas. He was loudly preventing an elderly Asian group of four from grabbing a chair to seat their friend. His reason was that they were 'messing up the arrangement of chairs in the space', not that he worked there. He was probably having a bad day and taking it out on others, especially those weaker than him.
He was suffering too, as angry people are, so there was no use getting angry at him, even if he's in the wrong. I handled the situation by asking a question: 'hey can we borrow one of the chairs? I promise we'll give it back' and phrased it as if he owned the place. I gave him the choice of selecting any of the chairs, and he was okay with the ones in the back. Then I thanked him for it, expressing my gratitude.
The Asian group was thankful that I did something for them. It was important for them to know that they are welcome in this country. It's important for us to serve as bridges between societies. We are all human, that's all. We can use loving kindness in the face of anger, for anger only begets anger."
🥹 From the Gratitude Journal
5/29/23
“I'm thankful for Olivia not holding on to her misery, or any single instance of this morning's meltdown. She never lets one event ruin an entire day. That's her brand of resilience. It allowed us to bounce back from a turbulent morning (for context, we got our car towed at our new apartment which kicked off a costly 2-hour adventure getting it back), which even offered a beautiful contrast to the amazing afternoon and evening we had later."
Make the most of your mind maps
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