## Introduction [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=0s) - Journaling is a habit that has significantly changed one's life, with consistent practice since 2015 leading to many positive outcomes [(00:00:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=3s). - Despite potential skepticism about the benefits of journaling, approaching it in the right way can guarantee a positive life change [(00:00:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=22s). - A common misconception is that journaling is a waste of time or ineffective, but this may be due to a lack of proper approach or technique [(00:00:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=14s). - This video aims to explain the reasons behind journaling's effectiveness as a tool for life change, as well as provide guidance on how to journal and share useful prompts [(00:00:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=26s). - The discussion will cover three main levels of journaling and provide powerful questions and prompts to drive positive change [(00:00:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=31s). - Three primary reasons for journaling's effectiveness will be explored in more detail [(00:00:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=40s). ## Why Journalling can change your life [(00:00:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=41s) - Journaling is an effective tool for personal growth, allowing individuals to reflect on their memories, thoughts, and feelings over time, providing a unique perspective on their life progression [(00:00:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=42s). - Journaling helps individuals take control of their thoughts and minds, especially those prone to stress, worry, anxiety, or fear, by writing down their thoughts and feelings, making it easier to detach from limiting beliefs [(00:01:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=60s). - By writing down thoughts and feelings, individuals can cut through the negative self-talk and lies their minds may generate, allowing for a more objective view of their thoughts and emotions [(00:01:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=83s). - Journaling can lead to a sense of detachment from thoughts and feelings, helping individuals stop identifying with them, which can be particularly helpful for those struggling with anxiety, fear, or unworthiness [(00:01:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=103s). - The outcomes and results in life are broadly correlated with the actions taken, and journaling can influence these actions by changing the thoughts and feelings that lead to decisions [(00:02:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=125s). - Decisions are influenced by thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and the stories individuals tell themselves about their life, and journaling can help individuals become more aware of these factors [(00:02:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=163s). - By becoming more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, individuals can make more informed decisions that align with their goals and values, ultimately changing the direction of their life [(00:02:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=165s). - Journaling is a process of writing down thoughts and feelings to understand and interrogate them, allowing individuals to ask questions of themselves and gain clarity on their stories, beliefs, thoughts, and feelings [(00:03:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=201s). - A key benefit of journaling is that it helps individuals understand their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, which can ultimately lead to making decisions and taking actions that can change their life [(00:03:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=193s). - Another tool that can be used in conjunction with journaling is Rise, a cross-platform app that tracks time spent on various websites and apps, providing insights into productivity and time management [(00:03:34)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=214s). - Rise offers features such as tracking time spent on specific apps, providing reminders to take breaks, and giving an overview of hours worked across a week [(00:03:51)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=231s). - The app can be used to identify areas where time is being spent unintentionally, allowing individuals to make more intentional decisions about how they spend their time [(00:04:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=250s). - A special offer is available for Rise, where users can get 25% off their first three months by using the link rise.io/aliabdall or the code alibdal [(00:04:34)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=274s). - The combination of journaling and using a tool like Rise can help individuals gain a better understanding of their thoughts, feelings, and time management, ultimately leading to positive changes in their life [(00:04:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=283s). ## Level 1 of Journalling [(00:04:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=284s) - Level 1 of journaling is the most basic form of journaling, where one writes down the things they have done today [(00:04:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=286s). - A favorite way to do this is by using the "Homework for Life" exercise from Matthew Dicks' book "Storyworthy", which involves writing down the most story-worthy thing that happened that day in two sentences or less [(00:05:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=307s). - The idea is to imagine telling a five-minute story about something that happened that day and writing it down [(00:05:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=319s). - [[Matthew Dicks]] notes that not every day contains a story-worthy moment, but the more one practices, the more they will find [(00:05:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=325s). - By doing this exercise, one can increase their appreciation for life and remember small details that might have otherwise gone unnoticed [(00:06:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=360s). - Another strategy for getting started with journaling is "Morning Pages" from Julia Cameron's book "[[The Artist's Way]]", which involves writing down three pages of whatever is on one's mind every morning [(00:06:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=410s). - The goal of Morning Pages is to offload thoughts onto the page, making the mind feel less scattered and allowing for the generation of new ideas [(00:07:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=436s). - One can start with a smaller amount of writing, such as three lines or half a page, and adjust to their comfort level [(00:07:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=455s). - The objective of journaling is to get thoughts and feelings down on the page, regardless of the format or method used [(00:07:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=461s). ## Level 2 of Journalling [(00:07:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=466s) - Level 2 of journaling involves writing about how you're feeling, and there is scientific evidence supporting its benefits, with two notable forms being expressive writing and [[Gratitude journal | gratitude journaling]] [(00:07:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=466s). - Expressive writing, as studied in a 2015 study published in the [[Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology]], involves writing about a past painful event, which can help individuals understand their thoughts and feelings, reducing stress, worry, and anxiety [(00:07:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=474s). - The study found that students who engaged in expressive writing had better mental health and were less stressed than those who wrote about a neutral topic four months later [(00:08:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=493s). - Gratitude journaling, as studied in a 2017 study published in the [[Journal of Happiness Studies]], involves writing about events or people you're grateful for, which can increase happiness ratings and strengthen relationships with friends [(00:08:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=519s). - The study found that participants who practiced gratitude journaling had higher happiness ratings and stronger relationships with friends than those in the control group a month later [(00:09:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=543s). - Gratitude journaling can be done by writing about three things you're grateful for each day, and can have a significant impact on happiness, with one study suggesting that five minutes of gratitude journaling in the morning can have the same effect as doubling one's salary [(00:09:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=571s). - John Gottman's "I Appreciate" exercise is a more in-depth approach to [[Gratitude journal | gratitude journaling]], which involves thinking of someone you want to express gratitude towards, picking three qualities that characterize them, and writing about a time when they displayed those qualities [(00:09:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=590s). - The final step in Gottman's exercise is to share what you've written with the person in question, which can be a powerful way to express gratitude and strengthen relationships [(00:10:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=619s). ## Level 3 of Journalling [(00:10:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=654s) - Level 3 of journaling is considered the most powerful level, where individuals journal about what they should do, the direction they want to go, the decisions they want to make, and the actions they should take in the present moment [(00:10:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=654s). - This level of journaling can be approached in various ways, with journaling prompts being particularly effective in guiding the process [(00:11:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=664s). - Collecting powerful questions and journaling prompts from different sources can be helpful, and these can be stored in a single document for easy access and reference [(00:11:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=667s). - A [[Google]] doc containing a collection of powerful questions and journaling prompts is available for free, and it is regularly updated with new prompts [(00:11:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=673s). - Access to the Google doc can be obtained by clicking the link provided, and it will be updated whenever new powerful questions are added [(00:11:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=676s). ## Odyssey Plan (Prompt 1) [(00:11:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=685s) - The [[Odyssey]] plan is a journaling prompt that involves envisioning one's life five years from now under different scenarios [(00:11:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=685s). - The first step is to write down what life would be like in five years if one continues down the same path, followed by journaling about that scenario [(00:11:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=691s). - The next step is to imagine and journal about what life would be like in five years if one takes a completely different path [(00:11:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=697s). - The final step is to envision and journal about what life would be like in five years if one takes a completely different path without worrying about money or what others think [(00:11:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=703s). - This exercise can be intense and time-consuming, but it can also be a powerful tool for prompting change and self-reflection [(00:11:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=712s). - The Odyssey plan is inspired by the book "Designing Your Life" and has been a transformative experience for some individuals, such as the one who did the exercise in 2019 and reported a fundamental shift [(00:11:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=688s). ## The Wheel of Life (Prompt 2) [(00:12:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=723s) - The Wheel of Life is a tool that splits life into 8-10 different components, allowing individuals to rate their happiness and satisfaction with their life across these domains, with the goal of identifying areas for improvement [(00:12:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=725s). - This exercise involves rating each domain out of 10, based on how satisfied or aligned one feels with that particular area of life, and can be repeated multiple times throughout the year to track changes over time [(00:12:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=736s). - The numbers obtained from this exercise can be used to identify areas that need attention, and by taking action, individuals can make positive changes in their lives [(00:12:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=751s). - The Wheel of Life exercise is effective because it not only helps individuals understand their thoughts and feelings but also enables them to figure out what actions they can take to make a change [(00:12:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=767s). - Another useful prompt is the 12-month Celebration, which is discussed in the book "The Feel Good Productivity" [(00:12:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=770s). - "The Feel Good Productivity" is a book that focuses on how to do more of what matters to individuals, and it is available in all bookstores, with a link to the book's website provided [(00:12:59)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=779s). ## 12 Month Celebration (Prompt 3) [(00:13:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=783s) - The 12-month celebration prompt involves imagining what you would like to be celebrating 12 months from now in different areas of life, such as personal achievements or milestones [(00:13:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=783s). - Examples of potential celebrations include consistently hitting the gym three times a week for the last 12 months, getting engaged, starting a first business, or asking for a raise at work [(00:13:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=790s). - This prompt helps inform what actions you would like to take in the present by projecting yourself forward and asking what you want to achieve in the next 12 months [(00:13:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=801s). ## Fear Setting Exercise (Prompt 4) [(00:13:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=808s) - The Fear Setting exercise is a journaling exercise that can help individuals overcome their fears and make life-changing decisions [(00:13:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=808s). - The exercise involves asking oneself a series of questions, including what is the worst thing that will happen if I do the thing that I fear doing, what can I do to prevent each of the worst things from happening, and what can I do to repair it if the worst-case scenario happened [(00:13:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=820s). - The exercise also involves considering the benefits of an attempt or partial success, and what one's life will look like in six months, one year, and three years if they don't do the thing that scares them [(00:13:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=827s). - Spending just 10 minutes answering these questions can be a life-changing experience, as it can help individuals make a decision that dictates their actions, results, and ultimately, their life [(00:13:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=835s). - The decision to take action on something one fears can have a profound impact on their life, and journaling can be a powerful tool in making that decision [(00:14:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=848s). - The right decision can genuinely change the entire course of one's life, and the Fear Setting exercise can be a useful tool in making that decision [(00:14:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=862s). ## Solomon's Paradox (Prompt 5) [(00:14:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=866s) - A journaling strategy called the Solomon conversation involves having a conversation with one's future self to gain a different perspective on life, inspired by the biblical figure [[Solomon | King Solomon]] who was great at giving advice to others but struggled with taking his own advice [(00:14:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=866s). - The idea behind this method is that people give significantly better advice about their own scenarios when they don't know it's about themselves, and writing down one's own advice can be more helpful than one's current thoughts [(00:14:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=881s). - This journaling method involves having a conversation with one's future self, in this case, an 85-year-old self, to ask for advice on what to do in the present, which can help realize that current worries are often meaningless in the grand scheme of things [(00:14:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=897s). - The conversation with one's future self can provide a different perspective, encouraging one to enjoy life more and not take things too seriously, as the mind often tricks us into believing our own thoughts are more important than they actually are [(00:15:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=920s). - This journaling prompt can help individuals realize that it's all about enjoying the journey and not getting too caught up in the seriousness of the present moment [(00:15:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=929s). - The goal of watching a video about journaling prompts is to take action and start implementing them in one's own life, rather than just watching and not doing anything [(00:15:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=942s). - It's essential to try out journaling for oneself and see the results, rather than just watching videos or reading about it, to gain a deeper understanding of its benefits [(00:15:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I&t=957s). ## Sources - [website](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vwGLMTx5I)