Our Founder’s journaling routine

 By Helena Holdsworth

Journaling is a powerful tool for self-development. It can help you to work through issues you are facing, plan and prep for goals you want to achieve, pinpoint patterns in your thoughts and behaviours, and ultimately get to know yourself and your experience of the world better.

 

There are lots of ways to get the most out of your journal in terms of when and where you choose to write, what type of journal you choose to use and whether you use prompts or free flow. But there are other factors that you can consider to make journaling as enjoyable as possible. In this article - the first in our journaling series, Helena spoke to our founder, Lili Sinclair-Williams, all about her journaling routine and her tips for journaling success.

 

 

1. What is your favourite time of day to journal and why? 

 

I am much more of an evening writer myself. I love to look back over my day to evaluate what did and didn’t go well for me and to use those learnings to improve the next day. I know a lot of people love to journal in the morning and there is a huge amount of value in looking forward to what might arise in the day. I’d love to do both if I had the time but at the moment I do love to reflect in the evenings.

 

 

2. Out of the LSW journal range, which do you personally find the most beneficial to use?

 

I love my Mind Notes journal, it works perfectly for my evening journaling sessions as I can look back across my day and identify where I was spending my energy. I find it really helps me to regularly review my behaviours across the weeks and months which then helps me to identify where I need to make changes in order to improve myself.

 

 

3. What is your favourite method of journaling?

 

I see huge value in prompted journaling in short bursts. I am short on time as I work full time and I have a baby, so I need to keep my journaling focussed and efficient. I see huge value in short answers, regardless of time as it is important not to get too bogged down by storytelling and keep each entry as focused as possible in order to create positive change.

 

4. Are there certain locations that spark your journaling flow? 

 

I love to journal in my reading chair in our attic room, it is the perfect size to get curled up and comfy which allows me to get in the zone. The calm, quiet space really helps as there are few distractions and I can relax into my writing.

  

5. As a business owner and mother, how do you find the time to journal amongst your busy schedule? 

 

Finding balance can be difficult and some days I simply don’t have the time but that’s the great thing about journaling - we don’t have to write every day for it to be beneficial. If I miss a day, that’s fine, I just pick it up again the following day. Some days I will only have time to focus on gratitude so I will do just that and other days I will have more time to complete a full page. I try not to put too much pressure on myself. My journal is for me and for me only, so I like to go with what feels right each day. My Mind Notes makes it so much easier to stay focused though, which really helps.

 

6. How long do you like to spend journaling? 

 

This can really depend on the day and how much time I have, but on average I probably spend around 15-20 minutes on my journal. I like how journaling lets me think and process the day’s events even if I’m not writing the entire time. It is a space for me to just be, to relax and enjoy the thoughts and emotions that come up when I am in that space.

 

7. What helps to inspire you when you’re not in the mood to journal? 

 

If I am having a bad day or I’m just not really in the mood I try to follow the ritual I have set up around journaling to get myself there. I will be explaining more about creating journal rituals in our upcoming blog but for me, getting into the zone is definitely helped by sitting in the right surroundings. I try to find somewhere I feel comfortable and relaxed, I make a cup of hot tea in my favourite mug and turn on my diffuser to fill the air with my favourite scent. Once I have set the scene I often find the words begin to flow.

 

8. How do you feel before vs. after you’ve finished journaling?

 

Journaling is one of my favourite ways to destress. Like most, I live a very hectic life with very little time to focus on myself, so journaling is my bit of me-time to relax and let go, filling the pages with any negative niggles or worries I might have. I always come away from a journaling session feeling like I’ve learned something about myself and it is always so helpful to have that insight that I can use to create any necessary changes moving forwards.