Journaling for Positivity

1. Introduction: Hello. I'm Helen Cole. Brick and welcome to my latest skill share. Cast journaling for positivity. Lots of people use their journals to document their daily life. But in this class you're going to learn eight different techniques that you can use in your own journals to help you bring about a more positive mindset. I use all of these techniques myself, and I found them to be really, really helpful. So we're going to be covering things like using your journal to create gratitude. Pages were also again toe let it all out and then cover it up with something more positive . We're going to create affirmations for ourselves. And we're also going to work on opposition thinking along with a whole load more, and your class project is going to be to use one of thes eight techniques in your journal, create a page and share it in the projects tab down below. And as an extra bonus, I've included on E book that contains photos and descriptions off all of the pages that I create in this class. In terms of tools and supplies, you can use any journal that you like on as long as you've got a pen or pencil, then you'll be absolutely fine. I will also be using some other pieces, like washi tape and stickers for decoration, but it's definitely not essential. So I really hope you enjoy this class and we'll get started. 2. Gratitude Journal: in this lesson, I'm going to be guiding you through how to create some gratitude pages in your journal. I'm using a plane, a Travelers notebook inserts, but you can use any journal or notebook that you already have. I'm starting off by using a brush. Pen it to write the heading I'm grateful for. And if you follow me on Instagram or YouTube, you'll probably already know that I set up gratitude pages in my journal. Every month I will be using some washi tape and a sticker to add some extra decoration to my pages, but it's definitely isn't essential. The aim of keeping a Gratitude Journal is to write down at least one thing every day that you're grateful for. I like to sit in journal in the evenings because I find that's the best time for me to reflect on the day and I try to write one or two lines of things, and it really helps to change my mind set into focusing on things that are more positive. One of the great things about keeping a Gratitude journal is that it really helps you to focus on the good things in life. It's really easy to become trapped in the cycle of thinking about things troubling us. So this is a really lovely quick exercise to do every day to help you take note of all of those things that actually are really good. They're going on around you. I aim to complete a page in my Gratitude journal every month, but in this lesson on completing the whole page so that I can share lots of different examples with you. A photograph of this completed journal page is included in the E book, which is linked down in the Projects tab. One of the huge benefits for me in keeping a Gratitude journal is that it also encourages me to look out for things during the day that I want to make sure I make a Nate off my pages later that evening. I really hope this lesson encourages you to create some gratitude pages in your own journal on really take the time to notice the good things going on around you. It could make such a difference to your mindset if you get into the habit of doing this every day 3. Reasons to be Proud: in this lesson, I'm going to be guiding you through, creating some pages in your journal. The I call reasons to be proud. If you're anything like me, then you find it really easy to beat yourself up over any one of a number of small mistakes you might make in the day. But it's much harder to actually change that thinking and recognize all of the things that you have done well at. And these Journal pages are designed to help you really focus in on all of the accomplishments that you no doubt achieve every single day. Now, these don't all have to be big accomplishments. They sometimes they might be mind focus on anything I feel I've done well at. So it could be asking somebody for clarity on something that I don't understand, saying no to taking on extra work, making the bed or eating a healthy dinner. It's really just a tool to help you think about all of the things that you have done well. Focusing on your accomplishments can help to put you in a far better mindset on when you're feeling more positive, it's likely to bring much more positivity into your life. And with these journal pages again, I just try and write down a line or two every evening so that by the end of the month I have a whole completed page. My challenge to you after watching this lesson is to creative reasons to be proud page in your own journal and take a few moments every day to recognize the things that you have done well at. And hopefully your notice the same benefits as May that I feel much calmer, relaxed and excited about the next day. Keeping a journal really is such a great tool to be able to work on your April positivity and attitude to life. 4. Positive Affirmations: in this lesson, I'm going to be guiding you through how to create a positive affirmations page in your journal. Affirmations can be really helpful because they help to get your brain ready for change. And if you look at them and repeat them regularly, they can really help to change your mindset and attitude towards yourself. And this is even true if when you first write them down, you don't really believe in them. It's the continuing looking at them, writing them down and reading them, which is going to really help bring it into your mindset. It's important to find affirmations that really speak to you. And there's lots of inspiration on Google and Pinterest. If you search for affirmations, some of the ones I have chosen are I have the power to change my own story. I'm getting stronger every day, and I possess all the qualities I need to live the life of my dreams. If I'm having a bad day or struggling with something, I will often turn to the affirmations page in my journal. I'll have a read through them and pick one that really speaks to May, and sometimes I'll then write that down on a stick in eight and keep on my desk so that I can look at it repeatedly throughout the day. A copy of thes pages is included in the E book, which is linked down in the Projects tab, just in case you want to take her look and have a read through some of my favorite affirmations. It really is important, though, to find ones that truly speak to you. So I would recommend spending a few minutes doing some research and writing down the ones and even adjusting them that you think will be powerful to you in helping to bring about a more positive mindset. Since creating these information pages, it's really helped me to break that cycle of negative self talk. If ever I find myself in that trap, I cook. He turned the pages and have a look through. And as I said, even if they don't feel true to you at the moment, stick with it and keep repeating them until you really start to believe the affirmations you've written down 5. Opposite Thinking: in this lesson, I'm going to be guiding you through a journaling exercise that I call opposite thinking. The aim of this exercise is to catch yourself when you fall into the trap of negative self talk. I would like you to write down those negative things that you're saying but then instantly replaced them with an opposite statement. It can be helpful to think about how you treat a friend in these circumstances. If they were to say the negative things to you that you often say to yourself, How would you respond to that? And it's that response that you should record on your journal pages. And be sure to write this in the bold fund so that it really stands out. The examples I've written in my own journal are Who am I to think I can achieve this? And I've replaced that with a statement. I have something special to offer the world, and I'm going to share it. Another one I've written is I'm out of shape and looking terrible on off replaced this with I'm taking positive steps every day to improve my health and well being, and the final one is are never achieve my goals, which I've replaced with. I'm strong, talented and adapt well to change. I can achieve anything I set my mind to. This is a really powerful journaling. Exercise is it helps you to notice when she talking to yourself really unkindly and get in the habit of replacing it with something much kinder. So once you've watched this lesson, I'd really like you to create a page in your journal where you can really listen to yourself and take note of the different things that you're saying and write these down in your journal and then right and opposite sort down to replace it weighs. I believe it's really important to treat ourselves kindly, and this exercise can really help you get in the habit of that. 6. Let it Out: in this lesson on going to guide you through the really therapeutic process of getting all of your negative thoughts and feelings down onto paper, and then we're going to cover it up with something much more positive. So to get started, I really want you to just let it all out. Don't hold anything back and write all over your journal page any of those negative thoughts which had trapped inside your head. It could be really powerful to let all of those thoughts out and create some space in your mind for much more positive and happy things. Once you've let everything out, it's time to be prepared to let it go. So I'm going to cover my page up using a decorative paper on. I'll be sticking down this with some glue, and if that smudges all of your writing, then all the better for it. I find that getting these thoughts out of my head and onto paper really helps to take the power away from them, and you can cover them up with any paper that you have. Or you can paint over the top of them or even glue two pages together. If you like once you've covered those words up, it's time to add something more positive. You could write a quote on top of your pages or even add a photo that really brings about happy thoughts for you. I'm going to be writing the words I will treat myself with kindness and compassion. I forgive my fears. I really hope this lesson has given you some new ideas for ways to get negativity out of your head and bring more positivity into your life. If I'm feeling and a bit of a funk, then I find this is really one of the quickest and most powerful ways to be able to use my journal to quickly change my mind set. 7. Giving Back: in this Essen, we're going to be creating a page in our journals, which focuses on the different ways in which we can give back to others. What is the best ways to feel more positive is to make a positive contribution to other people's lives. It boosts our self esteem, and confidence is we impact the lives of other people around us, and these could be big things, but more likely they'll be small acts of random kindness. So I'd like you to use your journal page to think about how you can make a positive contribution. I'm writing down things like checking with a friend to see how they're doing, offered to help out of a local event, leave supportive comments on social media and write someone a letter. And it's good to take a moment to think about all the different ways that you can contribute positively to other people's lives. Whether that's something you do in person or even online, I really love having these pages in my journal. If I'm ever feeling a bit down, I will have a look through this list and picked one of the acts that I can carry out and It helps me to feel more positive almost immediately because I'm focused. Mawr are making a positive contribution to somebody else's life. I really hope you'll consider making a page like this in your journal. It will really help to boost your mood and also your confidence at the same time. 8. Start Your Day: in this lesson, we're going to use our journals to write out an ideal morning routine for ourselves, one that's really going to set us off in the best possible way. So I'd like you to take a moment to think about the things which are really gonna put you in a positive frame of mind in the mornings. Mine include things like no social media getting outside for a walk and also looking back through those positive affirmations and repeating one to myself. I also like to try and improve the start to someone else's day, listen to a podcast or music and eat a healthy breakfast. So I didn't carried you to think about what's gonna really work well for you. For me, one of the best things about having these pages in my journal is that if I feel my morning has started to go a little bit off kilter, I can come back to this page and read through the intentions I'd set for myself. And sometimes I find that just something simple hasn't really been going to plan. Like maybe I've started to check my social media before getting outside in the morning, and I can quickly make adjustments so that I start my day in the most positive way possible . I would encourage you to note down the things you think you're going to really help your mindset thirsting in the morning. You can always come back and adjust them if you find that some little bits aren't working out quite right for you. 9. Best Possible Self: in this lesson, we're going to be doing a journaling exercise that I call my best possible self. I want you to think about your future and imagine how you'll be on what you'll be doing. I then you want you to describe this in detail but written in the present tense, as if it's already true. For an example, I'm writing in my journal. I am fulfilling all of my creative career ambitions. I have financial freedom and can choose which work I accept to do. I have a close relationship with my family and friends. I'm in great health, living in the home of my dreams. And finally, I'm inspiring others to use their journals to help them live the life of their dreams, too. The simple act of writing this in your journal could really help you to imagine the best possible future on what you'll be doing and how you'll be feeling. I find this makes me feel really positive and helps to keep me on the right track so that all of the decisions I make and things I do a leading me closer and closer to this reality . I really hope you'll take the time to create a page in your journal like this. Just feel south 10. Class Project: Now that we've worked through each of the lessons, it's time for the class project. As I mentioned at the beginning, I would like you to choose one off the eight techniques that you've learned in this class and create a page in your own journal. And please do take a photo and share it in. The projects have down below. I can't wait to see what you've created on. I really hope this helps to build a new journaling practice for you. So you take some time every day to work on things just for you. 11. Thank You: Thank you ever so much for joining me on my latest skill share class. I really hope that you've enjoyed learning about these different techniques that you can use in your journal to bring about a more positive mindset. I would absolutely love it if you would leave my castle review. Andi, don't forget to load your project up in the tabs down below. And if you're interested in learning about different journaling techniques, you can also check out my other skill share classes all about journaling and brush lettering. Thank you ever so much for watching. And I really hope that you enjoyed this class.