Sometimes we feel stressed because we’re not achieving
things that are important to us, or our focus is headed in the wrong direction.
Daily stress can result from a lifestyle that isn’t in line with our values,
and an overall feeling of underlying tension when part of us feels we’re not
leading the life we’d hoped for. The following goal setting journaling
techniques can help you to get more in touch with your goals, and actually help
you achieve them, and acquire the lifestyle you dream of.
Here's How:
- Ask
yourself, if you had a magic wand, what would you like to see included in
your future? Ignoring the ideas of how you’ll get there, vividly imagine
your ideal life, and what would be included in it. Then take a few minutes
to list, on paper or on your computer, the changes and goals that would be
included in this picture. Be specific about what you want. It’s okay if
you want something that you seemingly have no control over, such as a mate
who is perfect for you; write it!
- You
may want to keep a running journal of how you’re doing on your goals, as a
way to pat yourself on the back for success, work through frustration of
setbacks, and as a form of continued motivation. You can also make updates
to your goals as they change with you. (Sometimes the pursuit of one goal
will lead to growth that will lead to the realization that a different
direction would be better for you.)
- Research
on journaling has shown numerous benefits to journaling that
includes processing feelings and brainstorming solutions. This can not
only relieve stress, but also help you attain goals by providing an
opportunity to work through problems, find solutions, and keep from
getting ‘stuck’ in unhealthy patterns.
- You
may also want to keep a gratitude journal, where you write about all the
things for which you are grateful each day. Popularized by Oprah, this
form of journaling can help you feel more gratitude in your life as you
develop the habit of noticing all the good in your life. This can decrease
stress that you feel, as well as help you realize all that you have
available to you already.
- You
may follow the lead of many businesses and have a 1-year, a 5-year and a
10-year plan for your life. (It doesn’t have to be a set-in-stone plan,
but a list of wishes and goals.) Keeping in mind what you hope for in your
future can help you feel less ‘stuck’ in the stressful parts of your
present life, and help you see more options for change as they present
themselves.
- Write
down all the coincidences (or, what Henriette Anne Klauser, in Write
It Down, Make It Happen!refers to as “Go! Incidences, referring to
their momentum-building quality) that you encounter that bring you closer
to your goals. Keeping track of them helps you become more aware of them
when they happen, and more likely to use them to your advantage.
- Keep
a ‘dream journal’ chronicling each night’s nocturnal adventures. You may
begin to notice patterns, messages, and other important things your dreams
can tell you that you’d otherwise forget. (Remember, you are
generally the best interpreter of the meaning in your own dreams.)
- Maintain
a ‘dream journal’ of a different sort: instead of recording the dreams you
have when you’re sleeping, record the hopes you have (or once had) for
your life that seem completely out of reach or borderline ridiculous. Have
fun with it, and imagine where you’d be in life if you could be anywhere!
This can help you get in touch with what you really want in life, and find
uncover some dreams that you really can make come true.
- If
you’re trying to find something specific in your life, writing about it
has worked for many people. For example, if you’re looking for a
compatible mate, writing down all the qualities you hope to find in a
person, very specifically, has brought many people success. (Whether this
practice aligns with the spiritual law ‘ask and it shall be given unto
you’, or whether it causes you to be more likely to know it when you see
it, it appears to work!)
- If
you’re not the regular-writing type, even writing one list once can help
you to attain your goals. The process helps you to become more aware of
what more you could get our of life, notice that you don’t have to be
‘stuck’ in any circumstances indefinitely, and more often notice
opportunities that come your way, either on a conscious or unconscious
level.
Tips:
- Try
to do this when you’re not exhausted, or so stressed you want to scream,
but in a serious mood; you’ll get more relevant results this way.
What You Need
- A
pen and paper, or computer.
- A
few uninterrupted minutes.
- A bit of introspection.
