Personal Development

Mini Journal

Published on by Lyn Bailey
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Is Journaling Right for Everyone?

 

 

 

Journaling is an effective tool often used for self-reflection and personal growth. Self-reflection is the process of thinking about and evaluating one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

 

It is a way of assessing oneself to make changes and improve one’s life. Self-reflection can be done through journaling, therapy, or simply taking time each day to think about your experiences and how they have affected you.

 

Self-reflection is critical because it allows you to see yourself objectively and to understand your thoughts and feelings better. It helps you identify areas in your life that you want to change. By practicing reflection, you can make positive changes that will lead to a happier and more fulfilling life.

 

Journaling can also be used to help improve your mental health, physical health, relationships, work-life and more. However, it’s not suitable for everyone.

 

If you’re not ready to truly look at yourself with an objective eye, act on the information you gain from this insight and do the work necessary to become the person you want to be, journaling may not be right for you at this time. When you’re ready, then journaling can help.

 

Below are some characteristics that may indicate that journaling could be a struggle for you. We’ve also included tips to help you overcome the problem so you can try to make it work.

 

You have trouble focusing

 

If you have trouble focusing on one task for an extended period of time, journaling may seem frustrating to you. The act of writing can be very calming and therapeutic, but it requires a certain level of focus and concentration. If your mind wanders, you may find it challenging to stay on track while journaling.

 

Tip to overcome this: If you have trouble focusing, try setting a timer and concentrate on writing for that amount of time. Alternately, rotate how you journal. One day, focus on what you’re writing. The next day, let yourself freely write whatever comes to mind, whether or not it makes sense. 

 

You are not comfortable with self-reflection

 

Journaling involves self-reflection, learning to be open and honest with yourself. Getting to know yourself on a much deeper level. If you’re not comfortable looking inward and examining your thoughts and feelings, you may find journaling an uncomfortable experience.

 

Tips to overcome this: If you’re not comfortable with self-reflection, try journaling about topics other than yourself. You can write about current events, your favorite TV show, or anything else that interests you. Share your thoughts, opinions, and feelings on the topics and even how the topics affect your life. 

 

 

You are resistant to change

 

If you’re resistant to change, journaling may be less effective than you wish. The act of journaling can be compelling and transformative, but it requires a willingness to reflect on your life and make changes. If you’re not ready to change your life, you may find journaling tedious.

 

Tips to overcome this: If you’re resistant to change, try journaling about your resistance. Why are you resistant to change? What are your fears? You may find exploring your resistance is not as impossible as you thought.

 

You are not comfortable with emotions

 

If you’re truly honest with yourself when writing, journaling can be emotionally intense. If you’re not comfortable dealing with your emotions, journaling may be an uncomfortable experience when first starting out. 

 

Tips to overcome this: If you’re not comfortable with emotions, try writing about them in a detached way. Don’t judge your emotions. Just observe them. What do they feel like? What are they telling you? By observing your emotions without judgment, you may find that they’re not as scary as you first thought.

 

Journaling is a fantastic way to improve yourself and your life. While it can be a struggle and may feel uncomfortable at first, if you’re in the right mindset and willing to do the work, the benefits can be rewarding. If you try it and find it isn’t right for you, that’s perfectly okay. Use the tools that work best for you to overcome the roadblocks that limit your ability to live the life you want.

 

To find out if journaling is for you, download your FREE Gratitude Mini Journal below and give it a try.

 

Click here for your FREE Gratitude Mini Journal
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Fears That Hold You Back From Finishing What You Start

Published on by Lyn Bailey

Do you constantly find yourself starting a project you have every intention of finishing, and then you simply don’t finish it?

This failure to finish could simply be you harboring several fears that are holding you back from finishing what you start.

Fear Of Failure

The fear of failure is one of the most common fears people deal with. Almost everyone will experience it at some point in their life. This fear with undoubtedly hold you back from finishing what you start.

This fear will hold you back from doing what needs to be done to conquer things that may be difficult or out of your comfort zone. The fear of failure often leads to procrastination. So, to conquer your procrastination habit, it’s time first to learn to face your fear of failure.

Fear Of Losing Something

Although this fear isn’t as common as a fear of failure, one of the reasons you may be putting something off is because of your fear of losing something. Whenever you complete a project, you will be putting yourself through changes.

This change can be scary and may cause you to fear losing something you currently have in your life. It would be best if you overcome this fear. Change is good and realizing this is important. Even if you do lose some things along the way, you are working towards something bigger and better.

Fear That Others Will Judge You

Another common fear is that your peers will judge you. And this one, unfortunately, could be true. If you have goals, dreams, and aspirations that might seem odd to other people, you may put them off or give up on them forever.

You might want to learn to ski but put it off because you are afraid others might judge your beginner attempts. That was me for many years, then, in my mid forties, I faced the fear and did it anyway. Not only did I improve on my beginner attempts, but I ended up loving it. It opened up a whole new world for me as I took to skiing around the world! Have you been put off by peer pressure?

Part of life is accepting that you are okay if people judge you and your actions. You know who you are and what you are doing, so don’t let others’ perceptions of you change your behaviour.

Overall, if you are struggling to finish something you’ve already started, it’s probably because of one of these internal fears. The best way to work towards finishing what you start is by learning to conquer these three fears so that you can go on to be successful in all of your endeavours.

What fears are holding you back, or stopping you from doing something you love?

I would love to hear them. If you need help to overcome any of these fears, then click HERE to book a FREE Discovery Call with me.

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5 Essential Tips to Finish What You Start

Published on by Lyn Bailey

5 Essential Tips to Finish What You Start

Do you struggle to finish projects? Are you currently struggling with a specific project (or ten) in your life that you can’t seem to finish? Let me guess, do you have more than a few household tasks on your to-do list?

Don’t worry – you aren’t alone. Many people struggle to follow through on their tasks. Here are five essential tips to help you finish what you’ve started.

  1. Make A Plan

First and foremost, the number one way to finish everything you start is by making a plan before you start. A well-thought-out plan ensures you will be aware of the work your project requires and have an idea of how you will proceed. It is also a good time to break the project into smaller chunks to make it easier to conquer. Don’t forget to take some time to brainstorm potential problems you may encounter along the way.

  1. Take A Break

If you feel overstressed at some point during your project, and it leads to other negative feelings like frustration, it’s okay to take a break. A break is a great way to refresh both your body and mind. Get hydrated, move around, find some time to take in the present world around you.

  1. Identify Your Distractions

Maybe you’re finding every reason under the sun not to work on your project. It’s time to identify these distractions and how they may be affecting you. If the distraction is easily removed, remove it. If it’s more of a mental distraction, it may be time to look into something like meditation to help you clear your mind. Whatever your distractions are, it’s time to identify and eliminate them so you can focus on your goal.

  1. Track Your Progress

Many projects remain unfinished because they are long, and you lose sight of the end goal somewhere in the middle. To maintain motivation, you need to track your progress on the goal as you go. You may even want to consider rewarding yourself for a job well done at certain points to maintain your motivation.

  1. Visualise The End

Even if you are tracking your project, you may find that you’ve lost sight of your end goal. This is why you should frequently spend time visualizsing your end goal in your mind. It will help you remember why you are working on your goal in the first place.

Finishing what you start is never easy, but if you follow these five essential tips, you may find that you can finish it with ease the next time you start a project.

If you struggle to finish what you start, click HERE for a FREE Discovery Call to find out how to complete your projects.

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Are You Ready to Move Forward with Your Life?

Published on by Lyn Bailey

Are You Ready to Move Forward with Your Life?  

Every day of your life is a new opportunity. Whether you’re going through an upheaval, merely surviving, or you’re just bored, moving forward with your life is much more satisfying than simply “moving on.” So, if you’re ready to move forward with your life, follow these steps.

Stop Expecting Easy

You may have heard the saying, “If it were easy, everyone would do it.” Unfortunately, many things in life are daunting. Self-development is one of those things. This is because there is a learning curve and there may be challenges concerning maintaining a steady progress, especially if you’re just getting started.

It’s not always easy to get to know who you are. Examine past traumas and experiences. Weed through your inner conflicts, and fight to become who you want to be. While this is not easy, it is a straightforward process that can lead you to succeed.

Stop Living in The Past

While you want to understand why you think and do certain things, avoid living in the past. Address the past by accepting that it happened. Work through your past by getting treatment for things that negatively affect your current situations. However, don’t allow yourself to live in the past because the contentment you seek is in the here and now.

When you focus on the present and learn from the past, you ensure that you’re well cared for. And when you do that, your future is almost certainly taken care of too. After all, the actions you take today informs your future. All you can get from the past is a list of actions you took that worked versus actions you took that did not. Let the rest go.

Stop Waiting for Perfection

If you’ve heard yourself described as a perfectionist, don’t take it as a compliment. It’s not. The best time to begin your next goal is now. There is no perfect outcome even if you follow your plans to a T. There is no time like now for getting started on anything you want to do.

Instead of thinking thoughts like, “I’ll be happy when I reach my weight loss goal.” Or “I’ll start my business when my child is older.” Anytime you start a thought with “I’ll do this when…” stop yourself because most of the time, there is no real reason for putting your goals off.

Stop Doubting

One way to squash doubt is to do your due diligence regarding research for all your goals. Here’s the thing, if it’s possible for someone, it’s probably also possible for you. There are very few cases where only one person can do something. You can learn anything you want to learn and do whatever you want to do or at least something close to it.

Start Planning and Doing

Once you let go of the fact that life can be hard, and the past harmed you, and perfection, and release yourself from doubt, you can start planning by learning how to set goals in a way that leaves you with an innovative action plan that gets results. Then, use that plan to start the most critical thing in your life, the doing. Doing will move you forward more than anything else.

After you let go of expectations and stop focusing on the impossible, you’ll see success. Once you create specific goals and follow your plan, you’ll finally start experiencing success. But don’t skip the very last step. You really must “do” to move forward in your life

 if you want to find out how you can start moving forward, then click HERE to book a strategy session for just $49.00!

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Five Reasons You Need a Personal Development Plan

Published on by Lyn Bailey
Your Personal Development Plan

A personal development plan is like a roadmap. It assists you in finding your purpose and developing your strengths. It also gives you the confidence needed to get out of your comfort zone. A good personal development plan will also help you improve your self-awareness. This combination will ensure that you know your potential and live up to it with intention.

Discover Your Purpose

On the road to self-discovery, most people want to know why they are here. If you want to know your purpose in life, focus on your personal development and create a written personal development plan to help you find it.

As you discover what makes you think the way you do, challenge your thoughts, and decide what facts you’ll use to make sound decisions. When you do this, you may come across additional information that will lead you to closer to your purpose. You are more likely to feel good about the ideas you have and actions you take each day because you know they will have a particular impact.

Develop Your Strengths

Once you discover your strengths as you study yourself and pay close attention to how you feel about your actions, you’ll know what to develop. Focusing on what you are already good at is always preferable to focus on where you are lacking.

Getting additional training, practicing, and learning from others regarding the things you’re already good at doing is a much more pleasurable and successful way to approach your life. You’re naturally good at something that gives you joy and makes you better. So, you may as well use your natural gifts.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

While you do want to focus on what you are already good at doing, sometimes it takes time to see what that is. Getting out of your comfort zone has nothing to do with forcing yourself to focus on things you aren’t good at doing. Instead, it may mean simply showing someone else what you’re good at.

Boost Your Confidence

As you develop yourself, you’ll start experiencing success, and that experience will boost your confidence exponentially. Part of personal development is focusing on learning to have a positive mindset, taking the best care of yourself, and reveling in your skills and experience. When your confidence is strong, you’ll free yourself from paralyzing self-doubt and negative thoughts and emotions. You can’t help but become strong when you craft and follow a plan based on self-discovery and your goals.

Improve Your Self-Awareness

Since personal development is all about you, getting to know who you are is especially important. Knowing who you are will allow you to know and lead with your strengths so that you can cope with your weaknesses, realistically and kindly, without lying to yourself or others about who you are. Self-awareness is the ultimate precursor to authenticity.

You also need a personal development plan because you’re much more likely to succeed at anything when you have a plan. A personal development plan is a documented set of facts and information to help guide and direct you through the actions and habits that make up your life. For example, if you want to succeed at any dream, it starts with a goal. Then, through smart goal setting, your goals become a plan that you can follow, track, and even change throughout your life while remaining focused on your ultimate dreams and goals.

As the are now in our second quarter of the year, if you want to find out how a personal development plan can help you live a happier life, then click HERE to book a strategy session for just $49.00!

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