3 ways journaling can influence your future-self
BLOG BY REBEKAH. C
How to create the best version of you for 2022
Most people are familiar with the concept of journaling, but what about “future self-journaling?” While standard journaling allows you to share your thoughts and feelings about present-day topics, future-self journaling involves envisioning the future. Whether you use journaling to help you relax on a daily basis, or you’ve never tried it, you probably have at least some experience with contemplating the future. It’s almost impossible to never allow your mind to drift to what might happen “one day”. Future journaling allows you to consider your dreams, and desires for the next so many years of your life, so you can plan out a way of reaching your goals.
The psychology of journaling
Future-self journaling is just one of many forms of journaling available to help manage emotions, improve focus, and even minimise stress. For those who suffer from anxiety, journaling is often a valuable emotional outlet. Future-self journaling can support both relaxation and other positive goals. The American Psychological Association, published a paper in 2001, discussing an experiment where 71 college undergraduates participated in three 20-minute writing sessions for two weeks.[1] The purpose was to see how expressive writing influenced stress. According to the report, the students writing about stressful events were able to perform better in future tests, after having an outlet for their emotions. Various therapists and medical professionals recommend the use of journaling to manage stress. Sharing your journals can even help healthcare providers understand the source of certain anxieties, to ensure better treatment.
3 tips for journaling
#1 Helps you make smarter decisions
A habit of keeping a future-self journal will help you to envision and track your progress towards your goals. If you have a clear view of your goals to remind you what you want to achieve each day, you’re more likely to make decisions based on the future you’d like to make a reality. Your vision of your future will act as a compass to lead you down the right path. This should mean you’re less likely to make decisions based entirely on your desire to stay within your comfort zone or making choices entirely on emotion.
#2 Helps with emotional management
Often, it’s difficult to deal with feelings of stress and panic in the moment. We feel that our negative emotions will last forever or tell ourselves things can’t get better. With future journaling, you actively push yourself to look for and create a brighter future. Using a future journal gives you positive aspirations to think about when you need an extra bit of motivation to keep you going. Your future journal can even make it easier to take mistakes within your stride, as you can begin to recognise how the little bumps in the road towards your ideal future shape new opportunities and teach you various things.
#3 It gives you the power to take control
A lot of people feel stressed and unhappy in their lives because they feel like they’re just “going with the flow”. Future-self journaling forces you to stop simply joining the status quo and start thinking about what you want to achieve. Being mindfully aware of your passions, desires, and aspiration gives you the power to take control of your own life and decide what you want your story to be. Future journaling can be the first of many steps involved in deciding to be in charge of your own future. Instead of simply waiting for opportunities to come your way, you’ll begin to seek them out, so you can create the “future-self” you want to become.
3 tips for journaling
#1 Helps you make smarter decisions
A habit of keeping a future-self journal will help you to envision and track your progress towards your goals. If you have a clear view of your goals to remind you what you want to achieve each day, you’re more likely to make decisions based on the future you’d like to make a reality. Your vision of your future will act as a compass to lead you down the right path. This should mean you’re less likely to make decisions based entirely on your desire to stay within your comfort zone or making choices entirely on emotion.
#2 Helps with emotional management
Often, it’s difficult to deal with feelings of stress and panic in the moment. We feel that our negative emotions will last forever or tell ourselves things can’t get better. With future journaling, you actively push yourself to look for and create a brighter future. Using a future journal gives you positive aspirations to think about when you need an extra bit of motivation to keep you going. Your future journal can even make it easier to take mistakes within your stride, as you can begin to recognise how the little bumps in the road towards your ideal future shape new opportunities and teach you various things.
#3 It gives you the power to take control
A lot of people feel stressed and unhappy in their lives because they feel like they’re just “going with the flow”. Future-self journaling forces you to stop simply joining the status quo and start thinking about what you want to achieve. Being mindfully aware of your passions, desires, and aspiration gives you the power to take control of your own life and decide what you want your story to be. Future journaling can be the first of many steps involved in deciding to be in charge of your own future. Instead of simply waiting for opportunities to come your way, you’ll begin to seek them out, so you can create the “future-self” you want to become.
Getting started with future-self journaling
Getting started with future-self journaling can be very simple. You don’t need to write your feelings down if you don’t want to – you can also record them via voice or video. A great way to get started is to begin each day with “stream-of-consciousness” morning pages. These are pages you fill with various thoughts and feelings you might have when you wake up. These pages will give you an opportunity to clear your mind, process emotions, and minimise stress. At the same time, they give you the strength to discover your creativity and dive a little deeper into your subconscious desires.
Once you’ve completed your morning pages...
#1 Write down things you’re grateful for
Every morning write a list of the things you’re happy about each day, and what you hope to be grateful for in the future.
#2 List what you want to change
Write down the things you don’t like and wish to change, then make a strategy for focusing on them – one at a time.
#3 Consider some goals
Write down future goals, both short-term, and long-term. Make a list of how you can achieve those goals and add to it over time.
#4 Focus on what you can control
Focus your journaling on the things you can actually change in your life, rather than getting caught up on things you can’t.
#5 Create a template
Follow a template on a daily basis to help you build a better view of your future-self.
Once you’ve completed your morning pages...
#1 Write down things you’re grateful for
Every morning write a list of the things you’re happy about each day, and what you hope to be grateful for in the future.
#2 List what you want to change
Write down the things you don’t like and wish to change, then make a strategy for focusing on them – one at a time.
#3 Consider some goals
Write down future goals, both short-term, and long-term. Make a list of how you can achieve those goals and add to it over time.
#4 Focus on what you can control
Focus your journaling on the things you can actually change in your life, rather than getting caught up on things you can’t.
#5 Create a template
Follow a template on a daily basis to help you build a better view of your future-self.
Make future-self journaling your new year's resolution for 2022!
Future-self journaling won’t automatically transform you into the person you want to be overnight, but it’s a wonderful way to ensure you’re taking steps in the right direction. You’ll be able to use your view of the future to help guide your decision-making and start pushing yourself towards a better life. There's no better time to give it a go, so start your new year right and journal your way into the future you want!
Reference(s)
{1] https://www.apa.org/monitor/jun02/writing
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