Develop a daily ritual to become a more amazing you.
There’s a reason why journaling has been a part of the lives of so many successful, creative people like Frida Kahlo, Henry David Thoreau, and Spike Lee.
Journaling helps you organize your thoughts and reflect on your artistic or professional work. As a daily practice, using a reflection journal can help you to notice and appreciate your wins, be more organized for the next day, and become a more grounded, mindful person.
Whether you're looking to elevate your performance at work or become more grounded and mindful in your daily tasks, we're excited to share something really special with you. Introducing: the Ink+Volt Daily Reflection Journal.
Benefits of keeping a daily journal
Mindfulness. Here’s a common scenario: You’re sitting in front of your computer to do some work or browse online, only to suddenly realize that hours have gone by and it’s already dark outside!
It’s so easy for our days and weeks to feel like they’re dissolving into one another. Is there a way to feel more connected to our days?
While we can’t stop the passage of time, we can be more mindful of it. When you reflect each day, your days will seem to be sharper, more distinct, and will emerge more clearly in your mind. And when you look back on old entries, you’ll be able to recollect that day with more clarity, and the sensory details and positive feelings you experienced at the time will seem fresh in your memory.
It will be easier to draw lessons from the patterns you see emerging. You cannot improve yourself if you don't have a clear picture of yourself, and consistent journaling gives you an accurate look.
Creativity. A regular journaling practice can lead to unexpected breakthroughs or allow you to make connections between things that you hadn’t noticed before. You might notice something that worked today, and be able to apply it to something new tomorrow. Rather than getting stuck in a rut, reflecting on your daily progress can help you to expand what is working into something even better.
Mental well-being. Journaling has been known to help combat stress and anxiety. When we experience stress, we tend to internalize our feelings and let anxious thoughts spin out of control. For example, you might fixate on an encounter with a rude neighbor or dwell on a critical comment on a performance review.
As humans, we tend to focus on our losses, not our wins. This ability to focus on the negative, and thereby avoid danger, helped our prehistoric ancestors survive; but today, this negative-focus often holds us back from enjoying our successes and noticing our strengths.
Making space for your wins and creating a plan for tomorrow can help you to see everything you do in context. There is a feeling of release when you’re writing with your pen and moving it across paper, filling in the blank page with your ideas.
How your daily journal can help you achieve your goals
We tend to lose motivation on our goals and resolutions when we don’t see immediate results. But change doesn’t happen overnight. Progress can be slow and steady or sometimes it can be a zig zag, with peaks and valleys of productivity.
By reflecting on your progress daily, in a repeating structure, you give yourself a framework for tracking your progress in a meaningful way - which can help you to make better choices and get more done as you work towards your goals.
That’s why Olympic athletes record their progress, so they can take note of their strengths and areas of improvement.
It's so easy to miss the small wins along the way that can fuel your progress. For example, when you start a new job, every day feels like a challenge. You're so focused on how much you don't know, that you can miss the positive additions you're making to the team at the same time.
But by having to sit down each day and make a record of your progress, you can begin to see the bigger picture of where you fit in and add value. You are creating a record of proof to show yourself how much you are capable of.
You can also use your journal to gain clarity on what’s holding you back. What are the things that seem to consistently set you up for success? What works against you?
This is where the consistency of daily journaling comes in. When you're noticing every day what went well and what didn't, you can find patterns that will help you make your life easier.
Add inspiration to your daily journal
At the bottom of every page in the Ink+Volt Daily Reflection Journal is a space for your daily inspiration. This might be something you saw that inspired you, or a quote or idea you want to use to inspire you throughout the day.
There is so much power in being intentional. When you choose to make inspiration a part of your daily life, you can't help but notice it everywhere. When you look for the positive, you find it.
Don't let a quote, or see something out in the world that you want to emulate or embody, simply disappear into the back of your mind during a busy day. You can make it a part of your life by recording it. When you cultivate a collection of things that inspire you, you are building a foundation for a more amazing you.
An executive coach on your desk
The Ink+Volt Daily Reflection Journal is inspired by our founder Kate and her experience working closely with an executive coach. With a new team and a new position of leadership, Kate realized she needed external help to grow and hone her leadership skills. The patterns and questions in the Daily Reflections Journal are based on her very own experiences and insights.
This journal is the perfect companion to your personal and professional development. Designed to help you reflect on your day and digest and analyze feedback in real-time, this guided journal helps you find wisdom in your own situation.
This experience is all about you. You know yourself better than anyone. Start each day with a plan and make each day count.
