Research that points to the fact that successful people journal. One of the things I love about this practice is the ability to externalize your thoughts onto paper. Research also suggests that it's more effective to handwrite your journaling, but regardless of how you choose to do it, when I write down some of the negative thoughts I’m experiencing during tough times, it has the effect of externalizing those thoughts—not ignoring them but putting them in a place outside of me. When I write them down, at the end of the process, I can close my journal and leave those negative thoughts safely compartmentalized, rather than having them endlessly bouncing around in my head.

(Note- Note all journaling is created equally. Research indicates that if your journaling mostly, or entirely focuses on negatives, then it’s not a constructive, healthy process. If you do need to ‘get some things off your chest’, consider following them up with 2-3 things that are within your power to mitigate that challenge or negative circumstances eg being made redundant, when worse performers kept their job:

·      I’m really proud of the way I performed in that role

·      My work ethic and skillset will be better recognised, and rewarded in the future

And if necessary, even coach yourself with comments such as:

·      I could be justifiably resentful, but that won’t help me, or those closest to me

·      I’m going to do X, Y and Z to avoid resentment and bitterness

It's highly beneficial to discipline your journaling to focus on positivity and constructive thinking. My own journaling practice, which I do at least once a day (often twice), follows a structured routine. One element of it, inspired by Alcoholics Anonymous, involves two daily entries. My first entry each morning is to ask my Higher Power for a good day, and my last entry at night is to thank my Higher Power for having had a good day.

This discipline is interesting because even when parts of the day have been challenging, thanking my Higher Power for a "good day" helps me focus on the positives, such as being alive and the well-being of my loved ones. This leads into another key part of my journaling: each day, I rewrite my main goal for the season. It’s a simple, short, one-line goal, but rewriting once (often twice) a day helps anchor it firmly in both my work and personal life.

Then, I write down 11 things I’m grateful for- this also keeps me grounded and focused on the positives.

After those consistent practices, I allow myself to write down thoughts about the day. If I do note something particularly challenging or negative, I challenge myself to extract lessons from those experiences. This helps me grow and develop even from the tough moments.

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