I used to think journaling had to be this big production. Sit down for thirty minutes, pour your soul out, write pages and pages. And because that’s a huge commitment, I rarely did it.
Then I started setting a timer for five minutes. Just five. Write whatever comes up. When the timer goes off, stop. Done.
Turns out five minutes is plenty. Most of the important stuff comes out in the first few minutes anyway. The long sessions were mostly me repeating myself or writing filler.
Five minutes means I actually do it. Every day. Because nobody can claim they don’t have five minutes. Even on my busiest, most exhausting days, five minutes is manageable.
And here’s the funny thing - sometimes those five minutes turn into twenty because I’m on a roll. But I never HAVE to go longer. The permission to stop at five is what gets me to start.
Has lowering the bar worked for anyone else?
Well done. Journaling started working for me, when I used a big pink marker. That way the pages filled up quickly. Don’t know what to write. Write down one thing you’re thankful for and one thing you did well today. These can be small things. Thanks yoghurt for existing. Today I brushed my teeth.
A complete report of the day doesn’t matter. Just write whatever is on your mind at the moment.
