For the last 30 days, I've been using the Thriving in Motherhood Journal. Before this personal challenge, I would use it about once a week when things were hard and noticed a nice lift to my week. But as this year has continued to surprise us I started to flounder and wanted to see what impact the journal would have in my life.
In this week's episode, I'll share some of the logistics and tips for using the journal, the impact it had on my life, and my invitation for you to give it a try for yourself.
You may be wondering what it actually took for me to stick to my 30-day challenge. Here are some things that I found helpful:
Have a pen ready
Have multiple windows of when you will use the journal and put it in the next likely spot (next to your bed, office, kitchen, etc.)
Be flexible with morning or night (or both).
Pick it back up when you miss a day.
Don’t pressure yourself to answer every question. Pick the relevant ones for that day and leave the rest.
Don’t worry about keeping the daily and weekly pages perfectly ordered.
When I started this challenge, I was floundering. We’ve had a hard year on lots of levels - health, jobs, lots of things going on, kids struggling with different things (including surgery), and the unexpected keeps popping up. I have felt exhausted.
Here are some of the positive impacts I noticed during my 30-day challenge:
Using the journal has empowered me through this season. I’ve been surprised at how much joy I have felt in the last 30 days.
I’ve been able to parent better, more consistently, and more confidently instead of pulling into myself and surviving through the hard days.
I’ve processed some hard emotions/situations so I could truly find peace and let go.
I did a lot more service outside of my home in 30 days than I did all year. Small ways, like helping return a grocery cart and carry food out to the car, and bigger things too.
I captured many magic moments during the last 30 days and now my days are full of them.
My health wasn’t great during this window but when I did my monthly review I discovered a miraculous amount of things got accomplished. I attribute this to the power of having the vision in my Thriving in Motherhood Planner and asking the daily questions in the journal about the next three steps for my priorities that week.
I got rid of mom guilt which normally rears its ugly head during hard survival times with the question, “What would help me feel successful today?” This question allowed me to pivot to what mattered most each day.
I have struggled with anxiety about facing the next day in the past and fret at night about what is to come, especially when I’m sleep-deprived. But this journaling process helped me live more in the moment each day and ending the day with magic moments, gratitude, big wins, and God’s involvement in my life made a big difference.
This process led me to naturally have a better routine before bed and get rid of tech when I was journaling.
I’d like to extend an invitation to you to pull out your Thriving in Motherhood Journal (or get yours today) and commit to 30 days of journaling. Watch and see the difference it makes in your life.
If you've already been using the journal, I would really appreciate it if you left a review on Amazon to help other moms find it and see if it would be a good fit for them. And as a special bonus, if you leave a review on Amazon, you’ll be entered to win a 2024 coil-bound Thriving in Motherhood Planner!
There are some amazing bonuses you can claim when you purchase the journal to help you get the most out of it so don’t wait to get yours!
Letting Go of Should Statements to Get Rid of the Guilt and Be Proactive with Jessica Jackson [Episode 30]
Anchoring Family With Faith During Times of Crisis with Sherilyn Rasmussen [Episode 29]
Creating a Family Rhythm that Aligns with Your Family Values with Meagan Wilson [Episode 28]
Stories of Growth with Andrea Ware, Aimee Spencer, and Aimee Tate [Episode 27]
Experiencing Great Joy after Great Pain with Faith Ralphs [Episode 26]
Being Honest With Yourself Creates a Springboard for Growth with Kayla Rasmussen [Episode 25]
Principles for Building a Strong Marriage with Cammie Smith [Episode 24]
Creating the Life You Want to Live with Brinn Bagely Chipman [Episode 23]
Building a Strong Foundation of Faith with Suzanne Cook [Episode 22]
Being Converted to Your Vision of Motherhood with Katie Larsen [Episode 21]
Mothering Through Different Seasons Without Guilt with Linsey Jensen [Episode 20]
Parenting and Loving Children Who Are Different From You with Kristen Shaeffer [Episode 19]
Breaking the Chain and Creating a Better Life for Her Children with Korea Tabor [Episode 18]
Reflections on Growth with Jessica Jackson [Episode 17]
Finding a New Way to Measure Growth with Elise Powell [Episode 16]
Becoming Your Best Self with Caitlin Spencer [Episode 15]
Choosing God's Plan with Phoebe Cook [Episode 14]
Enjoying the Present Moment with Meri Schuhmacher-Jackson [Episode 13]
Living Your Personal Mission with Rachel Garrett [Episode 12]
Nurturing Self and Family During Change with Jessica Jackson [Episode 11]
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