Journal with Me: Innovate

In last week’s blog we explored the idea of tweaking your day to tilt it away from what drains you and towards what energizes and engages you. (Read that post for ideas around shifting your day towards more energy and engagement.)

But often we get stuck in the mode of “I can’t” or “I need to.” That might look like: I can’t swim in the morning, because I’m too busy or I can’t start a business, because I don’t know enough. Or it could be: I need to clean the bathroom because it has to be done or I have to run the committee because people expect me to do it. 

If you’re telling yourself you’re not entitled to do something you want to do or you don’t have the skills to do it, or that you must do something that drains you because it has to be done or it’s important to somebody else, or somebody else expects it, let’s explore deeper. 

Try approaching feeling stuck with innovation.

Grab a piece of paper or your journal. Sit down with the intention not to judge what you write. Get grounded, feel your feet on the floor and the weight of your body in your chair. Take a good breath in, let it out and clear your mind. 

And then come up with as many ideas as you can for ways to add more of what you find energizing and engaging into your day. Just write, don’t cross things out or evaluate or judge. When your list is finished move on to writing down as many ideas as you can for ways to eliminate the activities that drain you. Do not let reality stop you. Use pure curiosity and creativity.

When you’re done with your two lists, look at each idea. You may be tempted to say, “I can’t do that” or some variation. Instead, read each item and say to yourself, “Yes, what I love about this idea is …, and maybe here’s how I can make it work.” Staying positive lights up the areas in your brain that can innovate and be curious and creative. 

This is a playful exercise for the serious desire to have more meaningful and pleasurable days. If you enjoyed doing the exercise or found some great ideas, check out more ways to enhance your everyday life with The Everyday Experience — a self-paced course that takes you through five exercises to enhance what you love in your days.

Write Into Joy

• Use journaling as a tool to unlock wisdom from your life
• Experience more gratitude, awe, and wonder through reflection
• Discover your own resilience and create a roadmap for future challenges

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