Regular Check-ups - Journaling Tool

Life constantly seeks to exist in a state of balance.

• “Many people seem to think that success in one area can compensate for failure in other areas. But can it really? ...True effectiveness requires balance.” – Stephen Covey

Regular Check-ups help us stay aware of all aspects of our lives that matter to us. And this helps us keep our priorities in balance.

List the 30 most important areas of your life – one topic for each day of the month. If 30 topics are too many, select the number of topics and the timing that will work for you. For example, over one month, you might try 15 topics (one every 2 days) or 6 topics (one every 5 days). Or you can try 7 topics over 7 days. Create a pattern that feels right to you.

Sample topics are listed below in the exercises. Review your list closely to ensure you haven’t missed any key areas that are important to you.

Number each of your topics. They do not have to be in any order. On the first day of the month, write for a short time on your topic #1. On the second day of the month or your next date for journaling, on a clean page, write on topic #2 and so on, until the end of the month. On the first day of your second month, start the series over again, writing your new entry for topic #1 under the one you’d written the month before.

When you write a new entry on a topic, do not peek at your earlier writing until you have completed that day’s journaling. Then read over all entries on the page. Periodically, write a very brief summary of your experience with this topic.

Over time, you’ll get a sense of how each area of your life is changing and which issues need more attention. You’ll also clearly see how your perspectives are shifting.

EXERCISES:

List your journaling topics. You may want to review the ones below. Create one page for each. If you are doing one for each day of the month, start with the number of today’s date. Write a few lines on where you are with this topic
in your life.

Getting started:

• Focus on daily topics like career/work, goals, time, money, opportunities, health, hobbies, energy, etc.

Go deeper:

• Focus on daily topics like relationships with children (each by name), partner, parents, co-workers and/or friends; blocks, life challenges, threats and vulnerabilities, etc.

Reach higher:

• Focus on daily topics like spirituality, creativity, learning, purpose, passion, intuition or values that speak to you like integrity or gratitude.

Note: For true balance, create a program of journaling that includes topics from each of the three sections above.

“The more balanced our lives, the more serene we feel.” – Ann Smith

Go back and check out our other 50 Journaling Tools.