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Tips for Making Journaling Part of Your Daily Routine

/ La Wanna Parker / Leave a comment
notebook opened on desk near books
Photo by Ann Nekr on Pexels.com

Ensuring that journaling works for you is to do it long-term. Long-term journaling gives you more insight into your life because you’ll be able to look to the past, present, and even the future (sort of) to get answers in your life. But first, you have to do it. And it would help if you did it daily to make it a habit. Let’s review a few tips for making journaling part of your daily routine.

* Make It Easy – Don’t make it a huge deal, and it’ll be simpler to get done. For example, it’s easier to use a notebook and paper than a computer for most people. You can have the book in your bag or on your bedside table, or wherever you plan to write in it.

* Choose a Time That Works – The best times to do it are early morning, first thing, or the last thing before going to bed. However, that might not work for some people. If you know a better time, do it. For example, some people like journaling while on lunch or at work in the park. It’s up to you.

* Get a Drink and Eat a Snack – You don’t want to have any excuses or extraneous thoughts while you’re writing in your journal. Make sure you’re fed and hydrated.

* Create a Comfortable and Assessable Space – It’s easier to get into your thoughts if you’re comfortable and not think about how your tailbone hurts or your wrist hurts. Some people like using a desk, some a comfy, easy chair, others their bed.

* Combine It with Something Else You Enjoy Doing – If you enjoy cleaning the house, then reading in your clean house with the windows open and the breeze flowing in, why not journal at that moment? If it’s a daily thing, add journaling to it, creating a habit fast.

* Add Some Relaxing Music to Set the Mood – Now, it’s true that some people prefer silence, so that’s fine if you do. But consider trying some music that doesn’t have words, and that is relaxing, to help you gather your thoughts and say calm and focused.

* Use a Particular Type of Journal – For some people, using a style of journaling like bullet journaling, prayer journaling, project journaling, and more works better since it defines some rules for entry.

* Consider Using Journaling Prompts – You can also find journaling prompts online for any journal you want to use.

* Reward Yourself – When you have been diligent for a month writing in your journal, take some time to read what you wrote, then reward yourself. You might buy some colored pens or some scrapbooking materials so you can add some definition and interest to your journal.

To truly experience the full benefits of journaling, you need to do it most days, so you need to find a way to incorporate journaling into your everyday life. The best way to accomplish this is to make it easy and turn it into a habit.

That’s it for now. Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Four Of the Most Motivating Things You Can Do

/ La Wanna Parker / Leave a comment

Let’s admit it; we’ve all had times when our motivation was low. Even the most motivated individuals can get demotivated at times. Allowing lethargy to seep into your everyday life, on the other hand, would make it virtually hard to achieve anything in life.

According to LifeHack, “Motivation is derived from the verb “motivate,” which means “move.” It is the burning desire that compels you to take action. It is so deeply intertwined with what you believe to be true and right in life that it moves you from a simple desire to a moment of decision. Have you ever watched a working dog? The only motivation is YOU.”

Motivation is a subjective concept, which means that various things will motivate different people based on their objectives and ideals. What inspires you at work could not be the same as what motivates you at home. but let’s look at four of the most motivating things you can do:

Set Goals

Goals energize and motivate us, which should come as no surprise. Self-directed objectives are the most effective. Internal purposes that are self-directed. They include realizing your dreams and meaning in life, knowing what you consider essential aspects, and utilizing them as a daily reference for how you will choose to spend your life.

Perseverance

Perseverance reminds us of a road or a bridge – a particular route or path that we all take. Perseverance is critical when you are feeling hopeless and lost. Perseverance is the deliberate decision to remain on your course despite enormous obstacles.

The secret to a successful life is perseverance. You will realize your actual potential if you persevere long enough. Remember that you can do everything you set your mind to, but it requires effort, perseverance, and the guts to confront your concerns.

Reward Yourself

In a reward system, you offer yourself the chance to earn a reward, such as eating your favorite meal, but you don’t present it to yourself until you’ve reached a specific landmark or goal. Because you want the prize so much, it will be easier to get motivated and work on your objectives.

Remember, You’re Not Alone

Join a class or look for an instructor or someone with whom you can share your experience—supporting others to keep going maybe a considerable boost to your motivation, especially when things are challenging.

Share your thoughts and encourage your friends. Seeing others succeed will inspire you to achieve your own goals. Write about your accomplishments and solicit reader comments.

According to LifeHack, “Once you get to the stage where you are regularly helping others keep motivated – be it with a blog or talking with peers – you’ll find the cycle continuing where each facet of staying motivated is refined and developed.”

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Anti-aging Benefits of Blueberry

/ La Wanna Parker / Leave a comment

So now I know why I was a late bloomer. The kids used to tease me. At sixteen, I was still getting in the movies for the under twelve.

When I think back to those days, I remember going to the movies and spending the whole day there. Here’s the best part, every week the theater showed three movies and a cartoon for twenty cents!

The only exception was when The Ten Commandments with Charleston Heston, was showing. That was almost a four-hour movie plus the time allowed for intermission.

Getting back to the blueberries, I ate tons of those things while following behind my grandfather while he worked his farm. There were blueberries and other berries all around his farm.

People have always told me I look younger than I am. When I was younger, especially during my teenage years, I didn’t appreciate it. As a senior citizen, I love it.

You know, maybe the blueberries, are the reason I can count on one hand with fingers left over, the number of times I have been sick. That is food for thought.

Well, that is it for now. Until tomorrow, stay safe, and keep the faith.

P.S. I am hosting my first virtual summit. Seating is limited. You can Reserve Your Seat Here: https://drlawanna.eventbrite.com/?aff=Courage.

Travel Journal Ideas and Tips

/ La Wanna Parker / Leave a comment

I have never taken the time to write about my trips. I wish I had. It would help my memories of those times. I am sure there are things I have forgotten. This article is about keeping a travel journal. Enjoy.

An excellent way to remember everything you’ve done is to keep a travel journal. It is a journal that is usually devoted to one trip at a time. You’ll write and add mementos and memories into the journal to look back on it with pride and happiness. Plus, you can share your journey with others.

Start with the Planning Phase

The journal should begin the moment you start planning your trip. You can use the journal to prepare by writing the things you need to do and then checking off what you completed for the trip. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish on the trip. What do you want to experience, what do you want to learn, and when will you do each activity?

Write Daily during Your Trip

Once you’re on the trip, don’t miss out on writing on any day. Try to find time to write in your journal when the experience is vivid in your mind. You might want to consider taking a recording device with you so you can record your initial thoughts while you’re doing it.

Add Physical Mementos to the Journal

Don’t just add text to your journal – also add color, images, and mementos. For example, save your tickets, a napkin from a restaurant, or other little things you touched during your trip. You don’t even have to buy anything extra to do this part.

Remember to Write the Good and the Bad

You don’t want to look back on the trip and see that it’s not written realistically. It’s perfectly okay to talk about the good and bad of the trip. When you do that, you can plan differently next time. Maybe you learned that you need new shoes if you’re going to walk that much? It’s a good thing to write down.

Write What You’d Do Differently

If you ever go back to that travel destination, what would you do now that you’ve done it once? Would you change what you chose to do to something else?

Mention What Disappointed You and What Thrilled You

Talk about the things that were disappointments. Were the people friendly or rude? Did the train smell like excrement? That might seem strange to write, but it will help you remember even more. Also, did something unexpected happen that thrilled you and excited you?

State What You Learned from Each Day

Add some facts that you are learning about your destination, the people you met, the people you traveled with, and yourself. For example, did you learn that you love people watching when you didn’t know you did? Did you discover a historical fact previously unknown?

When It’s Over, Finish by Writing a Last Reflective Entry

After the trip is over, take the time to write one last entry where you finally reflect again on everything you learned about the trip. Take about what it was like, what you learned, what surprised you, etc. Name the thing you’d do again and the thing you’d not do again, plus something you’d do next time.

A travel journal will improve your memory of the event. You’ll retain more information and – believe it or not – it’ll help you make the next trip even better. Use these tips if you want to get the most out of your travel journaling now and in the future.

Save those fabulous memories for the future. Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Is It Possible to Change?

/ La Wanna Parker / Leave a comment

It’s article time. I hope this one gives you food for thought.

Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today, I m wise, so I am changing myself. – Jalaluddin Rumi

Over the years, we debated and researched if personality changes are possible or not. We have wondered if people can change and if personality is developed or inherited.

To answer your question, is it possible to change? The response is yes. Yes, you can change. Yes, you can do better. Yes, you can build a new, better you.

Here are nine tips to consider for change;

  • Know Yourself
  • Be True to Yourself
  • Set Yourself Up for Success
  • Understand Your “Why”
  • Be Specific
  • Take Action
  • Invest in Yourself
  • Build Your Self-Esteem and Confidence
  • Understand Your Values and Beliefs

“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

How to Keep a Gratitude Journal

/ La Wanna Parker / Leave a comment

Gratitude journaling is a popular tool used by coaches and consultants to help people to improve their health and lives. Studies have shown the benefits for mental and physical health. If you are considering whether this could be something that could help you, then you probably have questions about what you need and how to do it. Gratitude journaling is very low cost and relatively simple.

You will need:

Writing implements: You could use a pen or pencil, but why not increase the fun and creative aspect by adding color and even texture. Different colored pens or pencils and different styles can make your gratitude journal not just a record of thanks but also a creative endeavor.

Notebook: While you could use a piece of paper, keeping a special notebook for your gratitude journal lets you know exactly where you are writing and allows you to review previous gratitude records. Your notebook can be a plain and simple one, or you could splash out on a more decorative one. However, why not consider using a plain notebook and jazzing it yourself.

By decorating a plain notebook or making a book from scratch, you are committing to the project itself. Your notebook will mean more to you, and you will feel a greater connection to it when you use it. After all, if you write positive thoughts inside it, you also want to feel happy and proud when you see it.

Time Alone: By taking time out away from disturbances, you are giving yourself space to think, relax and write. You’ll also find that you enjoy the experience of being alone and celebrating those things you are thankful for.

Now you know what you need, it’s time to discover how to do it.

Collect your journal and whatever you’ve chosen to write with.

Find somewhere quiet and where you know you won’t be disturbed. Your journaling time should be a time for reflection and celebration, free from outside distractions for the best results.

Ensure you are committed to gratitude journaling and that you want to feel happier and more grateful as a result. There is no point in just going through journaling motions without creating a positive, meaningful emotional experience.

When you write, instead of creating a long list of things you are grateful for, put some real thought into it. Take time to write about a particular event and describe why you are thankful for it. Remember to record how you felt and why.

Try to include people you are thankful for as much as you can, not just events. By having specific people and the reasons you are grateful for them, you will create a more significant emotional impact. It becomes more personal.

Include surprises and unexpected events like these will create a stronger sense of gratitude and a more significant emotional impact.

Set yourself a weekly date to write in your gratitude journal. While you could journal every day it may be more beneficial to create a habit of writing in your gratitude journal once a week. This will allow you to plan for it and enjoy it.

There are no right or wrong ways to keep a gratitude journal. Everyone will be different. However, it is important that you are committed to the process and the outcome, as well as make time for it on a regular basis.

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Can You Remember?

/ La Wanna Parker / Leave a comment

Can you remember? As a kid, I had many dreams of what I wanted to do and be when I became an adult.

I became a mom a few months after I graduated from high school. I had decided I did not want children because of the work required to take care of them. The moment I saw my baby and held him in my arms, all those other thoughts went out of my head.

I wanted to be the best mom I could be. I started thinking about what was good for him and how I would support and care for him. I completely forgot about my dreams.

Here’s the thing. After I met and married my husband, we decided to move to Sacramento. I was introduced to a woman who took an interest in me and introduced me to others. She encouraged me to get involved in the community and suggested several organizations.

Because of her, those dreams I had as a kid became a reality. I modeled, danced, acted, taught personal development to teenagers and adults, became a fashion show director with my models, and a beauty pageant director.

Today, I have a writing group, a radio show, several books, a blog, and I speak at events. Others have told me what I should do, but I am happy where I am. Today and tomorrow will only get better.

Tomorrow I will have an article for you. I haven’t decided on what, but it will be something helpful. If you feel like sharing something you remember, put it in the comment section.

Until tomorrow, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Abundance

/ La Wanna Parker / Leave a comment

Hello, there. I found something new on zoom earlier today. Zoom has added Avatars and I used one today in Facebook. I recorded it so I am going to share it here. I hope you like it.

I started a daily word of the day on my Facebook, and today’s word is “abundance.” If you can get pass me looking like a cow, I hope you enjoy the reading. See you tomorrow. Stay safe and keep the faith.

Turn Your Thoughts into Action

/ La Wanna Parker / Leave a comment

Do you have big plans for your life? Dreams that you want to turn into a reality. This is often easier than done, especially when you don’t know how to start taking action in the first place. Below are some ways to help you more effectively turn your thoughts into actions, no matter how crazy they may be.

Start By Making A Plan

Usually, when someone has a plan in their head, it can be a bit chaotic and maybe hard to see exactly how to get there. Therefore, you should start by making a physical, written-down plan of what you want to do. This will give you a better view of where to go to start. This will also help you to break your goals down into more manageable steps. Don’t think that just because you write a plan that it must happen exactly that way either, as once you start to take action, you can come back and adjust your plan as needed.

Stop Overthinking Everything

One of the reasons you may find yourself unable to turn thoughts into actions is probably because you are overthinking everything. The above step of planning should help you to clear up your overthinking a little bit as you write things down. But if it doesn’t, other mental relaxation techniques like meditation, talking something out with others, and taking a deep breath can help you stop overthinking. Remember, you aren’t perfect, and that isn’t what you are trying to achieve, so there is no reason to fret over your mental plan being perfect.

Figure Out What Is Stopping You From Taking Action

If you’ve done the two above steps but still can’t seem to turn your thoughts into action, it’s time to figure out why. Are you scared of failure? Too distracted? Waiting for the perfect time? Any of these can hold you back as you work to make your thoughts become a reality. If you leave them unchecked, you will never be able to take meaningful action. So, once you discover why you can’t seem to take action in your life, work through why and eliminate it from your life so that it is no longer a reason.

Turning your thoughts into action is often easier said than done, especially if you aren’t sure where to start and are overthinking everything. The trick is, you need to figure out what is stopping you from turning your thoughts into action, cut out the overthinking, and start following a plan that you have written down—and before you know it, your thoughts will become actions!

I hope you find this beneficial. Until next, stay safe, and keep the faith.