Note: I Tried It is an old favorite of mine and a long read. Together we examine a trend, an idea, or a product I tried. These opinions are entirely my own and this post is NOT sponsored.

Every new year, I always take stock of the last 365 days. Mainly with the intention of figuring out what I can improve or change. I had always seen people talk about bullet journals, journal prompts, and, of course, the 5 Minute Journal. With the very best of intentions, I always thought to myself perhaps that is one thing I could add to my life. A way of giving myself a new perspective while also kinda having a record of all the good, bad, and indifferent things that happen through the span of a year. Despite having a blog I am terrible at long-form journaling. Maybe it’s the growing up in the age of Livejournal or maybe it’s the fact that for some reason we were pushed to have school journals and diaries when younger. This is what made the 5 Minute Journal so appealing. It was simple, direct, and to the point.

I finally was able to get my hands on one since throughout the holiday season they were seemingly sold out. In a horrible turn of events, my 5 Minute Journal arrived the day before my world was turned upside down - the worst day of my life - losing my dad. I knew this would be an opportunity to get that new perspective I’ve been lacking. I’ve been doing the journal for a few months now so let’s chat about it.

WHAT IS THE 5 MINUTE JOURNAL?

According to Intelligent Change, the makers of the 5 Minute Journal, the 5 Minute Journal utilizes “principles of positive psychology in guided journaling format.” This original concept was created in 2013 and is used to cultivate gratitude. Gratitude is an essential part of life and acknowledging gratitude can have positive impacts on one’s life from personal growth to better relationships and even enhanced productivity. It is meant to be an essential part of both your morning and evening routine. A simple 5 minutes of reflection, setting the tone for the day, and creating a better tomorrow.

HOW IT WORKS

The 5 Minute Journal is backed by science and uses a process that encourages one to refocus on the good. It combats negative thinking by introducing simple prompts that concentrate and guide the user. The morning blocks encourage one to reflect on things they are grateful for, the things they can do to make the day fulfilling and positive, and even set an affirmation about themselves and their life. This can help boost confidence throughout the day. The night blocks allow for setting a better tomorrow by counting blessings and changing one’s outlook on life by reminding them of the good things that happened that day.

WHAT DID I LEARN

At first, I’ll admit I was apprehensive. How could I possibly find the good every day, especially during such a difficult time in my life? But I think that is one thing I desperately needed. The more I woke up and took a look at what I had the more grateful I was. When things felt out of control, chaotic, really sad, and depressing, these 10 minutes a day helped put a different spin on it. A lot of the time it’s really easy for me to look at the things I don’t have or truly take for granted all of the good. I’m a firm believer in gratitude and positivity attracting more great things in life and vice versa. So the more I acknowledged what I was thankful for, the more deserving of good I felt. The more affirmations I put down, the more confidence I was able to muster during the difficult moments of the day.

Over the past few months of utilizing the journal, I’ve been able to pause the negative trains of thought. There are always times when I see things as I see them but they aren’t necessarily true. The journal has allowed me to go back in time and say, “okay, you feel this way now, but is that really true?” and have the writing to back it up. Days are still really hard after my dad but I think as part of working through it, along with a few other tools, I’ve been able to open up more. So far I’ve learned appreciation, fresh perspectives, and taking a few valuable moments to myself.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I’m honestly surprised how much I enjoy the 5 Minute Journal. In my opinion, it’s far superior to regular journaling. It’s quicker, it’s much more narrow and guided, and all of the pieces come together to really improve the frame of thinking. I still don’t feel like every day I am able to fully find all the positives or that starting my day with it can set my day up to be incredible, but that is okay. Because that is life. Some days I write the exact same things and other days it’s a whole new day. I truly think it’s beneficial to anyone who wants to try it or who is looking for a way to make a simple change that impacts their mind, outlook, and ability to find the good in every day.

Get your journal here