The title of this post may sound a little like I’m a life coach or in an episode of Iyanla Fix My Life but that aside, I’m hoping that you take this post serious and give journaling a try. I have been writing in my journal for years upon years now. I was one of those diary writing teenagers and I guess I transitioned from my diary to a journal probably inspired by a self help book, blog post  or meme that I came across.

I was always a big fan of lists because who’s brain can remember everything I want to buy or get done? I would literally write lists of all the things I wanted to buy on my summer vacation overseas so I didn’t forget everything. Then I would get a quarter of my budget as spending money and be left with figuring out shopping as opposed to eating but that’s a different story for a different day.

My Personal Journaling Experience

I’m not sure why it works but it does. There’s something about writing down your intentions and setting a date and time. It’s important to be as detailed as possible about what it is that you want to accomplish and why you want to accomplish this goal. It sets off something in your focus and something in the universe to bring the goal to life. I wanted to share with you one of the times most recently that this has all worked out for me and in real time.

This is a journal entry I made on April 20, 2016. I highlighted a few areas I wanted to you note. Why? Because when I opened my journal a few weeks ago to make another entry, this was my last entry in my journal. I should really try to do this more often. It was uncanny to me that I moved into an apartment not 30 days later that had these exact characteristics. Characteristics like a water tank that when I was searching, I didn’t even place much attention to and yet somehow ended up with a place that has one. My kitchen is beautiful, there are kids here for Marley to play with and the complex is gated and in a great neighbourhood. My location allows me to save on gas because it’s 2 minutes away from her school and 7 minutes away from my job. Score!

Read more: How to Discover Yourself Through Journaling

Why it works

When I tell you I blew my own mind. I just wish I had insisted upon a place with a balcony because I surely do miss my balcony and my view. Next time. I’ve amazed myself like this before when it comes to my professional life using journaling to map the path of my career. It works. I don’t know why but it works. It keeps you focused on the goal and helps you to map the way. It sends that energy out into the universe and orders your steps along the path of success. It doesn’t work like magic, you’re not going to write down everything today and achieve it all by tomorrow, but it works. You’re going to achieve the thing that you want the most. That you’re focused on the most, that you work on the most. Journaling helps to clear a path of uncertainty.

I googled “the power of journal writing” to try and cite some experts to help me back up my claims and it was hard for me to chose just one article as the power of writing in a journal has been spoken about in the fields of business, mental health, general happiness and wellbeing, entrepreneurship and even fitness.

“I have been journaling on most mornings for about a year now and have noted that my day goes better and I am more patient on those days when I write,” says Gloria Silverio, certified personal trainer and wellness coach based in Delray Beach, Florida. “I have been under more stress than usual lately because of an international move that my family is making, and I have not been journaling regularly because of all that there is to do to prepare. On a morning when I felt particularly burdened, I sat down to journal and was surprised at how the stress and feeling of being overwhelmed began to melt away as I filled the pages. It was a wonderful feeling, and I finished the session much more relaxed than when I started.”

If only to help you clear your mind for a long day ahead. Some health benefits of journaling are listed below.

5 Reasons to Journal

• Clarify your thoughts and feelings. Do you ever seem all jumbled up inside, unsure of what you want or feel? Taking a few minutes to jot down your thoughts and emotions (no editing!) will quickly get you in touch with your internal world.
• Know yourself better. By writing routinely you will get to know what makes you feel happy and confident. You will also become clear about situations and people who are toxic for you — important information for your emotional well-being.
• Reduce stress. Writing about anger, sadness and other painful emotions helps to release the intensity of these feelings. By doing so you will feel calmer and better able to stay in the present.
• Solve problems more effectively. Typically we problem solve from a left-brained, analytical perspective. But sometimes the answer can only be found by engaging right-brained creativity and intuition. Writing unlocks these other capabilities, and affords the opportunity for unexpected solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems.
• Resolve disagreements with others. Writing about misunderstandings rather than stewing over them will help you to understand another’s point of view. And you just may come up with a sensible resolution to the conflict.

These are from Psych Central. Do you journal? If not, have I convinces you to give it a try?

More law of attraction reading:

• What is Manifesting
• The Difference Between Manifesting and the Law of Attraction
• Law of Attraction FAQs
• How to Use the 5×55 Manifesting Ritual
• How to Manifest Something in a Week
• How to Create a Manifesting Ritual
• 28 Day Gratitude Challenge
• 30-Day Happiness Challenge