Journaling with WILDWOMAN

New Year, New Journaling

By Donna Hay | Founder of WILDWOMAN

I love New Year. I love the freshness of New Year's Day. The turning of a new page. And best of all, a brand new journal to begin the year. Journaling is part of my self care practice and has been since I was a young girl who used to keep her thoughts padlocked in a secret diary! Now I use a few different journals from Letts of London depending on time of day or day of the week!

Gratitude

Practicing gratitude is the key ingredient to attracting more abundance and magic into your life. It puts us into a positive frame of mind when we think and reflect about all that is good in our life. However big or small. At the end of every day I write down three things that I am truly grateful for which can include 'enjoying a cup of tea that's still hot' or 'belly laughing with my Niece'. Looking back at the previous year of gratitude on New Year's Eve is one of my favourite things to do.

Recommended product: Letts Plan Ahead 5 Year Journal

Affirmations

There's a lot of talk about affirmations. But how effective are they? The key to great affirmation is structure. Simply quoting 'I am successful' or 'I am productive' is not enough - in fact those kinds of affirmations can make you feel much worse! A positive affirmation that really works is one that is totally specific to you, something that fills you with excitement rather than dread or worry, and something achievable. One of my own affirmations is '2020 is my year of complete self care. I am committing to nurturing my mind, body and soul by ensuring I read, journal and sleep for 8 hours every day. As a result, I feel strong, calm and healthy.'

Recommended product: Letts Plan Ahead 5 Year Journal
Photo Credit: Emma Croman

Morning Pages

Morning Pages were made famous by the incredible Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way. This is a great exercise to complete on walking and can help you unravel thoughts and dreams you might have had throughout the night. Take your notebook and your pen and allow the words to flow from your heart straight onto the page. Don't try to make sense of what you are writing, just allow it to come. Continue this practice to find common themes and thoughts. And write until it feels natural to stop.

Recommended product: Letts Note Ruled Notebook

Future Scripting

An exercise I enjoy doing right at the end of my working week, before I close the door to my office for the weekend. I open up a fresh page and write my future on today's date, but from the perspective of one year from now - as though it has already happened. Writing in present tense for the future is incredibly powerful because the brain isn't able to process whether it's happened or not. Try this for 30 days and watch the magic unfold.

Recommended product: Letts Plan Forever Undated Journal
Photo Credit: Emma Croman

WILDWOMAN

Donna is the founder of the UK's first non-fiction book subscription box for women, WILDWOMAN. The Ultimate self care package brought to your doorstep every single month. Take time to pause, reflect and clear your mind with their thoughtfully curated books, journaling prompts and gifts.