This year I’ve decided to write my ‘positive intentions’ in a journal. For my more cynical readers, I know what you’re probably thinking: but last week you said we weren’t setting any resolutions. And you know what? That’s totally true. I bought this journal back at the Kate Spade event I went to in March of last year with the intentions of using it for my positive thoughts, but one thing lead to another and procrastination got the best of me. So really, this is more an incredible case of procrastination instead of a new year goal – and I didn’t even start writing in the journal on the first, I started on the 6th! 

To get a little bit personal, I sometimes struggle with anxiety. Specifically the FOMO kind, though it’s not isolated to social media. For some reason, my mind so easily reverts into single-track thinking, negative thinking.

Over the years I’ve found that yoga, less alcohol and plenty of sleep can help keep my thoughts kind and positive. And if I combine that with ‘switching off’ regularly everything seems to tick along all hunky dory! 

But, sometimes, those things just aren’t totally possible. Maybe it’s because work gets really manic and I’ve got to work late for a few weeks in a row, or because it’s summer and all I want to do is lounge outside with my friends and a fresh G&T. Sometimes there’s an unexpected really difficult thing I’ve just got to deal with that puts everything in my life out of balance. Whatever it is, these obstacles crop up from time to time because, well, that’s just life.

In early last year I decided it would be helpful to keep a positive intentions journal. It would be a place to write down positive, kind things that have happened, and should help combat these roadblocks whenever they occur.

The idea is simple: if I ever found myself reverting to that negative, unhelpful single-track thinking that got me feeling nervous or anxious, I could flip through the pages of the journal and remind myself of so many positive things that have happened in my life.

Maybe it’s a friend or colleague asking for my opinion or help with something challenging. Maybe it’s going out with a friend, or making it to yoga or cooking a new dish. Whatever it is, anything kind and positive can (and should!) be recorded in these pages.

So, when I spotted this journal at the Kate Spade store I knew it was perfect: The grass is always greener. And isn’t that the truth when you’re feeling anxious! 

And I brought the journal home, I put it on my desk, and then I forgot about it. You see, I’d had a good day. And then it was a good week. And then it was a good month. And then it was a good year. And throughout that time I didn’t feel like I needed to be reminded of the positive things that had happened in the past because I felt so consistently positive and not anxious. 

But I’m not silly; I know that anxiety can crop up at any time, any place, and having a support system is essential to getting through it. So before the next bout of anxiety strikes I’m writing my positive moments in this journal so it’s ready if I ever need it.

xo