For me, anytime I feel out-of-balance I ask myself; what has changed? what I am doing now that I never used to or sometimes, and often more importantly, what I have I stopped doing that has always worked?

The answer – Journal.

Since I was 15 years old I have kept a lifestyle journal; workouts, eating, goals, new ideas etc. I have always tried over the years to keep a ‘regular’ journal with thoughts, emotions, reflection, blah, blah, blah…not for me. I need to see a routine, a pattern and progress and for me my lifestyle journal does this. It’s not  pretty or even super organized, but to me its priceless. It has been an evening routine of mine that once the day is done and I get into bed I take a few quick minutes to jot down what I ate that day, my workouts I log either during my workout or just after or sometimes I pre-plan and put in there ahead of time.

What I have found, in the last month since I had been busy with Christmas shopping, work, kids…life I didn’t make the time for this ritual and I noticed a difference. I was eating things I normally wouldn’t and not noticing because I wasn’t holding myself accountable by visualing seeing my day’s worth of eating in the evening. By doing this I had no way of reflecting on what I had eaten, how it made me feel or if I even ejoyed it. So, I just kept on eating. The workouts remained a constant but without tracking them I don’t feel I progressed much and couldn’t remember what I had done from one to the next and there was no true goal-setting happening just the odd talk to myself when I felt too full or tired or my clothes weren’t feeling so great…’I need to get back to my routine’ is all I kept thinking. And so it begins…

I am asked often, where should I start?

Start by tracking it down. Until you are truly aware of what you are consuming, how much you are having, how often you are eating and what you drinking, your health and wellness journey will not be an a honest one and ultimately won’t be successful. Another favourite journal of mine is The Five Minute Journal.

This daily 5 minute ritual has become one of my favourites. Each day I wake and ask/answer the same questions: 3 things I am grateful for, 3 things that would make my day incredible and I then create my daily affirmation. At the the end of the day I ask/answer what made my day incredible and how I can really soak it up. It literally takes me 5 minutes or less and is completely manageable to make happen everyday no matter how sleepy or unmotivated you may be. Sometimes a blank page can feel intimidating…this journal will help you. Available at Chapters/Indigo and AMAZON. Gift the important people in your life with a gift that will keep giving.

So today, instead of working up the motivation to run for 30 minutes(which is good too:)) just pick up a pen and paper and start writing!

Posted in Well Being