As I start the New Year, I am going to resume writing in a daily journal.  Last year, I completed The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.  Excellent book.  It got me in the habit of writing daily.  However, when I finished reading it and doing the activities, I didn't have a resource to use for daily questions or prompts.  I found one now, and will be starting it in 2006.

I'm also going to start showing Sophia (5 years old now) how to use a journal.  Keeping a journal is important (see an article below about the reasons to use one), and I found a website that has journal prompts for children.  She'll answer the questions and I'll write down her answers...until she is old enough to write her own answers.  She seems very excited about being able to read her thoughts when she is "older" ... like 6 ... she says.

1.  Journaling helps you work through challenges and opportunities without the fear of social consequences. You can journal about things that you don't want to discuss with friends or family.     2.  Journaling nurtures thought and taps into your unconscious mind. Ultimately, this connection can reduce stress and keep you focused on what’s important in your life.     3.  Journaling helps you solve problems. Write down a problem and your related feelings and emotions, and then brainstorm for possible solutions.     4.  Journaling is a great way to be creative. A blank page is a safe place to experiment with ideas that on the surface would seem far outside the realm of possibility.     5.  Journaling is an investment in yourself. It does not require any skill or talents — just willingness to write when you feel like it. You benefit from the self-expression and increased awareness of your thoughts and feelings.     6.  Journaling aids in connecting causes to effects. It allows you to visualize and completely comprehend the activities needed to enjoy success.     7.  Journaling reveals your processes. It bears witness and provides the clues to how you think, learn, create and use intuition.     8.  Journaling focuses and clarifies your desires, needs as well as helping you to prioritize values for good decision-making and quality living.     9.  Journaling allows you to unleash your goal and dream to paper, which provides the opportunity to visualize the outcomes in advance of taking action.     10.  Journaling creates more results in life by helping you to identify your goals and create detailed action plans for their achievement.

Gary Ryan Blair is President of The GoalsGuy. A visionary and gifted conceptual thinker, Gary is highly regarded as a speaker, consultant, strategic planner, and coach to leading companies throughout the globe. Visit The GoalsGuy at www.GoalsGuy.com