Have you ever wondered if Aristotle, Einstein or Thomas Jefferson ever felt like they were losing their sh*t?  When they were thinking their thoughts and becoming geniuses of invention and philosophy, did they always know what they were doing or were they grasping for straws hoping something would work just like I often do when I’m working on a project?

I’d like to think that they were just like me; full of great ideas and big dreams but regularly off track and throwing everything together in a big brain dump with fingers crossed that something will work the way I intend it to.

Alas, chances are they were way smarter and more organized than I typically am. I regularly struggle to stay focused and keep my thoughts together.  And, even when I can keep it together, the amount of distractions that I allow to interfere with my goals seems never ending.

I know darn well that brilliant people don’t usually let these kinds of challenges interfere with their success plans; therefore, I know being able to achieve the mental clarity required to accomplish any of my brilliant ideas is crucial to achieving the success I want.

I have read many books about people who became success stories.  One of the things that seems to be consistent among all of them, is that they take notes, their journal their ideas and they write down their goals.

The common thread among them all?  They write.

I figure, if it works for them, it’s bound to work for me too!

When I find it difficult to stay focused or stay on track, I discovered that journaling was a strategy that often got me back in to the flow of things.  There’s something about re-visiting what I’m doing and why I’m doing it that brings my focus full-circle.  I find that not only does it provide me the mental clarity I’m in need of but, it also re-motivates me.  It can be hard to see the big picture when I’m plugging away at the little things. It works for me, maybe it’s a strategy that could work for you too.

 

Here are 4 of My Favorite Journaling Prompts for Mental Clarity

 

  1. Write a letter to your past self

    What would you tell your past self about love, forgiveness, trust and empathy? How would what you know today be used to support and affirm you as you were then?  How can you utilize your life lessons and experience in your reflections?

  2. Write a letter to your future self

    Imagine your future self reminiscing about today’s challenges and obstacles and recognizing how difficult everything seemed in current time and yet, your future self knowing unequivocally that life turned out wonderfully anyway.

  3. If you could make money doing anything, what would it be?

    This question will lead you onto a path of self-discovery about your passions and your interests. It’s a great prompt for confirming whether what you want today is the same as what you wanted when you started your project or created your dream.

  4. If you could wave a magic wand, what would your ideal day look like?

    This prompt is essential for mental clarity. When you take the time to write down your inspirational goals throughout your process, you can break them down into “real-time” manageable tasks thus keeping you focused and working on what matters.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed or confused when you’ve got lots on your plate.  Mental clarity is essential.  However, it may also evolve and become something different than what you started out with.  It’s all good!  Clarity comes from checking in on yourself, your activities and your tasks.  When you get stuck in a rut or start questioning whether or not you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing, add to your journal writing.  By writing down your thoughts and ideas, you’ll be amazed how clear you’ll become and how quickly you’ll do it.  It works for me.  I know it’ll work for you.