I generally shy away from recommending any specific practice to others.

The way I see it, everyone’s on their own journey. (Or, to use this blog’s central metaphor, everyone’s got their own path up the mountain.) We all have our individual tastes and preferences. We gravitate toward different practices, and respond in our own unique ways.

What feels right to me may not be right for you–and vice versa. It’s hard enough to know what’s best for even a single person, much less for all people!

I do, however, have a lone exception to my (almost) no-universal-advice policy: journaling. It’s the one (and only!) activity that I would recommend to absolutely everyone!

(Meditation comes in a close second.)

While everyone has their own path, I truly believe that regardless of your background, beliefs, talents, and lifestyle, there is absolutely no one who can’t benefit from journaling:

• You don’t have to be a writer! In fact, it’s a PERFECT tool for non-writers, since you don’t have to worry about grammar, spelling, or “good” writing–since no one else is going to see it!
• You don’t have to be religious or spiritual! You can write about anything you want–from your secret crushes to ideas for a business project. You can journal about your most profound insights, or simply record your day-to-day activities (which can, in itself, lead to heightened awareness and appreciation for your life).
• You don’t have to be an introvert! While journaling may be a natural activity for introverts (those who recharge by spending time alone), it’s also a great way for more social, extroverted people to connect with what’s inside them–a way to turn their attention inward and listen to their own incredibly wise “small, still voice” within!
• You don’t have to have lots of free time! You can journal for hours each day–or for a few minutes every other month. Your journal is like a good friend who’s always there for you–undemanding, yet always available for a heart-to-heart chat of any length!

And there are SO MANY BENEFITS to journaling. It can help you:

• Feel more relaxed, centered, and at home in your own life.
• Connect with your true, authentic self.
• Unlock your creative spirit.
• Understand the patterns in your past, and live more consciously in the present.
• Experience deeper appreciation for your everyday life.
• Live fully and reach your highest potential.

Most importantly of all, journaling can help you become more fully YOU!

How to Start–or Continue and Deepen–Your Journaling Practice

If you’re already a journaler, great! You’ve probably already felt many of the benefits. But you may not have experienced the full potential of this practice. Maybe you tend to write about the same things over and over (which can be very illuminating), or maybe you haven’t explored your journal–and yourself–as deeply as you’d like to.

Or maybe you’d like to journal, but you just don’t know where to start or what to write–or you feel intimidated by the blank page. (If so, don’t worry–even the most experienced writers feel this way sometimes!)

I find that sometimes using a writing prompt (a thought-provoking question, statement, or fill-in-the-blank sentence) can be a great way to get your creative juices flowing…and your pen moving!

Here are a few of my favorite prompts:

• Who am I? – You’d be amazed at how much (and how deeply) you can write just from this “simple” three-word question. You might start off with some basic external self-definitions (parent, co-worker, friend, American, etc.), but it’s amazing how quickly you start peeling back the layers and getting to your essence.
• What does your soul want you to know? – This is my wife’s favorite prompt. (In fact, she made it the tagline of her blog, Soul Speak.) She’ll ask herself this question, close her eyes, wait for an answer, and keep typing until the message is done. It’s pretty miraculous what happens when you ask, listen for an answer, and transcribe!
• I remember… – This is a great way to reflect on your past and to uncover moments of your life that you might not have thought of for years. Sometimes I like to focus on a particular age (such as 0-7) and write down anything that comes to me from that time period. It seems like one memory leads to another, and another, and another…and you realize how full and rich your life has been!
• I am grateful for… – A great prompt for creating an ongoing “Happy List.” Keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to boost your mood, improve your overall outlook, and keep you looking for more and more to be grateful for…so you’ll have more to add to your list!
• What does your ideal life look like? – While “I remember…” helps you explore your past, and “I am grateful for…” encourages you to appreciate your present, this prompt turns your gaze toward your future. It invites you to take one of the most important steps in creating an amazing life: clarify your vision. The more clear you get about where you’d like to go, and the more you focus on this vision, the more likely it is to emerge as your reality!

I hope that these prompts and this post has inspired you to begin journaling or to continue/deepen your existing practice–and to explore and appreciate yourself and your life in all of its infinite richness!

Happy Writing!

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NOTE: If you’re already subscribed to this blog, you’ve probably gotten the free download ebook, Transitions, which contains 50 writing prompts. (If you haven’t subscribed yet and would like the book, simply enter your email and click the “Subscribe” button in the upper-right of this page.)

Also, if you’d like to check out the entire series that this book is part of, Soulful Journals, just click here.

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I’d love to hear about your experiences with journaling…or anything else you’d like to share. Please feel free to comment and/or share this post with others (by clicking the buttons below or in any other way). Thanks! 🙂

(Photo by Joel Montes de Oca.)

We’ve all been there:

Standing at a fork in the road. Faced with a choice. Trying to figure out where to go, what to do, which option to choose.

You might be facing a choice between job offers, potential romantic partners, or deciding what project you want to dedicate yourself to next.

How do you decide?

Here’s what I recommend: Take out a sheet of paper, and divide it into two columns: pros and cons. Write down everything you can think of for each column, carefully weigh the pros vs. cons, and then crumple up the piece of paper and throw it out.

And then follow your heart.

I know we’ve all heard this plenty of times. People tell you to listen to your heart, trust your gut, or follow your bliss. But what does this really mean? And how do you do it?

There are many techniques that can help you make a decision–from meditation and prayer to muscle testing and pendulums–but my favorite approach is something I call:

The Helium Method.

Have you ever talked to someone who’s trying to choose between two or more possibilities? They generally weigh the pros and cons of each option, and rationalize why they should probably go with the choice that makes the most sense.

But sometimes, in the midst of their staid, logical discussion, a moment arises when their whole demeanor suddenly changes. They perk up like their double espresso just kicked in. They glow. They seem to become ten years younger and many pounds lighter. And their enthusiasm becomes contagious.

That’s the moment when they’ve struck helium.

Oftentimes, we’ll pursue something in the hopes of “striking gold”–finding that glorious vein that will make us rich and solve all our problems. (More on this later.) And yes, striking gold certainly can be wonderful. But what can be even more wonderful is “striking helium”–finding that magical possibility, person, or passion that lifts you up, as if you were a balloon that suddenly got filled with helium.

You know you’ve struck helium when…

• Tasks and activities related to this possibility don’t feel like chores or unpleasant assignments–they’re a pleasure. They flow naturally and easily. They energize you, rather than draining you. They feel less like work and more like play!
• Rather than forcing yourself to keep going, you have to force yourself to take breaks. You have to remind yourself to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom!
• You get energized just by talking about this possibility, just by thinking about it.
• You feel like a kid again (in a good way)–feeling a playful innocence, a childlike wonder.
• Your friends notice a positive change. They say you seem lighter, younger, happier. They ask what’s different–or they don’t have to ask, because this is all you ever talk about!
• You have a crush on your life.

But most of all, you know you’ve struck helium when you don’t have to ask–when you just feel it in your heart, in every cell of your body. Like having a crush. Like falling in love.

Efficiency, Success, and the Helium Effect

The world of personal growth is filled with wonderful tools to help you be more efficient, more successful, and happier. And while many of these techniques are truly life-changing, they’re no substitute for The Helium Effect–having passion and enthusiasm for whatever you’re engaged in.

Sure, you can learn to work more effectively, to focus better, and to have a healthier relationship–but all the tips, tricks, and “best practices” in the world can’t make you feel enthusiastic about something (or someone) you don’t genuinely love, that doesn’t lift you up and ignite your passion.

On the other hand, when you do “strike helium,” you don’t need to trick yourself into sticking with it. You’ll probably find that it’s the most natural thing in the world. All you have to do is fill up with helium, cut any strings that might be tying you down, and soar!

Trust Me–Everyone Can Tell!

One last important point about The Helium Effect is that it’s not just an inner experience–it reflects in everything you do. You can’t fake helium–everyone can tell when you’ve got it and when you don’t.

Think about when you look at other people and their work–can’t you tell when something has been done begrudgingly, as an unwanted assignment? But you can also tell when something is a labor of love, full of passion and enthusiasm, fueled by helium. It’s joyful and light, and it lifts you up, too!

And (to return to the “striking gold” theme, as promised) you’re actually more likely to be successful when you do something that fills you with energy, passion, and enthusiasm–no matter what the activity is! In terms of inner and outer success, you’re more likely to “strike gold” 100 feet in the air–filled with helium and soaring effortlessly–than you are while slaving away in an underground mine!

Choose Helium!

So, the next time you’re faced with a decision, remember that you can choose the path that makes the most sense, the one where the pros outweigh the cons–or you could choose the one with the most helium!

You can probably guess which one I’d recommend. 🙂

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When have you felt “The Helium Effect” in your own life? When has a person, project, or possibility filled you with life, passion, and enthusiasm? If you’re facing a choice right now, which option fills you with the most “helium”?

Thanks for coming by and reading. If you enjoyed this post, please share it by clicking the buttons below (or any other way). Hope to see you again! 🙂

(Photo credit:123rf.com)