Your Journal as Your Accountability Partner

Have you ever considered your journal to be your accountability partner?

After all, your journal is your confirmation of where you are now, where you have been and where you would like to be going from this point forward. It is a road map of sorts, and it can be your guide and help you shape and construct what you envision.

From this perspective, your journal can help you initiate and track change better than any other accountability partner. If you are honest in what you are putting into it, in return it will reflect back to you what is really happening, and it can be your guide in staying true to yourself.

Essentially what is happening is this:

“I wrote this. This is my truth. I want to act in accordance with my truth. I will report back on this truthfully.”

From this framework, the goal of the journal entry is to document whatever you would like to accomplish. In doing this, you are making a commitment to yourself. It can actually help you take control of your action and overcome helplessness and encourage you to bring about the changes you desire.

When journaling this way, keep your journal in a reliable place. That way when you are having a thought that captures your attention, you can document it in your journal. The act of writing this down also invites you to further flesh this out and work through it, and clarify your thinking. Again, you are making a commitment to yourself by doing this.

After you have written this entry, read what you have written. Then make a plan to re-read this entry sometime very soon (perhaps later in the day, perhaps tomorrow or at the end of the week, as appropriate) to evaluate your progress toward your goal.

When you are checking in on this, here are some questions to guide you:

What are you noticing in terms of how you are working toward your goals?

What is going well, and what is not?

Notice your tendencies and other observations, and take notes on this- in your next journal entry.

This kind of objective awareness, honesty, and the fact that you are creating a written record of what is working as well as what is holding you back is essentially an accountability partner like no other. You are accountable to YOU.

What you can do with a Blank Journal

A blank journal can be used for far too many things than can be adequately described in one blog post. We’ll highlight some ideas for you to get acquainted with your next blank journal!

1) To reflect.

Anytime, anywhere. Notice the moment. Or the past. Or thoughts about the future.

For many reasons, this season is a time of reflection- whether 
noticing the change in the seasons or the changing of routines.

2) To jot down fleeting observations or passing thoughts

Having these momentary lapses of wisdom recorded in one place, can act as a central repository

We are embracing the infinite possibilities of blank journals

Click to see more of this design

3. To keep track of whatever you are wanting to keep track of.

What you are feeling. Thinking. Eating. A habit you are wanting to start or stop. You can customize a mood diary, food journal, behavior tracker, etc., in any way that suits your needs.

where you'll find this journal (and the others featured here)

4. Harnessing Positivity

A blank journal can be your place to record inspirational quotes or encouraging messages. You get to decide what goes inside. Customize the messages to what inspires YOU and feels good to you.

5. Intellectual pursuits

To record your learning in a manner that reflects your individuality. Taking notes as you are sitting in a virtual class. Writing down what you’d like to remember later. The sky is the limit here.

this journal will only be for happy things. It now also exists in a different print. Which do you prefer?

6. Capturing creative outlets

A notebook or journal can be a bound location to capture whatever it is that you are creating or you want to remember. Poetry. Song lyrics. Doodles. Ideas for creating your next venture- perhaps a series of blank notebooks? (That’s what happened here- our blank journals just sort of happened once our creative juices got flowing! Still trying to figure out which of the two orange m&m’s journals we prefer!)

7. Organizing your goals

The act of recording what you are wanting to do both helps to keep you organized and focused and helps to organize your plans and actions.

What are you wanting to do this next month? This next year? How do you envision that the process of creating your side project? What are your visions for your future? Do you have a big idea that you want to flesh out?

8. Gifting a spark (for you, for someone else)

A blank journal is a spark for any or all of the above- and so much more! When you are wanting to create a spark- for you, or for someone else- we believe that a blank journal may be just what you need. A blank journal is a gift with endless potential. Fortunately, many options are available to reflect the personality and goals of the recipient. Also, journals can also look good in hardcover form (as is evidenced below. In fact, we love the design below so much that we created some additional products with this original art.)

If you are feeling inspired with any or all of the above, we invite you to check our our growing library of blank journals (and related products) that you can have shipped directly to you soon! In fact, you can click on the images above to take you directly to that journal.

What will YOU do inside of YOUR blank journal?

Please let us know in the comments below!