The benefits of keeping a food diary

A theme in every blog entry is this truth: Writing things down can lead to increased learning, growth, and achievement of goals. This holds true when we create the habit of writing down what we eat.

Keeping track of what you eat means that you’ll have (yet another) thing to do on your list of things to do and means that you’ll need to regularly update this diary. However, those who regularly keep up with this practice notice the many benefits. And research backs this up.

Weight loss benefits of keeping a food diary

A recent study from Duke University using a commercially available, free diet-tracking app found that overweight, non-dieting individuals who recorded what they ate experienced greater weight loss benefits than those who received an educational intervention. Yes, this weight loss can happen even without following a diet. These findings replicate results from previous larger-scale investigations observing weight loss benefits with regular diet tracking.

Other health benefits of keeping a food diary

A food diary may help us uncover hidden or lurking contributors to possible physical, behavioral, or even emotional issues going on that are related to our typical patterns of eating. For example, we may discover hidden food sensitivities, reasons for mysterious bloating, or underlying factors affecting sleep or mood. We can then make modifications to our diet to alleviate the negative symptoms and feel better.

Increased awareness of patterns

Truth be told, midway into writing this blog post (about paying attention to what we eat), it hit me that I had been mindlessly reaching into that bag of M&M’s next to me without even realizing it. I had zero awareness about how many handfuls I had already eaten and I barely even remembered opening the bag. But in that moment while thinking about food journaling, I became aware of what I was doing, and mindfully enjoyed those last few handfuls before deciding to put them away.

Then I decided to write about this experience (which, not surprisingly, changed the behavior).

I find humor in me unintentionally and unknowingly illustrating my own professional advice and observations- the advice that I had shared with the My Fitness Pal blog last week on this topic:

“When we pay attention to what goes in, we are more aware of the decisions we make and our typical eating habits. Tracking what we eat is a way to cultivate this awareness, and it also encourages accountability to ourselves,” explains Marni Amsellem, PhD, a clinical psychologist based in Connecticut and New York. 

Goal attainment

Whether the goal of writing down what we eat is to manage weight, to learn more about our diet and how it may link to other aspects of our behavior or health, or another purpose, writing it down can help us get concrete and measurable with our stated goal and it can help us monitor our progress along the way. Having a goal in mind may make it more salient to begin a food diary, but keeping a food diary may spurn new goals once you realize what you’re doing.

considerations for successfully keeping a food journal

Consistency is key.

Writing things down regularly will give you the most accurate account of what is going into your body. Tracking food can become a routine in its own right. In fact, the investigators from the Duke University study argue that regularly tracking food is the critical component for weight loss success.

Let your food diary be your tell-all.

I can choose to not write down the many handfuls of M&M’s that I have just eaten, either because I don’t know how many I ate or I may not want to remember how many I ate or I don’t make the time to record this. However, the fact is, I ate them. If I had been on a goal-directed path related to my diet (e.g. weight management or other health-directed goal), it’s important to pay attention to all food intake. Denial does not negate the impact of food on our diet. Similarly, behavior change happens only after we identify and acknowledge the target behaviors.

You’ll learn many things when you become accountable to yourself.

When you record everything you eat, you’ll start to see things. You’ll start to notice if (and when) you eat mindless handfuls of (insert food of choice). Recording then holds you accountable to yourself and will stare you back in your face. 

You may even start to change behaviors. You may think, “Well, I don’t really want to record eating 4 servings of (insert snack of choice) so I will choose a more sensible portion.”

Keeping a journal promotes awareness of everything (e.g. milk in coffee), and helps you figure out which foods are adding surprise sugar or calories to your diet. You’ll soon have a more accurate picture. Having a written record of what you eat, when you eat it, and how much you eat will help you identify consistent patterns as well as other triggers that might be affecting how you feel or could be sabotaging your goals. Having a clearer picture of patterns helps identify where to intervene and make different decisions, perhaps beginning healthier habits.

What might your food journal look like?

Personalization: Once size does not fit all.

One way to help ensure success in maintaining a food diary is to find a technique that works for you. This may mean trying a few techniques and choosing what works best for you and your lifestyle. A popular option is using a food-tracking app (such as MyFitnessPal), writing in a small (think: portable) notebook that you carry with you, or using another type of companion resource, such as a customized bullet journal. A blank notepad may suit your needs. Alternately, there are many food diaries currently available for sale. Your choice may stem from your purpose in keeping a food diary. For example, if you are trying to track calories or other components of nutrition, several apps have built-in calorie counts and ways to track the nutritional balance.

Identify your goals for keeping a food journal.

In writing this blog post, I have (unintentionally) identified the goal of being more mindful of my actions when eating my favorite snacking food. While blogging about M&M’s wasn’t my goal when I sat down to write this article, writing about this article has clarified my purpose for keeping a food journal!

Start when you are ready.

That moment may be when you want to do something differently. It may be the moment when you decide that you want to better understand eating patterns.

Give it a go, when you’re ready, and please do let me know how it goes for you and what you learn!

Marni Amsellem, Ph.D.

Founder, Write. Reflect. Grow.

Foresight is 20/20, Hindsight is 2019

With hours left in this year (and in this decade), I now feel the urgency to pause to reflect on exactly what this means to me.

2020 still feels science fiction-y to me, but I recognize it is where we are now and will be in the moments soon to come.

I’ve learned that there is no greater place to be than in the present. In the present, you can create the moments that you want to become your past. That is the power in being here now.

There is also immense power in reflecting on where we have been. We can use our accumulated wisdom that comes from reflecting on the past year and over the past decade to shape where we would like to go. I invite you to join me in this journey of reflection of where you’ve been this past year and decade and what you’d like to see for your future.

As I reflect on the past decade of my life, the first thing that stands out is that it was not uneventful. To the contrary, I experienced pivotal events and decisions that have since altered life trajectories. Additionally, these events and decisions have shaped how I continue to approach each day going forward. Hands down, the most valuable part of having had these life experiences is the opportunity to learn and to continue to grow from them.

So today I am asking myself some questions about how I would like to shape the next year (and decade) of my life. I’ll share some of these questions with you, to help guide your own reflections and planning for the year to come:

What are the highlights that stand out from my year in review? Highlights do not necessarily mean the things we may share on social media or write on a holiday card. Highlights can also represent personal successes, learning experiences, and decisions.

What are the highlights that stand out from my decade in review?

Thinking ahead, what is my vision for myself for this new year?

What is my vision for things I hope to make happen this year, whether in my life or in my world?

What from this past year (and decade) would I like to carry forward into the new year?

What would I like to change this year?

What does this change look like?

How do I envision making this change?

I am sharing these questions should they be useful in guiding you to find clarity in your vision for the new year. To me, 2020 connotes clarity. 20/20 clear vision, not clouded by the past or blurry about the things we can’t accurately see. To me, 2020 is using hindsight to guide foresight.

If you would like, please share your meaningful reflections or visions for your new year. See what happens when you share.

Then go make it happen!

Marni Amsellem, Ph.D.

Founder, Write. Reflect. Grow.

Breaking through excuses that keep us from taking action

One thing I have learned from my years as a psychologist (and as a human) is that best of intentions do not always translate into action. In fact, this was an unexpected finding from my dissertation research. I had studied the factors that were associated with following through with a health-related goal, and participants’ stated intention to complete that goal was not one of them.

So how do we actually make things happen?

This is one of my favorite topics to explore. I’ve written a book on this topic that addresses how to make a project or big idea happen and break through barriers. The idea for the book arose from years of experiences and observations as a practicing psychologist and behavioral scientist.

Many things can hold us back from accomplishing our goals. Gaining insight into what is holding each of us back is key to breaking through these barriers. Barriers essentially serve as excuses to keep us from taking action. In essence, though oversimplified, barriers are external or internal. Here’s a primer to begin to recognize our own barriers.

The dog ate my homework

Perhaps the easiest barriers to identify are those that we can blame not on ourselves, the external barriers: Our jobs or hectic lifestyles do not afford us the luxury of time to work on our goals. Someone or something stood in our way. We don’t have the resources, or we are waiting on someone else to get back to us.

A classic excuse for external barriers standing in our way is the excuse ‘the dog ate my homework.’ In fact, one purchaser of The Big Idea Journal workbook recently told me that she has not done what she had hoped to with this book yet because just after the book arrived, her dog had, well, eaten it. True story. No doubt this was a barrier (though would not have been had she used the audiobook version!).

I’m standing in my own way

The barriers that reside within us that get in our way can be powerful and often are harder to identify. Whether these internal barriers arise from our own fears and insecurities, our habitual patterns of giving up or utilizing ineffective strategies, our challenges with staying focused, or our lack of knowledge about how to accomplish our goals, we often self-sabotage without even realizing it.

All of these barriers, whether internal or external, can paralyze us into inaction. It can be both convenient and compelling to use these as excuses as to why we can’t do something. That said, we can break through these excuses. Here are some essential strategies for breaking through:

Get clear on our vision and purpose:

This step is critical, and is a sound investment of time. It may seem unnecessary to clarify your goals and why you are pursing them when you are feeling motivated. But once you get going (or certainly even before you get going), you encounter barriers. Understanding your ‘why’ can help sustain your commitment to your journey. There are may valuable questions that you can ask yourself to help achieve clarity. I often run workshops on this topic, in person locally as well as online.

Build awareness of your own barriers:

Once we recognize what holds us back, we are in a much better place to tackle our barriers. Building awareness may be challenging. Building awareness may seem like a burden, and it may feel uncomfortable. But by paying attention to these barriers, you can better identify them in the moment- which is exactly when you can intentionally redirect your course.

I recommend asking yourself pointed questions and opening yourself up to exploring these barriers. For example, try asking: “what is holding you back right now?” Then journal about it.

A major focus of one chapter of The Big Idea Journal workbook explores barriers and the learning that can result.

Make yourself accountable:

Another useful way to break through excuses is to check in on your goals and your progress, whether with yourself (such as using a guided journal) or with someone else (such as a co-worker, friend, mentor, or coach).

One recent coaching client reflected on the value of having this support:

“Having the deadline of talking to a real live person who I had to report back to on what I had accomplished was a real motivator in getting things on my to-do list done.”

As a follow up, this client had broken through barriers and taken action.

If you’d like guidance on breaking through your excuses, we invite you to check out our growing library of resources, including Big Idea coaching.

I wrote this blog post help you along your path to identifying and breaking through your own excuses. I would love to hear how this resonates with you and how this may have helped YOU break through!

- Marni Amsellem, Ph.D.

Founder, Write. Reflect. Grow.

What happens when we pay attention to what we are grateful for

Gratitude is a concept that is fully worthy of its current buzzword status.

So why is everyone talking about gratitude right now? We’ll explore this question, and then we’ll help you see for yourself by guiding you through a simple exercise that you can use right now.

Gratitude is the process of shifting our gaze and noticing the things and people and sentiments in our lives that we appreciate. As we approach Thanksgiving, a holiday rooted in noticing the things and people and sentiments that we are thankful for, let’s pause for a moment to consider what it means for us to be grateful. I invite you to reflect on this now. How does being grateful make you feel? For me, it feels uplifting and fantastic.

What can expressing gratitude do for us?

I often speak of the attentional and intentional shift that happens within us when we shift our focus to noticing and expressing what we are grateful for. It may be cold and dreary outside, but what happens when you focus on the warmth that you feel from the comfort of the indoors, or the cozy jacket that you wear and warm beverage you sip as you approach the dreary weather? Or that while today may be dreary, you were able to enjoy yesterday’s sunshine? There are so many ways you can go with this one example, but the idea is that when you shift your focus, a shift happens inside of you. A growing body of research supports this as well, which we explore in a separate post.

According to the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley, gratitude is motivational. It can drive us to make positive change in our lives and the lives of others because it elicits feelings of:

• connection: When we express gratitude, this tends to increase our connection to others, which has a positive effect on our sense of competence and also feeling like we are supported as we strive toward our goals.

• inspiration: Expressing gratitude is uplifting, which can fuel subsequent positive and prosocial behaviors and goals.

• humility: When we express gratitude, we acknowledge the role of other people or other things that are helpful to us; we learn that we are not solely responsible for our success or joy.

So now I ask you to reflect for a moment, on this question: ‘what has gratitude done for you?’

I recently spoke with a participant of a past gratitude journaling-focused workshop I had run. I wanted to share this conversation, as her experiences may resonate with others. She said, “The past few years I have made a point of noticing things that I feel grateful for in my everyday life, like when someone has been there for me, and things like that. This has been great, but I really didn’t think I needed to write it down.” Therefore, she had never taken that extra time to write it down.

While completing a written gratitude journaling exercise in this workshop, however, she noticed that it felt even more nourishing to take the time to write these things down. She decided to continue this practice of writing things down at home. She ended up with an ongoing record of her experiences and reflections. And she could always go back and reflect on where she was then and use it to guide her in the present. Our conversation about gratitude happened two months after the workshop. She said, “it’s kind of been life-changing for me to write this down.”

Taking the time to observe and reflect has led to some meaningful learning and personal growth. The best part is that this practice takes minimal time, and can easily become part of a routine. Many people choose to start each day reflecting on something positive in their lives; many people choose this practice at the end of the day, reflecting on the day. Whatever and whenever you decide to do this practice, it is an investment in yourself and represents time well spent.

I invite you try this simple exercise right now. Take a moment right now and take out a piece of paper, your journal, an electronic note app on your phone, or whatever method of recording this exercise that works for you. Respond to and complete the following exercise:

Three things that I am feeling grateful about right now are: 

1)

2) 

3)

Now that you have completed the exercise, I’d like for you to reflect on what you just did. How was this exercise for you? How was it to identify these three things? What has stood out for you from completing this exercise?

I, too, will now list three things that I am grateful for right now.

1) I am grateful that you have decided to open yourself up to this exercise and to the practice of gratitude. Regardless of whether you’ve already been intentionally practicing gratitude for a while or whether this blog post has inspired a something new for you, I’m grateful that you are here. Your openness to the practice will help lead you on your way.

2) I am grateful that I decided to write this post. While I can’t say enough about this topic, I am grateful that I have cleared the time and the space to get some of it out here in this post.

3) I am grateful for the love and support I feel around me.

And I would be so grateful if you would share this blog post with a friend. If you would like a PDF of this exercise emailed to you, click here. If you are comfortable doing so, I would also love to hear about how this exercise was for you today. Is gratitude journaling currently a regular practice for you? If not, might it become one?

- Marni Amsellem, Ph.D.

Founder, Write.Reflect.Grow.

Reflecting on the need for self-care in caregivers

Though my work as a clinical psychologist, I often have the privilege of supporting family caregivers as they are on their caregiving journey. One of the things that often comes up in our work together, whether in therapy or though discussion in a caregiving group, is reflecting on how the caregiving process has affected them, the role it has had on their relationships and on their identity, and their need for ongoing self-care.

The need for self care in caregivers can not be understated. Sometimes the challenge many caregivers face is recognizing that it is OK to make the need for self-care a priority, and that it is healthy to make this need a priority. I have elaborated on this topic elsewhere, and I’ll share what I have written and shared in radio interviews should these suggestions be useful.

Acknowledging that these needs ARE important, and taking action on those needs can make a significant difference in the lives of the caregiver which ultimately do impact how they are giving care. Understanding the impact of tough emotions, including guilt. For example, guilt around doing something for yourself that may seem frivolous or take you away from where you feel you are needed. Guilt can keep you feeling stuck and result in hindering how you take care of yourself. So it is important to notice your emotions related to caregiving and the impact that they may be having on so many other things.

I would encourage caregivers to ask themselves these questions, and take the time to answer them. reflect on your answers, perhaps by journaling about them. Consider these questions:

What does self-care look like to me right now?

How can I honor myself and my needs today?

Finally, I invite all who are interested in further reflection and support to take some time for yourself to reflect. For caregivers local to Rye, NY, I will be running a caregiver self-care program on Friday, December 13th at 11am with a warm community of caregivers, and for those in Fairfield County, CT, I will lead a similar program on Wednesday December 18th.

For all caregivers, regardless of where you are, if you are interested, I invite you to listen to these three guided reflections for caregivers and caregiver stress that I have created for the app, Simple Habit.

However you engage in self-care that honors you, may you enjoy and appreciate doing so! Whether it’s now, during National Family Caregiver’s Month (the month we are currently in), or whenever you need.

Marni Amsellem, Ph.D.

Founder, Write. Reflect. Grow.

www.writereflectgrow.com

Lessons learned from a journaling workshop

One way to navigate adventures and challenges is to record experiences, emotions, and reflections in a journal. 

In my clinical practice, many of my clients bring some insights from journaling into therapy, or they use journals to continue the work that they have started in therapy. The value of journaling as a therapeutic tool can not be overstated.

Many others, I’ve noticed, do not journal, but are curious about journaling. They want to understand what journaling really is, what it can do for them, and how to do it. This is exactly why I have created journaling workshops.

Spoiler: the workshops are a success.

Read on to hear what workshop attendees say about their experiences. I’m sharing what some workshop attendees have shared about participating in an evidence-based workshop series I’ve developed for individuals diagnosed with cancer. I have now run this three-part workshop series with three cohorts since March, 2019, at a community-based oncology setting.

The workshop, complete with exercises and homework, focuses on: 

• Emotional and physical health benefits of journaling

• Cultivating a journaling habits

• Identifying barriers and motivators for journaling to help sustain a journaling practice

My purpose in creating this workshop was to help individuals diagnosed with cancer process the emotional experience of cancer, record personal journeys, and connect with others. My objectives have been realized and expectations have been exceeded.

In their words, they will described some lessons learned in response to a few open-ended questions:

Were your goals met? How were they met or not met?

“My goal was to establish a regular journaling habit. I’m so busy that I put journaling off, but I do enjoy it and this class has helped.”

“My goals were met by using the tools and resources provided to ease my anxiety”

“My goal was to get started with journaling. I tend to keep my thoughts inside and want to leave some notes or thoughts for my family. I had a slow start but I’m getting there.”

“My goal was to try to write a journal about my feelings. I tried hard but I really need to work harder on this.”

“Journal prompts and gratitude focus allows for easy-to-recollect subject matter.”

“My goals were met by the content of the workshop”

“I feel that my goals were met. My confidence in my writing has grown.”

“My goals were exceeded. It was a great experience and I have new tools and processes to help me in the days ahead.”

“I gained insights about where I want to go and how I might accomplish that.”

“I wanted to learn the process of keeping a journal. Yes, goals were met and Dr. Amsellem did an excellent job waking and talking and listening to us throughout the process.”

The next question that attendees had responded to that I want to highlight is related to the unexpected benefits that they received from participation. Here is what they said, in their own words:

Were there unexpected benefits from attending the workshop?

“Sharing experiences and realizing that we all have our struggles.”

“To meet the people and hear some of their stories.”

“Just recognizing the effort it takes to ‘show up’.”

“I drew a positive attitude and emotions from others.”

“What came out of personal reflection, the creative process, and group interaction”

“That I actually want to journal. I was a bit apprehensive about that!”

“The support from the group” 

“I got to deal with some issues that surprised me and gained some insights on what really can work for me.”

“Learning what other cancer patients are currently dealing with and how they approach each day with a positive mindset.”

As suggested here, workshop outcomes are overwhelmingly positive. Most notably, every participant has completed the workshop with a greater sense of community and shared experience, and this happened because they had opened themselves up to the experience of trying something new.

I have recently shared a more thorough account of findings with oncology professionals and healers at an international conference. I have plans to continue this workshop in its current setting and to share it with an even larger audience in the future. Please do stay tuned! Also, I invite you to subscribe for updates so you’ll be in-the-know!

Marni Amsellem, Ph.D.

Founder, Write.Reflect.Grow.

The Big Idea Journal as a Reflection Tool

Happy fall! 

 Ready or not, the seasons are changing before our eyes and our other senses. To me, fall’s changing colors and dropping leaves are always fuel for reflection.

 As The Big Idea Journal: A Tool for Facilitating Change and Bringing your Idea to Life enters its second season of life (it was a summer baby), I’m beginning the journey of reflecting on how I have used my first (published) copy of The Big Idea Journal. Here is some of what I have noticed, so far:

 I usually seem to have mine nearby.  

I often keep my working copy of The Big Idea Journal within reach. I may keep it in my car, handbag, or laptop case; this way it is there for me when the inspiration strikes. Having it nearby represents the promise of clarity or action that will arise, once I open it. And I do write in it when I have decent-sized chunks of time for reflection, such as sitting on the train or in a waiting room. 

That said, I’ve had times where I am wishing I had it when I had a thought to jot down, but it wasn’t nearby. When this happens, I’ve learned you can always make a note elsewhere and transfer it to where it is most useful later.

Using it makes a difference.

 I’ve had some weeks where I have cleared the time and space for working through things in The Big Idea Journal and I use it regularly. During these times, I can really go in depth, which has always led me to new insights and clarity. These are truly the weeks of focus, productivity, and action. This feels fantastic.

These are the weeks I may later look back on longingly if I am not having that type of week. Currently my copy of The Big Idea Journal is sitting idly and collecting dust (though is still nearby). I have not used it the past two weeks because I feel like I do not have time. Ironically, I know deep inside that guided reflection may be what could be really useful right now. 

I think this last reflection may propel some action after I finish this post. 

There are things in this process that are important to make time for.

Regarding my own big ideas, I recognize I often put off everything having to do with Chapter 5 of this workbook (“Sharing Your Idea with the World”). We all have barriers. It’s important that we understand what they are. When we can recognize and address our barriers, and work to overcome them, this becomes a measure of success. For me, what I have learned is that it is important to make a little more time for/ put in a little more effort into sharing what I’ve been doing! Every time that I have this kind of conversation with others, it is rewarding. This is not an earth-shattering reflection, but it is a very important one for me.

My experiences are not entirely unique.

I offer coaching for those who would like tailored guidance and accountability during the process of working through their big idea. In each coaching session, one thing I’ve noticed is that my experiences are not unique. Obviously, others have their roadblocks in making things happen. The most universal roadblock we have all encountered is the roadblock of not carving out time for using The Big Idea Journal. Coaching has helped these clients break through this omnipresent barrier. The response after carving out dedicated time for reflection, for both my clients and myself, has been our awareness of feeling increased focus and achievement. It feels empowering. 

What have you noticed when using yours? 

I genuinely want to know. Please do share!  And if you are only a vicarious The Big Idea Journal user and want to create your own experiences for yourself, this is how you can purchase your own copy. 

The tool I used to publish my first book... was my first book

The reason The Big Idea Journal: A Tool for Facilitating Change and Bringing your Idea to Life exists in physical form is actually because I used The Big Idea Journal to publish it. More specifically, I used the organizational tools, framework, and reflective prompts of The Big Idea Journal to guide me to focus my efforts and to identify what I needed to do to complete and publish my first workbook.

I’ll explain.

This past spring, I had taken a semester-long community leadership program. The course required a capstone project, something that was meaningful to us to help others in the community.

I decided I was going to help people access skills and tools to enable their success. As a clinical psychologist, I wanted to apply what I knew that could help others identify and overcome barriers, set and achieve goals, and create behavior change.

Soon I had created an early draft of The Big Idea Journal to pilot test on a sample of some of my classmates. This draft contained the overview, theme, structure and contained reflective prompts. I wanted to see how individuals with ideas (the ideal user) would respond to this framework and how effectively it had guided them through their process. I learned a lot through this experience of pilot testing my tool, but the biggest lessons came when I pilot-tested The Big Idea Journal on myself.

Though my vision had been to eventually publish The Big Idea Journal, I actually had no roadmap of how I was going to make that happen. I realize the irony in this, looking back now. But I had been taking an evening class after a full workday, and my primary focus was on meeting the program’s project criteria and designing a useful and research-informed product.

Early feedback from my pilot testers was encouraging. One day, about one month before the program graduation, the program coordinator asked if I would be interested in printing this early version of The Big Idea Journal as a graduation gift for my cohort. I thought about it and then replied that I loved the idea, but thought that their gift should really be the full version of the book. This version would incorporate user feedback, have a proper introduction, and would be edited and reworked into the format I had envisioned. I then decided that I would self-publish The Big Idea Journal in time for graduation. I snapped into action. I grabbed a blank draft version of the tool I had pilot tested and put it to action with my own idea, starting at the beginning.

Once I started writing in The Big Idea Journal, the ideas flowed. I found clarity in my vision and direction in my actions. I had a clear purpose and a clear plan. It was eye-opening and energizing. It was the springboard that I needed to do what I needed to do to self-publish a workbook in just over one month that would be ready for the world.

I got to work. I used the timeline I created with the Big Idea Journal and it guided my actions. I wrote copy, edited, utilized my own network for support when needed, neglected some other projects, no doubt, but I remained focused on what I needed to do. And then…. I made it happen! (yes, I had already given the spoiler in the title of the blog post).

As a behavioral scientist, I loved every bit of experimenting on myself. See for yourself what it can do for you!  

What’s the Big Idea?

I am excited to share a tool that has big potential. I’m sharing what has become a Big Idea to me.

I would like to introduce to you The Big Idea Journal: A Tool for Facilitating Change and Bringing your Idea to Life. I welcome you letting this journal be your guide when you notice your own seeds of ideas, regardless of what they are. The journal was developed based on the premise that you can take an idea, whether for a passion, a program, a business, or a project and make it more than just a great idea. With The Big Idea Journal as your guide, you help you make your idea a reality.

An overview of how it works:

You create your own parameters and The Big Idea Journal can help you define them.

You decide upon your own goals and identify needs and The Big Idea Journal can help you articulate them.

You take action to make things happen and The Big Idea Journal can help you organize your actions and establish your priorities.

You encounter barriers and The Big Idea Journal can help you understand how to overcome them.

You see outcomes and The Big Idea Journal can help you reflect on what you have achieved.

You hold the power in your own hands (if you happen to be holding The Big Idea Journal). See for yourself. To purchase The Big Idea Journal for yourself (or anyone you know with an idea), you can purchase directly from the publisher, purchase on Amazon, attend a live event or contact me directly.

Best,

Marni Amsellem, Ph.D.

Author, The Big Idea Journal