Choose What Will Go In Your Journal, Journal, Blog Or Vlog

Define what you will write or talk about in your journal, blog or vlog. This may be as simple as recording the local weather, a record of the people you spent time with or a summary of the days activity. There are also functional purposes to a journal, blog or vlog. You might use this to report on a project you are undertaking and making note of the next steps you will do when work on this resumes. Overall figure out how this will fit into your life and the purpose it serves.

What Would You Like To Say To The Next Generation

There may be times when you want to add to your journal, blog or vlog but you may not be sure where to start. When this happens subdivide the content into themes, the order a series of events occurred, a natural progression to recount the activities or from the most important to least important details. Give each theme the time it deserves to be described. If you are simply stuck or unsure of where to begin pretend you are talking to a friend as an aide in getting started.

Record Your Reflections For Posterity

Did something special happen in your life? Has a large project you've been working on come to completion? Did you contribute to a cause you are passionate about in a unique way that will result in many others benefiting? Consider recording the details of this event in your journal, blog or vlog for posterity. Milestone accomplishments are helpful to reflect on when feeling vulnerable, when your life is undergoing during significant change or when something happens to you that is out of your control.

Use Your Journal To Talk

Share your thoughts and reflections on the topic you are writing about in each entry. Think about the message you are giving to your audience. As your audience grows they are learning more about you than just the specific topics you address. People will learn about your values, principals and what you are passionate about. Some entries will be created with the purpose to preserve special memories or an accurate summary of an event that was important to you. Use some of your platform to speak with your audience and develop a relationship with them.

Short Entries Are Acceptable

Not all of your entries need to be long. There is an art to being concise. A pitfall to avoid is talking in circles. This isn't to undercut spending time reflecting on a topic. Just because an entry feels short shouldn't be the sole reason to elaborate. After completing an entry review it as if you are a member of your audience to check if it is complete, understandable and there is a natural flow to what you are saying. Providing follow up on previous dialogue is important as people coalesce around the topics you cover and your following grows. This is an important step in building a relationship with your audience. Focus on the value of your words and how you choose to present yourself. Allow this to determine the length of your entries.

Keep It Simple

Consider your audience during the preparation of each entry. Use language your audience is likely to understand. There are wide differences in the dialogue used during a post secondary education lecture, giving a presentation as part of your employment and the casual conversation that happens at the dinner table or over drinks at a bar. Determine if it is appropriate to use formal or informal dialogue. Make the information you have to share easily understood by the people you expect to use it.

It Is Okay If You Miss A Day Or Three

It is an unavoidable fact that at some point living your life will prevent you from creating a new entry. This may be on account of attending a concert, sports event, family gathering or travel related to your employment. The challenge of maintaining a journal, blog or vlog in the long run is defining when you will create entries. Carefully consider what you are able to reasonably do and are able to maintain in the long run. This doesn't mean that there can't be additional entries when something important needs to be talked about or reflected upon. Set of a reasonable goal for how often you will create new entries and the time of day you will work on these. It is easy to start something. In the long run it is this commitment that will sustain your efforts, build your audience and be engaged in the mind space that occurs while preparing each entry.

Be Honest With Yourself

Don't solely use your journal, blog or vlog as a scholarly exercise. Life is an adventure. It is a full immersive experience. Don't neglect your emotional well being as you prepare your entries. Your journal will be a patient listener and is a friend. When keeping a blog or vlog your readers are able to support you when something upsetting in life happens. You'll benefit from the effort you put into your emotional well being. This is also an opportunity to gain courage when you are about to make big changes in life. For those who are struggling your entries are an opportunity to learn how to love yourself. Through the hardest of hardships comes an opportunity for growth and personal development Believe in yourself. You'll be glad you did.

Don't Limit Your Entries To Just Words

Did you take part in "show and tell" as a child and experience the nervous excitement of presenting something that mattered to your class at school? Sharing old memories is important. It is a way of introducing yourself. During times of transition you may gain courage from what you've accomplished and overcome. Trying new things expands your world. When life is at it's most vulnerable don't do it alone. Sharing a photo or video helps increase understanding. Think of what you want to convey to your audience. Let it be a reflection of yourself and your life.

Your Journal, Blog Or Vlog As A Rehearsal

Your journal, blog or vlog is an opportunity to organize your thoughts. This may be reflecting on an activity or event you took part in. You could also use this to be forward looking in weighing the pros and cons of a difficult decision you must make. There is also an opportunity to prepare for giving a speech. If life has been difficult you might use some entries to determine the pathway forward in life, evaluate if this is viable and makes sense. When there has been conflict in your life you might use an entry to help sort through what truly matters. This might be a first step in thinking through how to reconcile or what you have in common with the person you are in conflict with.

Your Journal, Blog Or Vlog Is Available

Do you sometimes feel vulnerable and all alone? Your journal, blog or vlog is available at these times to listen as you search for answers. It doesn't keep office hours or have days off each week. It is there to be used when you're needing someone to listen. The use of a blog or vlog could be one of your tools for those living with a chronic illness or enduring intensive medical treatment with extended helping. When your energy is down sharing an update is a way of keeping your family and friends up to date without spending the energy requirement of having many conversations. The value of support can't be understated. Overall it is there to be used throughout the valley and mountain top experiences of your life.