Journaling (for those who don't journal)

I start my day with a glass of warm water, a slice of lemon and yoga stretches whilst leisurely reading the paper...

No, not really. Are you kidding? I have a 3 year old and a one year old so I am probably on my second caffeine hit of the day and will have stubbed my toe on Duplo by 8am.

I am however very impressed by those who manage to squeeze in some 'me time' before the kids wake up. 5am starts are not for me right now; maybe one day.

One thing I do always do is sit down with a decent breakfast of toast, eggs, cheese and a cup of tea each morning - something I have to do to regulate my blood sugar, being a Type 1 diabetic. It's actually my favourite meal of the day (and I was always guilty of shovelling down a croissant on my morning commute a few years ago).

I've also started journaling in the morning. It sounds very hippy, I know, but all the research and articles I have been reading point to it being a great way to start the day. The truth is that for a long time I didn't really know where to start and felt a bit silly doing it.

I then came across an article on My Morning Routine which mentioned The Five Minute Journal. 5 minutes later the book was ordered and it arrived a few days later.

So what's good about it? It's a template journal so you fill in the blanks.
I find it gets me focused and I start the day with a positive mindset. I jot down what I'm grateful for and what I want to achieve that day. I revisit the journal later before lights out and write down what made today great and what could have made it better.

I don't manage it everyday but when I do fill it out, I feel better for it - less anxious, happier and more grateful. So if like me journaling is something you'd like to try, this might be worth a go.

I bought my Five Minute Journal online here. If you'd prefer an online version, there's an app available which allows you to upload pictures too.