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Five Minutes to Calm: The Simplest Journaling Practice You’ll Ever Need
26 Plays4 months ago
End your day with calm. This solo episode shares an easy five-minute journaling method to reflect, reset, and plan for tomorrow — perfect for busy minds who want peace, not pressure.
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Focus
00:00:00
Speaker
Hello and welcome back to Connected with Eva. I hope you've had a lovely week. If you enjoy what I do, please follow or subscribe. Any of this would be really helpful. Today I have a really special episode and it's about something that I talk about quite a lot.
00:00:16
Speaker
journaling. We're stripping it back to its simplest form.
Overcoming Journaling Overwhelm
00:00:20
Speaker
Once you start your self-development journey, there's so much information, often conflicting, and it's very difficult to figure out what works for you.
00:00:28
Speaker
i feel like that's one of the reasons I often stop journaling, because I get overwhelmed. If I start a new book, there's new tips on what to write about and what to be grateful for and, you know, how to wake up every morning and Write these five things that are great.
00:00:42
Speaker
And when you go to bed, write these five things. And it's very tricky to deal with that influx of information.
Consistency vs Complexity in Journaling
00:00:50
Speaker
So let's trip it back to basics.
00:00:53
Speaker
You've probably seen morning pages, bullet journals, prompts, gratitude logs, habit trackers. And that one is a tricky one for me because... I'm not perfect and I have low days. I have days where I don't do anything and if I start noting daily log of activity, it will look quite unimpressive to me and will put me back into an unhelpful loop.
00:01:19
Speaker
It's important to figure out what's good for you. So today we're going to talk about the simplest possible journaling practice. One that takes five minutes can be done at night and actually to sticks because that's important.
00:01:33
Speaker
Whatever you do in regards to journaling, the most important thing is consistency. So why does journaling feel
Debunking Journaling Myths
00:01:40
Speaker
overwhelming? As I said before, we see these beautiful notebooks online, goals written on each page, beautiful quotes,
00:01:48
Speaker
And we immediately feel like we're doing it wrong. When you see something perfect, there's a sense of disassociation with it because when we have just set on this new journey, we might feel a bit shaky.
00:02:01
Speaker
We need guidance. We need someone to take our hand. We think journaling means writing a novel every night or uncovering deep psychological insights. And honestly, it doesn't.
00:02:11
Speaker
So what is actually journaling in its purest form?
The Essence and Benefits of Journaling
00:02:15
Speaker
It's simply capturing a moment of awareness. I feel like this is something that I need to repeat to myself. Simply capturing a moment of awareness.
00:02:24
Speaker
It's a momentary step back into the self. Taking a pause and capturing a moment of awareness. It's a little bit like brushing your teeth.
00:02:35
Speaker
Something small that can keep your mind clean. Do you think about brushing your teeth when you do? Do you make it into a ritual? Because you know how important it is.
00:02:47
Speaker
Consistency beats complexity. Even one or two sentences matter. And I know this because that's how I feel myself. I don't always have an whole essay to write. And most often than not, actually don't.
00:03:00
Speaker
When it comes to journaling myself, one or two sentences really shift my mood. They bring me back to the present. Because when you're journaling again, like brushing your teeth, you should do it.
00:03:11
Speaker
with awareness. So, let's finally get into that five-minute evening practice that you can do every night and will really shift your mood.
A Simple Gratitude Journaling Practice
00:03:20
Speaker
Habits before bedtime are really important.
00:03:23
Speaker
They also set the tone for the next day and then the day after and the day after and the day after and the day after that. It's the small things that make a big impact. Okay, step one.
00:03:35
Speaker
Gratitude for today. At the end of your day, before bed, open a book. A notebook can be plain, doesn't have to be anything special. You can do it on your phone's notes app and write down three things from today you're grateful for.
00:03:52
Speaker
They don't have to be profound. Maybe it's the perfect coffee in the morning, the great service you received, a kind text from someone, or the fact that your train wasn't late.
00:04:04
Speaker
It could be anything. When you put your attention on things, you see them differently. I'm talking about trains, for example. If your train is not late and you arrive somewhere on time, you have a nice journey.
00:04:16
Speaker
That's something you might not pay attention to unless you write it in your journal and then you see it with different eyes. So why does gratitude matter? It shifts focus from what's missing to what's working.
00:04:28
Speaker
Your circumstances, they don't change sometimes. It's how you look at them. That's what changes. It also helps the brain settle and end the day on a calmer tone, which
Positive Intentions and Better Rest
00:04:40
Speaker
sets the foundation for a better day tomorrow.
00:04:43
Speaker
And if you want focus on something that's really irritated you that day and you just can't let go, Or not a small lesson or thing you'll let go of in regards to that.
00:04:55
Speaker
We're not just passers-by in our own lives. So it's important to take note of these things. Keep it short in the journal. Keep it light. Keep it honest.
00:05:06
Speaker
And remember, what you're writing is setting the tone for the day after. Let's go on to step number two. Gentle planning for tomorrow. Look at tomorrow with optimism.
00:05:19
Speaker
Write down three things that will be good tomorrow. Frame it as a positive expectation than a to-do list. to- Tomorrow, I'll enjoy my morning walk.
00:05:30
Speaker
I'll feel proud after finishing that task. I'll have a good conversation with a friend. I will get an email that will put a smile on my face. This trains your brain to anticipate good things and find calm before the day even begins.
00:05:47
Speaker
You're pretty grateful for the day ahead. It sets an emotional tone. It sets your energy, the energy you wake up with, the energy you welcome that day with.
00:05:59
Speaker
Keep this flexible. It's about intention. It's not about pressure. It's never about pressure. never should be about pressure. Step 3. Combine and reflect.
00:06:11
Speaker
That's it. Six simple sentences. Three from today, three for tomorrow. You've acknowledged what's good and you've gently guided your mind towards more good things.
00:06:24
Speaker
It's grounding, not demanding. For tomorrow, say, i will get an email that puts a smile on my face. And you will start expecting that subconsciously.
00:06:36
Speaker
So why does this work? Writing creates a sense of completion, a mini-bookend to your day. Setting gentle intentions reduces anxiety and helps your brain look for the positive.
00:06:49
Speaker
It trains your brain to look for the positive. You're training your attention. and attention determines emotion. Do you know that gratitude journaling has been linked to better
Embracing Imperfection in Journaling
00:07:00
Speaker
sleep, less stress, more optimism?
00:07:04
Speaker
It makes sense. You go to bed and the last thing you've thought of was what you were grateful for and what you're excited for and the following day. And because it's so simple, you'll actually do it.
00:07:18
Speaker
It doesn't demand skill. It just requires you to be present. An observant. It doesn't need to be perfect. You don't need to have an aha moment every time you write a sentence in your journal.
00:07:30
Speaker
You don't need a fancy notebook. You don't even need to write full sentences. You can say, walk in the park, rain. Kind of changes the way you look at rain as well.
00:07:41
Speaker
the aroma of coffee in the morning. Bring in the senses. Be easy with it. If you miss a day, that's okay. It's not about stressing yourself out. It's not about streaks.
00:07:52
Speaker
It's about returning, which is also why when it comes to journals that are sold on the market, I like the ones that promote imperfection. It's gentle.
00:08:03
Speaker
It doesn't say you need to write every single day. If you skip a day, that's okay. as long as you come back. If you do want to make things a little more special, create a simple ritual.
00:08:14
Speaker
If it will be beneficial, ah simple ritual cue, candle, cup of tea, journaling
Conclusion and Encouragement
00:08:20
Speaker
in bed, anything that works for you. So to recap, journaling doesn't have to be another thing on your to-do list.
00:08:28
Speaker
It can be the thing that makes everything else feel a little lighter. And it will be if you find your own pace, your own theme. So for the rest of the week, try the five-minute evening journaling practice.
00:08:42
Speaker
See how it makes feel. If you give it a go, tell me what shifts for you. and Until next time, take five minutes for yourself tonight and let that be enough.