I’ve tried journaling before, quite often it ends in a mire of self pity and negativity and that’s not a rewarding experience or a fulfilling pursuit. What I like about MindJournal is that there is positivity threaded throughout it, simple stuff like making you list those things you are grateful for on a daily basis. I haven’t been doing this for very long and already I am seeing much more balance in what I put down, I think I’ll be here for the long haul. I have yet to start the Balance Planner as I’m trying to build the habit of writing daily with the MindJournal, but this too looks like to will prove to be very rewarding.

The review title sounds like an exaggeration but it really has. I’d heard a lot about journaling but had struggled to start and maintain something. The guided process really helped me and I now incorporate it as a non-negotiable every morning.

I have struggled with my mental health for a number of years. Most significantly since the birth of my first son six years ago. That sounds terrible but I think it is partly due to not having time to reflect and be quiet with solitary time for myself. I have also struggled with imposter syndrome at work and in short, found it difficult to cope with life on a day to day basis.

I was first attracted to mind journal due to the focus on men’s mental health. That being said these books can clearly be used for either sex and that was probably just more of a marketing pitch. I have worked on a number of things to help my mental health and they have taken time to imbed. I have got back into running, tried to prioritise sleep (with mixed success), have spells of eating better, actually giving up booze 9 months ago and have slowly become more spiritual and present on a day to day basis. None of these things by themselves would likely work alone but when combined it is starting to make the difference. The icing on the cake that holds all of these things together is the practice of daily journaling, and that is where the Mind journal comes in......

So I got the starter bundle. I use the daily journal and balance planner and actually find the balance planner as productive and useful as the journal itself. I was between jobs so had the time to begin journaling every morning, I wake up at 6am and sit at my desk at home away from everything and write.

A few points to note, I promised myself I don’t have to be “perfect” and some days I only write a few lines, but I always write!

Why does it work? For me it is simple. The process of adopting this approach is that it slows me down and makes me present each day. I don’t rush around panicking about work and going on auto pilot every morning.

I find structure and routine helps with mental health and by journaling I am being disciplined and structured and it allows me to thing about what is important, what I have been doing and what I need to do. Don’t get me wrong, it is still hard work, the next thing for me is to work on the sugar and carb addiction. But I know it’s possible with the help and structure of my daily journaling. It has also helped me to diarise quality time with kids It forces me to look at myself and make time when I can see I haven’t had it.

Anyway, buy the bundle and promise yourself you will do it daily. It doesn’t need to be a lot. But write something! Writing is powerful!

Starter Bundle

Haven’t really begun the journey yet, but from reading the pages found within the Journal and Planner, I’m feeling very optimistic and positive in working towards a new beginning for my life 💯

Investing in yourself is a must! I used to think writing things down on a sticky note was more than enough. Then I realized I still didn’t get things done so I went on a search to improve myself.

I am glad I stumbled upon Mind Journal. I got the starter pack and using all three (Journal, Planner, and Check-In Notepad) has really taught me to hold myself accountable, be more disciplined, and to be more intentional with my day-to-day tasks.

If y’all need an idea of where to start, this is how I ended up using everything:

I started with the Balance Planner to layout the month. Sort of like a rough draft because things change each day. Then I plan each week, which the planner does so that you can be a bit more specific.

After that, I begin each day by using the Check-In Notepad after my morning routine. I love this one the most because I can go back to it really quick and see what else I got to do (my memory is so bad). What I found that really helps me is that each time I go back to the notepad, I write down the time and reevaluate my feelings. Then review what I have to do next.

Finally, I end the day with the Mind Journal if I have the time and want to reflect.

Hope this review helps anyone that is deciding to get this starter pack!

It has got me back on a routine of waking up early and planning my day/week. The journal has got me to be more aware of myself and my thoughts. I had a TBI cause of a motorcycle accident so this has helped kept me grounded and kept my mind thinking

The bundle helps make the entire process convenient and more likely that you'll want to get stuck into some journaling. Highly recommend.

Having this bundle has helped me frame my time and be intentional about self care. I often was focused on getting work done at my own expense. I now have a sense of life/work balance.