There are a number of ways you can reflect on your day. Before going to sleep you can simply think about your day or journal your thoughts.
1. Gratitude
Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day. Gratitude is super important for success. Gratitude isn’t magic that will automatically make you successful, but it’s a mindset. Without gratitude you will never be happy. Appreciate the now, the little things, the good and the bad, you’ll find happiness no matter what.
2. You’re more likely to take action
If you repeatedly do a task, day in and day out, you’re probably going to make a habit of it. By writing down and absorbing how your day went then writing down your goals and intentions for the next day, you set yourself up for success and achievement!
3. To learn about yourself
If you make reflections a part of your daily habit/routine, you’re going to notice patterns in your life and why you do things that you do. Part of the printable is to record areas of your day you can improve in. So if you didn’t achieve all your goals or accomplish everything you wanted, you should be able to figure out why. I also have you write down your current mood and why you feel that way. A lot of times we may not know why we feel a certain way, but digging deep and trying to figure it out can really help.
4. Accountability
Writing things down, especially your daily goals will encourage you to accomplish them. This paper will hold you accountable because you will physically see it and want to be able to cross it out, if you’re like me anyway! Doing this daily will make you more disciplined and hopefully closer to your larger goals!
5. To end your day with positivity
Your energy is everything!!!! I truly believe and have experienced this. You can’t live a positive life with a negative mind. It can be really hard, but intentionally thinking positive thoughts is life changing. Positive thoughts first thing in the morning (which I touch more on in my morning routine post) and right before bed can only benefit you!
Daily Reflection Guide
3 things you’re grateful for today
These can be anything! Try to change them up each day, but they can be as simple as “Watching the sunset,” “Relaxing in the bathtub,” “A hug from _____,” and so on!
Action steps taken for a better me
Here you will list anything you did that day that improved you and your life. Going to the gym, meditating, painting your nails, journaling, listening to a podcast, anything that you feel contributed to your health, mind, or well-being!
Areas to improve
Did you procrastinate today? Did you watch too much tv? Scroll through too much Facebook? Say too many negative things? Write them down, work on improving in that area tomorrow!
How do you currently feel?
I think this is important. Sometimes we feel a certain way and we may not understand why, or it may be over something silly. For example, maybe you feel angry because you got in an argument with [person] because they didn’t take out the trash. The whole idea is to get you to think and understand why you feel the way you do. Is it worth it to be over angry such a thing? Are you happy for something that can make you feel the same way tomorrow?
Words of encouragement
Here I suggest jotting down some positive affirmations or quotes. Affirmations about yourself, goals, and lifestyle. These words should bring you up! They should empower you! I suggest reading them aloud if you can, really listen to what you say.
Goals for tomorrow
I suggest you write down at least three major goals for tomorrow. This can be a bit like a to-do list, but try to make them relate to a better you. For example,
-workout for 1 hour
-read [book] for 30 minutes
-replace all negative thoughts with positive ones (write them down).
They’re all goals that will improve your health and state of mind and they’re also attainable and measurable. So be specific here, you don’t want to just say “be positive” for that last one, because at the end of the day will you really be able to judge that accurately? Take the extra step by writing down all your negative thoughts, replacing them with a positive thought, then writing that down too!
Is there a hidden printable link in this post or am I mistaken? 😉
There used to be but I got rid of it! It was very simple, it included everything in the post!
Never realised how much important it is to be grateful towards what I have today. A major part of my life has been spent in chasing my dreams, which is not bad though, but I forgot somewhere over the years to appreciate what I had ! Even being grateful for small things for example a morning run in a pleasant weather. Thank you Leila for this wonderful post. I enjoy your articles. Keep writing I love them.
I appreciate all the love from you on my posts!! It’s so easy to forget all that we have to be grateful for when we’re chasing our dreams. That’s exactly why I started a gratitude journal. I just started using “The 6 Minute Diary” and I think it’s something you may enjoy too!