Flush Out Your Ideas With a Journal

We all have a lot in our heads, which can quickly become overwhelming. At any given 
time, you might be thinking about your to-do list, your big goals and goals for the week, 
what to buy your mom for her birthday, what to make for dinner, and trying to mentally 
remember to change the laundry when you get home. It is a lot to keep up with, which is 
why flushing out your ideas with a journal is so helpful.

When it comes to goals and things you want to get done, it gets lost in the thoughts of 
appointments and schedules and responsibilities. But when you journal about it, you 
allow yourself to focus on just those ideas or goals, and really figure them out with much 
more clarity.


Use Stream of Consciousness-Style Journaling

A really good way to start working on your ideas and getting them flowing is to write a 
stream of consciousness entry. This doesn’t have to be long or take a long time – you 
are just going to write whatever comes to mind until you feel like you have said enough. 
Think about the thing that is in the forefront of your mind. It might be plans this weekend 
you are excited about, a friend who you want to call soon, or an appointment making 
you a bit nervous. You then can write about any other thoughts you have, your feelings, 
your worries, your plans and goals, and whatever else comes to mind during the 
journaling session.


Write Down One Big Decision or Idea You Are Working Through

With that page done, you likely have a big decision, goal, or idea that jumped out at you. 
This is the one you want to focus on first. What did you write about the most? Where is 
most of your focus at? This is what your mind is telling you to think about and plan for. 
This can be a goal, or it can just be a big life decision. If you want to flesh out ideas for a 
business plan, start writing about that business and anything that comes to mind.


Choose a Big Goal, With Tasks for That Goal

You may also have a big goal that you really want to accomplish, and you are using 
your journal to flesh out ideas for how to accomplish this goal. This is another great way 
to navigate through your different ideas. Start with a specific goal, then consider how 
long it will take, and what you need to accomplish to reach this end goal. 



