It is late on this Monday night and I am sitting here trying to figure out where the semester went. For some reason it seems like it went by so fast.
Can you believe that the end of another semester has come?
I was reviewing my journal, and preparing to write my entry for Week 15 over the weekend when it occurred to me that it is time for me to share the benefits of reflection with you.
I realize that many of us in higher ed are good at setting and accomplishing goals. It is the reason why we have obtained terminal degrees, accepted certain positions, collaborated with certain people, and earned so many accolades, right? But, I also recognize that some of us may not have experienced the joy and fulfillment that comes from reserving sacred time for reflecting. We may not know that writing about our thoughts, feelings, issues, concerns, interests, and plans can amplify our personal and professional growth in indescribable ways.
Today, I am compelled to share five ways that keeping a career or work journal can help you grow personally and professionally because I have been so blessed by the process. It is like living your whole life without experiencing something and then once you do, exclaiming, “Where has this been all of my life? You mean to tell me that this has existed all of this time and I knew nothing about it or I missed out on it?”
Isn’t that the worse and best feeling?
Reflective writing creates that kind of feeling once you invest time in it and give yourself to it.
I promise you.
It will amaze you. I guarantee that it will transform your life in so many ways, but for today let’s just focus on five.
I have been so busy in the past few weeks as you know the end of the semester is filled with grading, meetings, and the like, and I toyed with what I would share with you before the month of April became history, and then, it was revealed to me that this topic would be the one and this series would spring from some of the things I wrote in my journal.
As you can see, May rolled right in, so here we are.
Please click play.
I am honored that you are here to listen to what I have to say about Reflecting to Power Through Higher Education: 5 Ways Keeping a Career or Work Journal Amplifies Your Personal and Professional Growth.
Quick Notes
Keeping a career or work journal–
- Boosts self-awareness.
- Helps you set and assess goals that align with your divine purpose.
- Encourages continuous learning.
- Helps you track and celebrate successes.
- Fosters a posture of gratitude.
The Action Plan
- What will you continue doing?
Maybe you are already taking time to reflect but you are not writing it down. You might even pray and meditate consistently. Or perhaps you keep a list of things you are grateful for in a journal or a planner. Write that down.
- What will you strive to do differently?
Based on what I shared today, will you invest time in reflective writing? Will you challenge yourself to be mindful, focusing on the here and now? If so, how will that look for you? Will it be a scheduled time each day—in the morning, after dinner, before bed? Or, will it be a weekly practice, maybe on a Saturday or Sunday? Write that down.
- Who might support you in bringing your plan into fruition? List any persons, programs, and resources you may need.
Things you might consider are:
- Do you want a guided journal or a journal with blank pages?
- Do you want a hard copy or a digital copy?
- Should you join a writing community that meets each week at a certain time and everyone just writes about whatever they want?
- Would having that community encourage you to stay committed to reflective writing?
- Is there someone who offers a journal, particularly for those who teach at colleges and universities? (Like me?)
Think about it and write that down.
Feel free to share your action plan or reaction to this audio below.
Have a marvelous, monumental May!!!