Start 2018 with a positive mindset and a beautiful affirmation journal that will help you achieve your goals and gain confidence in yourself.
*I am an affiliate of PleaseNotes and received the PleaseNotes Journal for free. However, all opinions are mine. This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more information.
There’s something magical about a new year. It allows us a fresh start, filled with motivation and drive. We set hopeful New Year’s Resolutions. But, according to Business Insider, 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail very early on. One of the common reasons for failure is a lack of confidence and willpower.
It’s hard to stay positive and believe in your resolutions when you aren’t writing them down and thinking about them often. It’s easy for those dreams to slip by and eventually be completely forgotten about.
For the past couple years, I’ve used my bullet journal to keep track of my annual goals and the actions I take to get there. And while it has helped me achieve more, I was still missing something. I needed positive affirmations and powerful words to guide me to a healthier mindset of I can.
In 2018, I’m setting some big goals for myself. I mean, who isn’t? I want to reach my goal weight (for the third year in a row). And, I want to take my business/blog to the next level by doubling my income and creating my own products. Both are tough but tangible goals. Still, I need a way to track my progress, remind myself of what I’m reaching for, and appreciate the journey.
Positive Affirmations and Your Goals
Do you ever find yourself being pessimistic about your dreams and goals? “I’ll never get out of debt” or “It’s impossible to lose this weight”? *Raising my hand*; guilty as charged. I have spent years being overly-critical and negative with myself. Telling myself I wasn’t good enough or smart enough.
But, there’s this theory that says if you talk to yourself in a positive light and envision your dreams as a reality, you are much more likely to accomplish those dreams. Affirmations.
Affirmations are written in a present tense to give you the feeling that it’s already true. So, instead of saying “I will eat healthily and exercise regularly”, you might say “I am eating to fuel my body and it feels wonderful.” Now, that second statement was harder to write than the first. Why? Because we are so used to saying I will instead of I am. We tell ourselves we will do something, but when we put it in the future tense, it’s easier to neglect it and make excuses to not do it.
Ultimately, the goal is to incorporate affirmations into your daily life and over time, change your mindset to be more positive and encouraging. I find the easiest way to do this is by writing my affirmations down in a journal and spending some time thinking about and writing about my goals.
Now, as I mentioned, I have and use a bullet journal. And it’s wonderful. But, as a stationery addict, I know there’s no such thing as too many journals. And, for many years I’ve attempted to keep a journal specifically for my goals. It never panned out. I needed something with a little guidance.
Bring forward the PleaseNotes Affirmation Journal.
The PleaseNotes Affirmation Journal
I was contacted via Instagram to review this journal. Now, before I ever review something on my blog, I research it A LOT. I’m not going to spend my time writing a blog post, taking photos, and then sharing something that I don’t think will help my audience better their life. Or for that matter, that you guys are not interested in.
Anyways, from the start, I knew this was a good one. Obviously, it’s freaking gorgeous and had to be added to my collection. But more importantly, it has so much good content and prompts that were well thought out and meant to help you succeed, that I knew it was worthy. It took me a while to decide what I wanted to use this for, as I really wanted to dedicate it to one goal for 2018. But, alas, I decided it was going to be my health and fitness companion as I work to lose these blasted love handles and reach my goal weight.
Structure and Guidance
The PleaseNotes Journal isn’t your average lined notebook with a motivational quote on the outside. It’s jam-packed full of great, goal-oriented content to help you achieve your dreams. From the first page, you are encouraged to focus in on one goal. You write your name in the standard I own in this journal and it is mine practice. And then you write down your purpose for this journal.
What followers are a series of pages to help guide your thought process and get you started journaling, even if you have never committed to a journal. You’ll white about who you are and what you want to embody, practice, or bring to your life. Then you get two full pages to write down what you are grateful for. This is essential to realizing all the good in your life and setting up a positive mindset.
The next two pages were my favorite to complete. You take your current life inventory, the good, the bad, and the in-between and write it all down under four categories. The categories are Physical health and wellness, spiritual connection/ contribution to others, mental practice/wealth/liberty and emotional connection/relationships. On the adjacent page, you get the same categories, but you get to write your Ideal Life Inventory. This was so inspiring. I was able to see where I was, and where I wanted to be in one place. It makes it feasible and realistic.
To finish off your “journal training”, you are given 3 pages to really dive deep into your dreams. There are tons of prompts to help guide your writing.
It doesn’t end there.
Each page in the affirmation journal includes positive affirmations, a motivational quote by a modern public figure, and other inspiring statements. The Public figure quotes are awesome and relatable. You’ll likely recognize all of the people in this journal, including Will Smith, Adele, Beyonce, Michelle Obama, Stephen Curry, and so many more.
Journal Info
- 7×10″ hard cover journal
- 200 pages of 100gsm recycled paper
- 16 pages in the front “workbook” section
- 164 lined pages that begin with “I am” for positive affirmation journaling
- 20 dot grid pages in the back to really explore your goals and creativity
- Ribbon Bookmark
- Elastic Closure
- Pen Loop
- Back Pocket
- Animal-Friendly Faux Leather Cover
- PLUS 3-pack of sticky notes with positive affirmations at the top
Planning for Success in The New Year
There’s no sugar-coating it. You have to work hard for your dreams and goals. No matter how much I write down that I’m healthy and exercising, I still have to do the work. Major bummer. But, writing down your dreams and ambitions have proven to increase the chance of success. The PleaseNotes journal has given me space and inspiration to really focus in on those life goals. And for the first time in a long time, I feel 100% confident that 2018 is going to be my year. I am accomplishing my goals this year. I am strong, smart, and capable of living the life I dream of living.
You can grab a copy of this journal here. Be sure to use the coupon code PETITE10 for 10% off your order.
Lina says
Very lovely post! I ‘ll try it, too. Thanks for your inspiration. ♥
erinnichols91 says
You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it.