STRENGTHS BASED JOURNALING
Wisdom
Try to answer the following questions as you write your diary for the day: were there statements that you heard or read from others that rang a bell for you? Were there certain insights deep within you that made some special sense for you?
If there were some difficulties or unpleasant experiences during the course of the last few hours, ask yourself now: how are these experiences challenging your own beliefs about your self, God, world, and other persons? Was there in these experiences any particular insight about the meaning of life for you? Gently and calmly write these lessons down. If you so wish, you could end up writing a poem or a verse.
If you have longer time you could try to answer these questions in writing: how would you want your life to be narrated to your grandchildren. Write a summary of your life. A few days after writing this, review the summary and take stock of it at a meta-analytical way: what has been missing in my life? What changes would I like to make to my present life so as to bring to fulfilment my present life?
Integrity
Write down a news item, or a song, or anything that you saw or heard today that seem to touch you. Why is this important for you? What values do they hold for you?
Write down something that you did today that you think was ‘good’. Why do you think it was good? What does it say about your own value system? What is a good action for you? What values are important for you? What values do you think you need to maximise in yourself?
Humility
Was there any event that happened today that taught you something about yourself? If it was good, you could be grateful for that. Was there an appreciative word from someone? Gracefully acknowledge that compliment.
Was there anything – an action that you did, thought that you had, or feeling with you – that shocked you about yourself? Are you able to own it? Was there a negative remark that someone made about you? How much of truth-value would you attach to that?
Vitality
You might want to describe an activity that you were engaged in today, or in the recent past, that brought the best out of you. Perhaps you felt a high level of energy, or you became passionate about something, or there was something that really moved you.
Describe something that you performed in the recent past that struck a good balance between your own skills and the challenge in the environment. You experienced a certain sense of fulfilment, satisfaction and flow.
Self regulation
Describe situations and events of the past few hours, where you felt a sense of self-efficacy. Write about situations over which you think you have a growing sense of agency.
Were you disciplined with your self today? Were you able to achieve the objectives that you set for yourself today? Do you think you are able to reach a rhythm of life that makes it possible for you to enjoy living?
Kindness
Describe one act of kindness that someone did to you in the past few hours. Perhaps that person was a stranger. Perhaps it was just a polite word. How do you feel about it now?
Describe one act of kindness that you did to someone in the past few hours. How did you feel about it? How could you repeat these experiences?
Love
How was your relationship with others in the past few hours? Did you feel loved? Did you reach out to someone you know in a personal way? Was there anyone who induced a certain authentic feeling in your heart? Was there someone in whose presence you felt completely at home – you could be yourself, you felt comfortable and time seemed to freeze.
Was there anyone you found difficult to love? What wisdom could be drawn from that difficulty? Do you want to attempt to forgive that person?
Forgiveness
Is there a negative feeling coming over you when you think of someone? It could be a feeling or thought of anger, revenge, and aversion. Describe that feeling or thought in writing. How does this affect you? Would you like to decide to forgive that person? And then try to write these words: “I forgive you for this!” Are there additional things coming up? Write them down. And try to say: I forgive you.
How does that feel like after really having forgiven someone in your heart?
Do you still feel the need to seek some help from another person to help you deal with the hurt? Who would this person be? Do you think you need some professional therapeutic help to deal with your hurt?
Gratitude
Write three things that went well for you today. Gratefully remember the factors that contributed to these success stories. What was your own role in this? Is there any person who deserves your thanks?
As you sit here and now, relaxed and at peace, just ask yourself: how did you end up here? Who were the people and what were the circumstances that have played an important role in your life up till this moment? Would you like to write a few words of thanks to them even in your journal?
Hope
When you calm yourself down, and you find yourself in a positive affective state, take the following path: Put down three major goals of your life. Consider how much of these objectives have you achieved already. What steps are you taking towards the fulfilment of your goals?
Try writing a mission statement for yourself by putting down phrases and words that answer the following questions: what were your childhood dreams? What does your heart want? What type of activities make you feel energised? What are your talents and gifts (that are natural to you)? What are your skills (that you are acquired)? What are the needs of your environment: family, society, and town? Now actively combine the phrases across answers to write meaningful sentences. You might find yourself composing your mission statement.
If you find yourself in a negative affective state (feeling anguish, discouraged, or frustrated), you might want to answer the following questions in journaling: how long have you felt this way? Are there immediate triggers for this? What steps can you take to handle them? If you feel completely stuck ask yourself the following questions: has it always been like this? What was it like before you felt this way? Just write in detail how things are for you when everything seems to be going well.
Faith: Prayerful journaling
Instead of writing a description of the day in your journal, would you like to write a prayer addressed to God? Are you grateful to God? Do you want to marvel at something that you attribute as the work of God in the world, and in your life?
If you are angry and frustrated at God, just begin to stay with it. Write them down. Try to listen to God in the depths of your heart. What do you hear God say to you? Are there emerging feeling of trust and surrender? Would you like to write them down?