Dear Job Hunters,
If this were an entry in my journal, I would share about my challenges in the job hunt. I would illustrate my moments of uncertainty and my feelings of disappointment. Bordering the edges of my hand-written words would be curly tendrils with tiny leaves on them, spirals connecting to other spirals, and the occasional elf face. I like to doodle, and for some reason, doing so helps me access my inner musings.
I have been keeping a journal since I was in middle school. My journals have helped me figure things out, release emotions, and process confusing topics. Through them, I have built specific (and multiple) lenses through which to view my life.
I always like to take the last of couple pages of my journal to carve out some intentions for myself. Goals for which to strive. I don’t always reread everything I write, but it is satisfying to reveal myself on paper and lovingly store such thought-collections for posterity.
In this technological era, it might not be feasible to pen-write into a paper-paged journal. Although I adore the very sensation, there are loads of digital methods for documenting on-the-go! The main idea is to release and explore, however the avenue.
The reason I share this with you, is that journaling during my job hunt has proven especially motivational. As seeking employment is such a draining activity that can gnaw away at our very minds whether we are consciously focusing on it or not, a journal can help us stay grounded.
Sometimes I don’t know how I feel about an exploratory conversation I had with an employee at a company I’ve got my eyes on. Spinning around inside my own head, I might get distracted by unrelated details or caught up on only one portion of what was said. Speaking aloud with someone else about my feelings, I might engage in a back-and-forth that alters my authentic perception. It’s important to know what you really think and feel outside the opinions of others.
Here are some journaling ideas to boost your productivity (and self-expression):
FREE-FORM
I find that freewriting—without direction—brings me the answers I have been seeking.
Spend 20 minutes creating, no matter what you are thinking. Just let it flow!
- Grab an empty journal. Fill it as your whim nudges you.
- Speak into your Voice Memos with your eyes closed to free-write aloud.
- Write into a digital space, such as the Notes section of your computer/phone.
STRUCTURED PROMPTS
When the mind is blank and direction unknown, when fingers and willpower are hesitant…
Find a sense of stability through the pre-ordained.
- Answer prompts in a pre-structured journal.
- Request that AI throw some prompts at you.
CONSISTENCY
Make a resolution to schedule your writing into your life. Put it on the calendar.
Open yourself to the ebb and flow of creative inspiration as it so moves you.
- Commit to writing every day, or once/twice a week.
- Write when you are inspired, and honor that inspiration with action.
A journal is a pure space waiting to be written upon. It doesn’t judge and it doesn’t pressure. It can serve as an outlet through which your emotional lava will gush.
Let it all hang out. You’ll be ever so glad that you did!
—
“Express yourself. Don’t repress yourself.”
~Madonna, Human Nature, 1994
Leave a Reply