Welcome back to Connecting With Our Purpose where we will offer tools and tips throughout the term to help you embrace and maximize that which makes your life most worth living.
Revealing glimmers of your life purpose can be achieved through something as simple as a journaling practice. Let journaling be a powerful tool for helping you better articulate your goals and needs and gain new perspectives along the way. You may also find it to be a relaxing, even meditative activity. Sometimes it helps to write freely, while other times it helps to write under the auspice of a specific prompt. We’ll offer some of our favorite journaling practices and prompts here to help you kick start your journey!
- Pause and Center Before You Begin
- Set aside at least 5-10 minutes for your journaling practice.
- Try this 2.5 minute STOP practice as a way to pause, breathe, notice, and reconnect to your intentions.
- Our Favorite Prompts to Help you Connect With Your Purpose (write openly or try one of the journaling tools below):
- When you imagine your future self, what do you hope to see?
- What does “purpose” mean to you?
- Name one way a value of yours connects to your purpose. How did you arrive at this value?
- Do your decisions reflect your values?
- What parts of your relationships are most meaningful to you?
- What does having a sense of purpose provide you?
- What makes you come alive?
- When have you felt a sense of meaning?
- Fill in the blank: I exist to _____ (intended impact) in order to serve _____ (desired audience). What do you notice about your response?
- Our favorite Journaling Tools:
- Gratitude Journaling: Each day, write down 3 things you are grateful for. When we take the time to remember and list three things we are grateful for, we focus on what’s good in our lives and helps us recognize qhat truly matters to us. Pick up a free gratitude journal from the Student Wellness Center (located in Berry library, right above Novak).
- Swift Ink or Stream of Consciousness Journaling:
- Want to journal but don’t know where to begin (or worry you’ll get caught in the trap of perfectionism)? Swift Ink can be an effective practice for letting words flow freely onto the page, without judgment.
- How to start: Set a timer for 2-5 minutes. Choose one of the prompts above and write, without lifting your pen from the page, until the timer rings. If you are stuck, simply write “I have more to say” over and over until an idea or direction emerges.
- Reflect on what you have written: What themes have materialized?
- Three Things Journaling: This practice is helpful for helping us prioritize what is important and release that which no longer serves us. Periodically check in and jot down your responses these three questions:
- What is one thing I want to let go of?
- What is one thing I want to embrace?
- What is one thing I want to focus on?
Want more journaling prompts? We’ve developed more prompts here to help you reflect on your past journey, present focus, and future intentions. Happy writing!
P.S. We’d love to hear from you! Schedule a Wellness Check In with one of our skilled wellness coaches to reflect on your journaling practices and debrief what emerges related to finding your sense of purpose here at Dartmouth.