In this special episode of the Create Your Kindspace podcast, I take a break from interviewing guests to reflect on my own journey over the past year. Sharing insights from my talk at the Aberdeen Health & Wellbeing Festival, I look back at how stepping outside my comfort zone in 2024 and starting a new habit of regular journaling led to some unexpected but transformative experiences, including publishing the Create Your Kindspace guided journal.
From experimenting with TikTok to working with a speaking coach to deliver a keynote speech for International Women’s Day, I share how focusing on fewer but more meaningful projects changed both my personal and professional life. Grab a cup of tea and join me for a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when you embrace new challenges and push past fear.
A New Morning Routine
It’s 7am. You’re curled up in bed, warm and cosy, and the alarm goes off. What do you do next? Hit the snooze button and go back to sleep? Reach for your phone and start scrolling?
What if, instead, you took a moment to sit up, grab a notebook and pen, and start writing?
At first, the words may come slowly, but soon enough, you’ll feel your mind begin to clear. The noise and stress of the day ahead fade away, replaced by a sense of clarity and purpose. This is the magic of journaling. A simple yet incredibly powerful practice that can transform your wellbeing and life, which is exactly what it’s done for me.
Journaling on TikTok
Over the past year, I’ve shared my journaling journey on TikTok, encouraging others to experience its benefits. In just one year, I’ve created over 280 journaling videos. That’s more than 13 hours of me talking to the camera about journaling ideas, reflections, and sharing bits of my life. I haven’t gone viral, but that was never the goal!
For 2024, my word of the year was grace, and journaling became my way of giving myself the space and compassion I needed. Many of us spend our time looking after everyone else, rarely taking the time to focus on our own needs. Journaling has become my time, a moment to reflect, express how I’m feeling, and be creative.
Overcoming Limiting Beliefs Around Journaling
I’ve often told myself I’m more of a numbers person than a words person. You might have similar limiting beliefs about why journaling isn’t for you or why you don’t write more. TikTok is full of beautiful bullet journals and planners, full of intricate designs and pages, which might make you think journaling takes a lot of time, but it really doesn’t have to.
My Top Tip for Starting a Journaling Practice
My advice? Start small. Choose a consistent time and place for journaling, but also be flexible with yourself. You don’t always have to journal at the same time each day. Even if you just write one sentence about how you’re feeling or what you’re grateful for, that’s a perfect start. Any notebook will do, and there’s no need to get caught up in perfection.
The Impact of Journaling
One of the biggest impacts journaling has had on me is the way it’s helped me reflect on my life. Talking out loud and writing down my thoughts has given me the chance to learn more about myself. I’ve grown in confidence, even singing in my TikTok videos, something I never would have done before.
Bringing My Vision to Life
After a year of journaling, I thought to myself, ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had a journal we could write in together?’ A place to check in each day and reflect on the journaling prompt. That’s how Create Your Kindspace A Guided Journal came to life, and it’s now available on Amazon.
A Year of Grace & Reflections on 2024
Reflecting on 2024, it was my year of grace, and I truly needed it. We lost our beloved dog Skye just before Christmas, and it’s been a hard adjustment. Losing her has brought up so many memories of my mum, and the time we spent together. But I take comfort in knowing my mum will be delighted to see Skye again.
Focusing on What Matters Most
Looking back on everything, I realise how good it was to lean into just one thing, to focus on fewer but more meaningful projects. While I still had a lot to juggle, it wasn’t the chaos of previous years. I’m still not sure what my word will be for this year, but I’m leaning towards simplicity. Creating space for creativity and quality time with my family.
As my son prepares to enter his final year of school and my daughter begins secondary school, I know the time for family moments is limited. I have so much to be grateful for and I can’t wait to see what 2025 brings.
Looking Ahead to 2025
I’m looking forward to more speaking opportunities, connecting with the Kindspace community, and meeting amazing guests on the podcast. In fact, my daily journaling on TikTok has almost turned into its own little podcast, and you can check it out on YouTube in a playlist called A Daily Dose of Kindspace.
Join Me on This Journey
I’d love to know if you’ve chosen a word for this year and what it means to you. What goals have you set for yourself? Let me know how you’re bringing those dreams to life. And if you’d like to give journaling a try, I’ve got hundreds of bite-sized videos on TikTok. You’re always welcome to join me in my dressing gown every morning with a cuppa!
Listen to the full podcast episode here: https://createyourkindspace.com/caroline-laurenson-on-the-power-of-daily-journaling/