Why is it so important to keep a journal?

Here are just a few of the benefits a personal journal will provide you:

* A journal will remind you of your goals and the actions you are taking towards them every day. Your are writing down your goals for 2010, right?

* It allows you to factually track your progress as you head closer towards your goals. Here is an example. Suppose you had set a new goal to lose 20 lbs in the next 3 months. Record your weight in your journal each day, you will now be able to see trends in your weight loss that you would not have seen without the journal.

* It provides detailed information such as dietary changes, calorie reductions, fat reduction, and so on.

* It helps build your self-esteem because you are reaffirming the positive benefits you are achieving as you get closer to your goals.

* It helps to paint the picture every day of who you are becoming.

* When you see positive results as they happen, you will become energized with optimism.

Here are a couple of simple journal tips:

Keep a simple, short log , it's easy, and it usually only takes 1 minute of your time. Each day, make short entries into your journal, list such things as your attitude, emotions, diet, weight, responses to situations and conditions in your life.

For example, if having a healthy heart is one of your goals, you will want to keep track of your cholesterol levels, your blood pressure, your weight. (Obviously, all of this data would not be recorded daily, but some entry would be recorded each day)

More in the email but you get the idea ...