As a writer I make an effort to write something every single day. They say practice makes perfect and one must be some type of disciplined to succeed in such a world as writing. Besides practice, journaling has proven to make people more empathetic, make better decisions, and be more self reflective. As a student at Jesuit University, the Jesuits have nailed in me that in order to be good at life I need to make time to reflect on my past and learn from it.

1) How are you today?

The age old Facebook question can be answered on social media where one is subject to critics; or, one can freely write about their days in their journal. This not only limits the number of Tasty videos one doesn’t see but also allows for the writer to be a little more reflective about his or her day.

2) Write out a conversation you have had today.

Often times when I am stuck and without something to write about, I think of a conversation I have had and spin it into a story. It is normally just a few lines, but I try to make it into something much larger than that. Or, if the conversation was a particularly tense one, then I reflect on what led to that moment.

3) Describe the person across the room without using their name.

I was once waiting for class to begin and as my classmates were filing into the room I took to trying to describe them without using their names. I was flipping through an old journal the other day and found that I was either spot on about knowing who they were or I failed miserably. It is a fun exercise in adjectives though.

4) Write about a family member.

As I said earlier, I was flipping through an old journal when I found a piece about my mother and a shirt she bought me in high school. The piece transpired into a completely different story but rereading it warmed my heart and reminded me that I truly have an amazing mother.

5) Write down three goals.

There is actual science to back up writing down goals. When we write them down we are more likely to succeed and at the very least it is nice to look back and see something crossed off our list of things to do.