This journal is increasing my mental clarity
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- čas přidán 30. 05. 2024
- Does journaling actually improve mental clarity? If so, how? These are the questions we answer in this video and the actual science is a bit surprising. One of the main benefits of journaling is mental clarity, but most people don't really know why that is. That's because most people don't know how "thought loops" affect their brain. A thought loop is when you have anything that needs to be processed or solved. If it isn't resolved it continues to circle in the background taking more and more energy. When it comes to productivity this is a big deal.
By the end of the day, we have accumulated more thought loops than we could possibly close. This is why often when we get in bed we find our minds spinning, trying to think about all these things all at once. But it turns out there's a hack for this. The best way to close thought loops that are outside our control at the moment is by writing them down. The transfer to the paper activates our Reticular Activating System, which is responsible for immediate focus and the conversion of thought to memory. So writing something down, especially something distressing, it manually activates the brain's ability to process that thought into memory.
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Did I forget anything?
I’m embarrassed to say that this Is the first time I’ve heard of thought loops and also explains why my brain goes into high gear as soon as my head hits the pillow.
Better late then never
Don’t be embarrassed when learning new information. Just the fact you’re learning should be an accomplishment
@@pixelzebra8440 🤙
You should be embarked it will help you learn as a reference point
journaling is literally what my psychologist say when I got diagnosed with depression, I was literally can't say anything at my first session of therapy, and he said you can just write down what you feel and think at daily basis and give it to me, and boy was it works.
It’s powerful
I've been Journaling for 3 years now and it's changed my life. I have so much more mental clarity now from this amazing practice.
That's awesome!
I bought my journal 6 months ago because of you. And it really helped me progress through some stuff
Wow that’s really cool
The RAS is such a profound discovery. It's a million times easier to process your thoughts and grow when your senses tell your brain "hey this isn't a thought anymore. This is an actual thing that's in front of you."
This explains writers, musicians and artists in general. They turn their thoughts into actual things which allows them to process it in their own creative ways
Exactly! I find it so fascinating
I met a published author during the pandemic and he inspired me to try my hand at writing. So I got all these apps for my phone, thinking it would help me capture ideas on the go. But, like you said, I ended up being distracted more than not. So I did what you did. I bought a couple of these pocket spiral notebooks, and I keep them on me most of the time. It’s way more effective, and I’ve grown attached to the tactile experience of handwriting my ideas when I’m trying to be creative. I think this is a revolution on the rise.
That's awesome, glad to hear it
Your videos about journaling make me feel like i have a buddy to write with! Like it’s a practice between friends. As someone with ADHD it’s very hard for me to commit to journaling as a habit, but it’s always something i wanted to do. Hearing you say on your other video (the mini notebook one) that you sometimes don’t journal for a whole week made me feel like it’s a lot easier to do. Thank you for sharing videos on this topic! I hope you’ll continue to make videos :D
Thanks for the feedback! Yup I'm right there with you
I have this issue too. Like I'd hyperfocus on a new hobby but it wouldn't stick and become habit. Trying it again, can't wait to see how it goes!
Edit: I stopped doing it after a couple weeks 💀
@@mordaeu1411this is fine. Try going back sometimes. Do what you feel.
You're So right about the thought loop Brother . we just accumulate a lot of stuff and dont really do anything they drain so much energy . Thanks for the Video
You're welcome, I appreciate the feedback
The last line is all I needed to hear. Thank You.
I found your channel yesterday and my mom was like whos that on the tv? So now you have two new fans. Nice videos man.
Thanks! Haha, that's awesome, glad you guys enjoy
Every 15-20 years, a new generation figures this stuff out.
Right?
I have been writing in my dairies since high school. The maturity between sophomore to senior year amazes me. Not sure how my adult dairies compare to the growth of my high school. Also I am known for losing them too.
Thank you. Yes, the head, heart and hand.
This video was so incredibly insightful. I've never heard of thought loops, but it all makes an incredible amount of sense. Thank you for making this video! Wonderful job, Austin. Don't ever stop. This information is helping people like myself. :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
I've been watching a ton of journaling-related CZcams videos since 2021. I appreciate it so much, but I've found it difficult to put my admiration into practice. I've accumulated a lovely assortment of notebooks, all of them apparently ideal for journaling, but the practice of journaling has stayed stuck in the realm of ideas rather than practice.
I made an effort to close this gap last year by downloading more than ten journaling apps, thinking of how convenient it would be to have them always available on my phone. But my attempts were short-lived; the longest period of regular journaling I could find only lasted three weeks before completely disappearing. Maintaining the routine felt insurmountable.
I saw a key shift in perspective after listening to your recent talk: I now see journaling as a conversation with a friend, a place where I can freely share everything that's on my mind, from the little things that happen every day to the highs and lows of my emotions. I now recognize how important it is to write down my ideas instead of just putting them on file. Above all, your explanation of the "thought loop" notion really resonated with me and provided a fresh perspective on the procedure.
Austin, I want to thank you very much for your informative talk. I will try hard that from now on, I will start journaling with a pen and paper and enjoy the tactile closeness of handwritten words.
Wow this is so encouraging! Thank you for sharing your kind words
I barely write a comment on a channel but man that video is incredible! It's the first time for me to hear about thought loops which explains to me why you could start a day badly without doing anything wrong or having an awful mood from nowhere, it's my thoughts.
I forgot to empty my brain before bed which made the next day an exact same, like a round 2 for the previous day, you cannot fill what's already filled.
This the 1st video I watch for you, I am impressed! Definitely worth subscribing for future awesome content! See u again I am getting back to my journal, to mental clarity. Thanks!
You’re welcome! So glad to hear it!
Great video man. I retired from the fire dept. a few years ago. When I was working I felt like my life had a lot of order but since retiring I feel like I'm just kind of bobbing along. I'm hoping that journaling will restore some of the structure and discipline I had before. I like the concept of the thought loop. We all experience it, no doubt and having a way to conclude them is important.
Thanks for the feedback
Ive been journaling for a year and it was great, I mean I enjoy doing it and it keeps me sane. I love love this video, It's editing and filming is so cool. You're very underrated!
Thank you for the feedback and kind words!
Great video again. This practice is so important but unlike other videos on the subject you have given me a big reason a 'WHY' to journal. I was once told that in a day we meet more people than our ancestors met in a lifetime. Just think how many thought loops that leaves open that our ancestors never had to deal with. Thank you for making this film. Great advice and I wish you well.
You’re welcome, glad it was helpful!
Wow! I am into journaling but have never heard about RAS. Thank you!
loving these journaling/note-taking videos! great stuff.
Thanks for the feedback!
Just saw this video! Excellent work! I always heartily encourage journaling!
thanks for the feedback!
Like the part about the thought loops. Makes sense now as to when I wait for something or have to complete a stressful task, how it stays in your head.
glad to hear it!
Really liked the way you described all the information in the video! Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback!
Great video! I’ve been journaling for 3 years now, and honestly it’s changed my life
Thanks for the feedback!
The quote at the end hit a little close for comfort!
oh man. the image of an infinite loop that needs to be "closed" to stop ruminating is such a simple and effective one
Thanks for the feedback!
I will start journaling and start every entry with the phrase of "In the year of our lord..."
I struggled with thought loops of past trauma and journaling helped me to get it on paper and out of my head. I now journal everything difficult I experience otherwise my mind likes to ruminate on those thoughts and I get so stuck. I feel so much lighter after journaling.
That’s amazing!
Great video, great edit. Great content.
You've inspired me to start journaling.
Glad to hear it!
Thank you for your video, it contains exactly what I needed to understand and hear today. It helped me a lot.
Glad to hear it!
Major 'light bulb' moment. Thank you for this video.
You’re welcome!
Not even sure why I popped back into this habit, but I've noticed it randomly becoming a huge thing on social media (probably always has been) so I've decided to get back into myself. I would always be into writing when I was younger, just didn't keep a hold of it. I was never a huge reader (only read what was mandatory in school, other than maybe a handful of ones I picked out) until recently. Picked up a "commonplace" notebook and started writing/journaling recently. Can't wait to see how it turns out!
same here!
I've noticed I have looping thoughts racing in my head, mostly when resting. I didn't know looping was a thing AND that RAS could help with it.
I've tried journaling before and it never stuck, but perhaps trying again or just writing thoughts down on scraps of paper could be benificial.
Overall I'm just really impressed by how well this video is done.
Thanks for the feedback, hopefully it helps
This was extremely useful, thanks for sharing. I’ve been feeling a lot of environmental / climate anxiety recently so I will try this to at least process some of it and try not to dwell on it all the time.
Your welcome! I’m glad it was helpful
I use those mini composition notebooks ( you talked about a while back) for the exact same purpose!😉👍
Same!
Thanks for the reminder Austin! 📝
Your welcome!
Well done, Austin. You have a way of integrating history, science and your own experience in a way that’s very credible. Can you share who was speaking about the connection between the hand and brain pls?
Sure thing, it was from this video with the title - Master Penman Jake Weidmann | HUMAN. Very interesting
I watched your video twice to get all of what you said written down!
glad to hear it!
I spend 4 years in prision . I started taking notes along with a poem on monthly and of what i did with my rutine . I feel like now that im out i have a few goals . I look back to my notes to think that writing was the only thing wich keept me sane . Enjoy life folks travel ,meet people be happy .
Thanks for sharing your experience
I love your videos! Rooting for you.
Thank you!
I’ve been journaling since before it was cool 😎.
I’ve been going strong for over 10 years now since I was in college. I needed to offload my thoughts.
I journaled by hand for a while and then migrated to digital journaling. I have over 1/2 million words in my digital journal (DayOne).
However, journaling by hand does seem to go deeper than journaling on a computer. I think the slowness of writing by hand helps.
There’s perks to both journaling in a computer versus by hand.
On a computer, referencing journals from years ago is easier. If I journal by hand, I rarely read back from what I wrote a year ago. You can also add pictures more easily on a computer if you’re recording events or add references.
Writing by hand though, does ingrain the thoughts in your brain more.
Writing in a computer doesn’t seem to close the loop as well. I can’t tell you how many months I have where the entries are more the same and it gets me frustrated that I’ve had the same loop for a month.
Wow thanks for sharing your experience
Sorry I’m late to the upload (no pun intended lol) Thanks again for your wise words, and advice. You have helped me throughout this year and I thank you again for that 😁.
Your welcome!
love from Bangladesh, it is a very very logical and lovely video
Thank you for the feedback!
I have made daily entrees into my journal since i started a week ago and it helps.so much
glad to hear it
Quality content and production brother 💪
Thanks for the feedback
I used to buy A4 size notebooks. I have a bunch of them but never used. At some point I bought pocket size planner notepads and mini notepads. I have 4 by my bed, not used. I really want to write something, anything down before shutting eyes but it’s not happening. I have terrible recall, not remembering events and people in the past. I originally wanted to journal just to write down events and anything notable that day for future recall. Let’s hope that I can make it a habit like peeing and pooping daily.
What you just expressed above sounds like very good material for a journal! Record your struggle daily, and watch for subtle changes. Don't worry so much about the content.
@33Jenesis... Idk why you bought so many notebooks but didn't use them, but I do have a lot of unused notebooks myself 😂😂😂...
1/Suggest you keep just one notebook! (Use others for like origami or doodles purpose 😅)
2/ Write at least 100 words every day about the best or the worst thing you've experienced that day OR
2a/ Write to your former self 10 years ago as to why you made certain choices OR
2b/ Write to your future self 10 years from now about what's keeping you from becoming that future self OR
2c/ Write 3 things that you're wholeheartedly grateful for making that day a NOT SO BAD DAY... OR
2d/ Draw something related to your day...
Pls do it continually for 5 days, then review if you should write or draw something else. Later on you'll know what to do with the remaining blank pages and also with the other unused notebooks. No pressure, anyway. Cheers!
@@4061earthabcdesong good idea! I will give it a try, devoting time before bed to put down some words. I have bad recall hence the motivation to document the day. If not, I’d not remember anything by next year.
1:26 ...I have to agree with "it boosts immune systems and helps with healing" ...
Not only is it an introspective craft, but when i journal, my cats love to hang with me and their purring is beneficial to my health...(studies have proven this)
Journalling slows the body down, and with a relaxed body, you enter a meditative state....and thus the healing / rebalancing occurs within the body.
That's my own experience , but others have different ones.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I find it all very interesting
Really insightful post friend 🎉🎉🎉
Glad to hear it!
This guy and this guy - the great historical heroes of journaling
3:50 maybe not the best thing to do but this is why i watch or listen to a video in the shower now. i'm done beating myself with all these thought in the shower i just wanna relax and clean my body. showering, for me, is not a good time to be in deep thoughts anymore. what i do is i zone out (was it this term or sth else i can't remember it's ;ate at night) multiple times a day when i need to be focusing on somebody because they are talking to me. but i keep finding myself lost in hundred layers of thought. but this is another video's comment :D
Hello Austin. LOVE your content. Wise beyond your years. . .I'll say that for certain. I don't remember which of your videos mentioned it, but you spoke in one of them about how one author wrote all of his books by hand. . .with a pencil. I was recently reading a book by Max Lucado and he mentioned that he writes all of his long-hand. I'm curious. Was that the author that you were referring to? Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the kind words! I recognize the name, but can’t remember if he has the exact one.
loved the video! I started journaling in 2016 when I was in a rough emotional spot, I then stopped for many years. Here I am back in 2024 journaling again. Also where can I get the same journal as yours it looks perfect to journal.
I got mine at Walmart, Amazon might have them
It Always makes me smile a little Bit when people are talking about journaling as If IT would be the newest crazy mindblowing Shit 😊 I am 41 and my First Diary or Journal, however you Name it, is from 1993 when i was 11 years.... So i Journal now for 30 years 😂
At the Moment i have a diary for daily stuff, one that is half calendar half diary, one Just for philosophy stuff, one Just about the books I read, a five years diary with Just 2-3 sentences per day and a small one Just for the good stuff i Look for everyone day to learn how to BE more optimistic 😊
So in Germany WE would saY:
Ich habe journaling durchgespielt 😂
Amazing video bro 👍, keep up the good work
Will do, glad you enjoy!
One anology I heard about journaling is that it "transfers thoughts from the RAM to the Hard Drive"
Oh I like that. Thanks for sharing
I’m so happy you explained the reason why it works, it brings alot of clarity and peace of mind knowing that writing WILL help and does work.
I've tried this, but the stuff that stops me going back to sleep at 0300 is stuff that hasnt been anywhere in my awareness recently (or even in living memory). It's just not available to my brain when I'm journalling
wow 😮
I really enjoy journaling.
It really has helped me in so many ways. I have so many journals and I go back and read them to see were I was in my life and what I've been through and we're I am now in my life. I even had a tape recorder so I can listen to what I said as well. And I really enjoy listening to them .
I noticed that
Journaling really helped me in so many ways and it still helps me on going. I really enjoyed this video .
Thanks for making this type of videos . It's much appreciated .
Thanks Austin .👍👍👍💪💪📝📗📘📙 Journaling rocks I put some note books in the comment .
Thanks for the feedback!
Great video!!! What is the pen you are using? It looks really smooth
I've since changed from that one to one I like better and is just as smooth. It's on Amazon here (amzn.to/45xKIYn). It's a bit scratchy for a few paragraphs but once the tip gets a bit worn it's buttery smooth :)
@AustinSchrock Hi Austin, who is the guy at 4:20 or from what video ist this from? Couldn't find a name or link in your description.
Thanks in advance :)
Here’s the video it’s from
czcams.com/video/KvSyQDu49pI/video.htmlsi=N2De01KPvOH1gmEr
How did someone do young become so wise? Your parents must be incredible.
Read books, don’t have a tv in your home. It’ll change your entire childhood
Great video. I’ve tried and still trying to develop my routines to get into journaling. Do you find that journaling is better in the morning, at night or both ?
I prefer night. Morning would be more day planning and setting priorities
@@AustinSchrock thank you 🙏🏼
Amazing video, Austin.. 🤝
my experience with journaling started at January 1st 2022
I can say that the results of journaling come with continuity in journaling, so it is preferable to be patient with oneself for more than a month until reaching a method of writing that suits the person himself (I have changed the method of journaling many times, until I write everything that comes to my mind without any complication)
Unfortunately I left journaling and I forgot most of the benefits I have got during these years.
And as that i’m trying to return, I feel confused 😅, if I have to journal with a pen and paper, or to keep journaling on my phone? do you think that figuring out the solutions and talking to ourselves using a pen and paper, going to make us more conscious about the things that we have discovered? I have already forgot a lot of things from my journey, and I don’t know if the problem is with my memory, or with journaling online, or other reasons that I don’t know about..
If the issue is a lack of remembrance that has less to do with how you are journaling, and more to do with the emotional intensity you link to those experiences. I've journalled a lot, and hands down the things that I remember are where I write down lots of emotion about the experience. It's taking the information of the day, making it important by attaching emotion to it, then translating it into words and representing it on a paper (or phone). The emotional intensity with which we recall something is often how our brain places importance on it. We are quite good at doing this for negative things because our brain wants to protect us in the future. Good things our brain can sometimes tune out, which is sad.
Hope this helps!
@@AustinSchrock
Aha! That’s true. Your explanation definitely helped me to understand my situation better and recognize the main issue. I’m gonna work on remembering the positive things considering your clarification. Thank you so much, Austin. I do really appreciate your effort and kindness🤝.
Note: your talk just reminded me of monthly and yearly reviewing of what I learnt.. which I also stopped, I usually remember what I wrote there, so I have found the solution too😄 ty!
@@artistnour3414 You're so welcome! Glad to help
Hi Austin not related to the video, where you get this T shirt pls let us know. it is really nice? thanks
it's from a brand called INTO THE AM. I actually did a sponsorship video for them a while back where you can find a discount link
Kind of like doing a morning or night pages journal and you just write what comes to mind.getting it out on paper.
Exactly
Agree all you said. Only 1 thing i feel need to change in modern era 😊
Better to use a digital Journaling (eg: ipad ) than a physical dairy because the digital device data can be backed up in cloud as well in case we lose our device one day.
Reason for this is , if we lose our physical diary all our data will be lost.
I’ve thought about this quite a bit and I’m not sure what to think. On the one hand yes, the cloud feels safe. On the other hand I’ve never lost a journal, and yet I have dozens of journals from my great great grandfather that are in perfect conduction despite a house fire. Not to mention with how fast tech is changing I hardly doubt my PDF, or notion document will be openable in 60 years. I have notes that I took on OneNote from 2019-2020 and they have glitches and have parts deleted. That’s only a few years. So idk if you really think about it it wouldn’t take much to loose all our info online. Maybe we should do both haha
@@AustinSchrock Thanks for your great comment 👍 . Loved it ❤. You explained so beautifully and well said tech keeps changing. Agree. Having both would be beneficial 😊
❤❤❤❤❤
It's easy for thought loops to turn into downward spirals.
very true
I've been journaling since I was in elementary school and I can't live without one now. I currently don't have one and I'm waiting for it to arrive in the mail so I'm looking at journaling vids 😢. I think it's a problem now.
I found some great and inexpensive journals from the Etsy shop MHCreativeSpace!
been journaling with notes and pen since I was 18 years old. now I'm 43 and want to go back journaling again. tried digital app (note shelf, notability etc) on iPad and Apple Pencil. but it didn't work for me, I ended creating lots of file and forget about it. so I go back to paper and pen. anyone have same experience? I wish I could do that on digital form.
Just made a video about trying to journal with digital and had the same result
What brands are the notebook and the pen you use?
Not sure on the notebook, but the pen is Staedtler triplus fineliner
@@AustinSchrock thank you~
Got a link for that fun chair at 6:35?
Nope
Well that's cool
I'm amazed by this content. I recently read a similar book, and I was amazed by its quality. "Unlocking the Brain's Full Potential" by Alexander Sterling
I liked ur video I subscribed, I’m a simple person 🤷♂️
Does digital journal (typing on keyboard) works like hand writing?
No, studies show that typing is not the same as handwriting in the brain
What type of pen did you use in this video i need it ASAP
A felt tip 0.4 I think? I should have it in the description
Notes taken
When we write journals do we have to read it ? Like how many people who write journals read it we just keep writing , so do we have to review it again and again. Or we just write down our thoughts and leave it .
Up to you. You make the rules
@@AustinSchrock sure but I just want to know your perspective do you read what you wrote
Sometimes yes, especially if it was self reflection and processing. Also, I write a letter to myself at the end of each journal, recapping what that journal contains and what I learned. That's powerful to reread@@vaibhav_kumar8102
@@AustinSchrock got it thankyou sir
Okay I neeeed to know where the quote at 4:20 comes from
It came from this video I believe.
czcams.com/video/KvSyQDu49pI/video.html
@@AustinSchrock thank you so much!
I have tried personal growth routines for years. If you're just not a logically driven person, it's such a difficult lifestyle. My ADHD brain was given tasks it could not fathom and now it doesn't work properly anymore. I can't seem to reset it back where it use to be. Happy, self confident, optimistic go getter, now I am a fat unhappy broke loser. Can't seem to understand this life.
Everything we pursue, from goals to relationships to finances and fitness, always come on the other side of uncomfortable emotions. If you can only learn one thing, learn how to sit with uncomfortable emotions, instead of avoid them or trying to force them away. For me this mindset changed everything, in fact I'm making a video about it that comes our Wednesday. I use a technique Stop, Drop, and Breath. Stop and notice the emotion. Drop into your body and put words to the PHYSICAL sensations. Continue focusing on the physical sensations and BREATH through the discomfort until it dissipates. When you do this instead of trying to force your way through with willpower, or avoid them, the emotions subside very quickly, and you get better and better at remaining aware through life instead of constantly distracting. It's changed my life. If you need a book on this, read 90 Seconds to the Life You Love. I wish you the best!
*Pfft* we have this guy
*pfft* movin' from greeks to this guy
pffft right?
2:00 2nd video on thought loop( gtd ..allen)
1:20 why the sound bro he sounded more wise in my head
New haircut looks good!
Thanks ;)
How do i start journaling ??
Write down your thoughts and feelings about your day is a good place to start
😎
Who is the girl from the video?
The girl?
take a shot every time someone says journal or journaling
I died
That is the manic part of bipolar 😮
Is it just me or was anyone else waiting for his shirt to load?
Ultimately though I'm just joking man, great video!!
An inspiration to keep on journaling and getting my thoughts out of my head and onto paper.
Man, just to help your mental clarity, Plato and his disciple Aristotle were born 6 centuries before Marcus Aurelius. So the timeline is odd, it's like placing Michael Jackson before Leonardo da Vinci. lol
Marcus Aurelius is not "one of the first" to have written personal writings. Also, right after that you put Plato and Aristotle for some reason, but you put them as if they were after Marcus Aurelius. Plato and Aristotle are over 400 years before Aurelius. Oh, and then you skip Saint Augustine, who also wrote a famous journal, Confessions.
facts
I've journaled since i was 14(I'm 39 now) and it hasn't done shit for me. It's hella cringe to look at life and see how naive and misguided. YMMV 😂😅
Haha truth
I wonder if you’ve considered joining nebula?
I like your content but feel the need to quit CZcams.
I haven't, but I might consider it. It's hard to have time for everything I want to do
I just found you!!! I really like you way to explain and expose the video theme. Thanks!
You're welcome! Glad it's helpful!