Practice makes perfect.
We’ve all heard this, and while it sounds motivational and encouraging, it’s an exercise in frustration for us perfectionists out there.
It’s an invitation for us to fall short, because no matter how much we practice or how hard we work, we’ll just never attain perfection.
(Assuming, of course, that perfection is an actual thing…)
I like to embrace Practice Makes Better.
That no matter how much skill I start with, with hard work and practice, I can improve. I can be better.
And becoming better is always my goal.
We can apply this to all the areas of our lives:
Teaching my anxious teenager to drive - Not only will she get better with practice, but I can too! (Parents of teenagers, IKYK.)
Skills at our jobs
Hobbies we decide to pursue
Workouts at the gym
Our communication skills
My journal is my trusty partner in this work because I can keep a record of my growth and progress so I can see how far I’ve come.
What signs of better am I seeing with today’s practice? This week’s? This month’s? This year’s? This decade’s?
Better comes in tiny baby steps, usually when we’re not looking,
So having a way to reflect back and see how much better we’ve become is paramount.
(We can’t celebrate our improvement until we can see it!)
Even our journaling gets better with practice. Over the years I’ve improved and refined my journaling, and every little tweak gives me confidence that I can keep showing up and keep improving.
Tell me, what are you practicing so you can get better?
Use these prompts as written or as inspiration to uncover what you need in your life this week. And know that I’m always here to support you and answer questions you have along the way!
Write about a time you got better with practice.
What was it?
Why was it meaningful to you?
How did you stay motivated to keep practicing?
Did you encounter any resistance or obstacles along the way?
How did you overcome them?
What did becoming better in this thing do for you?
How did you becoming better impact others in your life?
One Journaling Idea I Love:
Write Where You Are
Write a journal entry about where you are. Where are you? What’s around you? What can you feel? What’s the weather like? What can you hear? How is it lit? What does it smell like? Who else is around?
Not only can this strengthen your observation and writing skills, it’s fun to have a record of the places you write. This is especially fun to do when you’re on the go. Are you at a coffee shop? The library? The beach? Imagine being able to read back through your journal and remember this scene vividly because you took the time to write it.
More Good Stuff
Good Things Come to Those Who Journal: The Livestream - Tuesday at 8pm Eastern. This week I’ll be talking about how to create a journaling practice that’s just right for you. Tune in on LinkedIn, YouTube, or Facebook.
My April journaling group starts on Monday, April 3. Our theme is Better Mindset, and we’ll be exploring what we want, what’s keeping us from it, and identifying what mindset shifts and beliefs we must change to make them happen. If this sounds like something that you could use, let’s have a conversation!
Happy Journaling!