Married to the Hustle: Faith, Love, and Business for Entrepreneurial Couples

How Daily Affirmations and Gratitude Boost Productivity

• Alex & Jessica Fortis • Season 2 • Episode 19

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Journaling isn’t just for creatives—it’s a powerful mindset and productivity tool for entrepreneurs.

Jessica Rosario shares how journaling became a transformative practice during a difficult life season, offering clarity, accountability, and peace of mind. She walks listeners through ten practical ways to make journaling a part of their daily routine, from writing letters to your future self to crafting goal lists and gratitude prompts that spark motivation.

With a strong focus on mindset and self-awareness, Jessica’s journaling tips empower business owners to stay focused, grounded, and in alignment with their vision. Whether you’re new to journaling or ready to deepen your practice, this episode is filled with simple yet effective ways to begin.
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Alex & Jessica Fortis

Introduction to Maximize Your Day

Speaker 1

Hello and welcome to the Maximize your Day podcast , a place for entrepreneurs for building their business , in pursuit of freedom and flexibility to do the things they love . I'm your host , jessica Rosario . I'm a New Yorker turned Floridian who knows a thing or two on how to effectively manage your time while juggling multiple priorities . I'm an ex-corporate leader who walked away from my nine to five-ish to launch and grow my business . In this podcast , I share insights on mindset , business productivity , habits and strategies to help you take control of your to do list and maximize your day , which will help you feel more confident and less overwhelmed and getting more done in less time . I'm so excited you're here . Go ahead , listen in .

Speaker 1

Welcome back to the Maximize your Day podcast . This is your host , jessica Rosario . I'm a business coach here from Central Florida and I'm so excited to be sharing with you guys today about the importance of journaling . So if you know me or if you follow me , you know that are several things that I'm really , really passionate about , one , of course , being time blocking and how it helps you maximize your time , and also journaling , which is so important . When it comes to mindset and I always say this to some of my entrepreneurs

Mindset: The 80/20 Rule of Entrepreneurship

Speaker 1

, clients , friends and family , that entrepreneurship is 80% mindset and 20% skill , and the reason why I use that all the time is because when it comes to being at a job or in the corporate space , regardless of your mindset , you still get paid for it . But when it comes to building a business , our mindset is directly tied to our results . So if we don't take the time to work on our mindset , our mindfulness , being at peace with ourselves and really setting some healthy boundaries that help us tackle every single day with clarity and focus , then you know again , our results are tied to that . So we tend to see decrease in production or we wind up being stuck in a negative mindset and there's no one around you to help you , other than hiring a coach or being in your closest five and being in those communities . But what happens when you're on your own and when your community is just not there ? Every second , every moment , every minute of the day , right ? So we have to take some self-accountability and understand the importance of setting some of these healthy boundaries and having some ways to decompress our minds in a sense , and to do that notorious brain dump that I always talk about in previous episodes . That is usually what helps us clear our minds . That is usually what helps us clear our minds . So , with that said , I wanna talk to you guys today about something really important that I've been doing for about the last three years now and it really has helped me stay focused and on track , and that's journaling .

Speaker 1

Now , I know a lot of you are probably thinking well , I don't really have the time to journal or I don't know where to start . I've never done that before and I don't know if , growing up , you had

My Personal Journaling Journey

Speaker 1

a diary . I remember having a diary and it had a lock , and , as a child , I never wanted to write inside of my diary . Number one , I didn't have a healthy habit of writing and , number two , the thoughts of being judged for what was in that diary meant to me that that was the reason why I had a lock . I mean , I really don't know . I mean , I really don't know other reasons why a diary would have a lock other than for it to keep your deep down secrets right , and that was one of the reasons why I never felt inclined to genuinely write what was on my mind , what was on my heart , in a vulnerable and authentic way .

Speaker 1

So fast forward to about 2018 , 19, . I was going through a really , really tough time in life and I was , I tell you I was . Life was just coming after me from every direction through my previous career , through my family , my relationships , my friendships . It was just , I mean , it was just coming , it was coming at me and I didn't know how to handle it . I'll be very honest . So , being a woman of faith , I knew that my joy was not based on all of those other factors . My joy was based on the time that I truly dedicated to spending time in the presence of the Lord , and I wasn't doing that in my most vulnerable time . I was stuck . I was like a turtle . When the turtles get scared , they just go right back into their shell . And that's how I was feeling .

Speaker 1

I was feeling very locked in , very hidden , very unseen and invisible , until one day I grabbed a book called the Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod , and he shared some really , really simple ways that we can start our day with the right mindset and just feeling not necessarily in control , but definitely in control of ourselves , our thoughts , our actions , because , you know , control doesn't always turn out to be a good thing right . So I immediately started implementing some of his techniques . I was always an avid reader , so I was always reading in the morning , but I never really journaled . And I grabbed a journal and I'll be honest with you , I didn't even know what to write , so I started with writing to myself in the future and from there it turned into a prayer journal and then from there it's my daily letter to God that I write every single day . It's an opportunity to be grateful , to identify the things that really help me every single day and to be thankful for the little ones , too and the importance of what they do for us , the experiences that it brings us for us , the experiences that it brings us . So I wanted to share with you guys today some quick little tips on what were some of the ways that I was able to incorporate journaling into my daily routine , and you'll be surprised by how simple some of these are .

Speaker 1

So tip number one was eliminating technology and going old school . Yes , let me tell you , there is power when it comes to using pen and paper , and I know there's a lot of digital advantages and digital notebooks and things like that that you can use , but there's something about the power of ink and paper and just getting it out of your

Ten Tips for Successful Journaling

Speaker 1

head and putting it on that piece of paper . I don't know how to explain it , but I can tell you for sure that I've taken notes in the past . When I was in the corporate space I journaled a lot through notes or having a Microsoft Word document or something like that . That was a running document , but I can't even begin to tell you how many times I forgot what I wrote and had to go back to it . When it comes to my journal the fact that it's on paper I to go back to it . When it comes to my journal the fact that it's on paper I can go back to it and remind myself of where I was in that season . I can always use tabs and different things to remind me of certain keywords . I can scribe because I tend to scribble a lot and I can make notes and designs and other things that you can't easily do on a Word document when you're in your most creative zone . So , of course , you can do a lot of stuff on Word and PowerPoint and all of these things , but there's just something about eliminating technology and going old school . Now , this does not mean that if you're using digital technology for journaling , that it won't work for you , of course . If that works for you , hey , by all means , go for it .

Speaker 1

The key is to find something and some way that you can journal every single day . The second thing is finding quiet time , so , whether it's before or after bed , this is truly when your mind is ready to wind down or wake up right In the morning , when your thoughts are fresh and it's easy for you to share how your day went . I spent a lot of time with my journal by my nightstand , because it was the first thing that I would grab in the morning and the last thing that I would grab at night . And I can tell you the power of affirmations and what it does to you when you write it . In the year 2019 , I knew that I was preparing myself to exit the corporate space . I knew that I was preparing myself to exit the corporate space and right after that book Hal talks about affirmations and I had an affirmation statement . But I added to that affirmation statement I refuse to be a W-2 employee for anyone other than myself in 2020 . And I said that in 2019 , pretty much almost year round . And I'll tell you even more there were days that I yelled it in my house where my kids thought I was absolutely insane . There were days that I cried , saying I refuse to be a W-2 employee for anyone other than myself in 2020 . And I whispered it . I wrote it when I wasn't feeling the energy or if it was even possible , but I strongly believe that those affirmations are what led me to be courageous for a moment and walk away from my corporate career of 25 years . So finding quiet time to describe whether it's your affirmations or whether it's your actual thoughts of the day or whatever you want to journal on , that's another way to make journaling a success .

Speaker 1

Tip number three was dating my journal pages . You will be surprised how many times we don't date our journal pages . It's just like a sticky note . Have you ever found the sticky note with a to-do list and you don't even remember when you wrote it ? I date my sticky notes . I date my notes , my journal pages , and I also have an executive notebook , of like when I'm in meetings and things like that , where I take notes and I date those as well . But the importance of dating your journal pages ? It's because it really provides you a great reminder of where you were and like what state of mind you were when you wrote them and , honestly , not to get too serious here but it can also help you with having to remember any type of you know medical dates or things you know that you need for legal reasons are some of the things that investigators look at If the person fell ill or something like that . They do look at these things to see if there's any theme or trend , or did they write something that was happening to them around that time . So dating your journal pages super , super , duper important .

Speaker 1

Then tip number four is when you're not sure where to start write a letter to your future self , or write a letter to the person you believe you used to be . I've heard so many powerful stories on how writing in a past or present tense really helps you become that other person . So , for example , if you had a really tough past and you're writing in a sense of envisioning so envisioning your future and what's yet to come hang in there , you've got this . You know what it takes , right ? It just inspires you to continue pushing forward , and being able to read those in the future really will warm your heart on where you were at that time . And then , when it comes to your future self same way , right . So envisioning what can be , what is possible and how you've been able to overcome some of these things . So that is one way of doing it . The other way is writing a letter to someone you love , or writing a letter to God , or turning it into a prayer journal .

Speaker 1

There are also ways to write what you're grateful for . I mean , there's just so many different things that you can write about , but pick one , try it , and if it feels comfortable , keep going with it . But if it feels comfortable , keep going with it . But if it feels awkward , try something else . Just make a list of things that you'd like to write about and just continue to move that forward , and once you develop a habit , the stories will just come right out .

Speaker 1

Tip number five is writing about your goals and vision . I make sure that every single month I write down what my goals were for the previous month and what is my plan to either change them for this coming month or change them for the quarter , or improve them , or what I didn't like , what worked well , what didn't right , what I didn't like , what worked well , what didn't right . So it's really an opportunity to help you visualize your future so that you can think more about where you see yourself and what are some of these future goals and aspirations that you have . Number six I shared focusing on gratitude . Right , so , focusing on gratitude . There is no better way to start your day . And there was a book that I read from Rachel Hollis her book I Didn't See that Coming , or Didn't See that Coming . And Rachel talked about in her journaling process that she was thankful for the simplest things . For example , I'm thankful for my glasses that , even though they're a little old , they really do help me see , and the older I get , the more I need them me see , and the older I get , the more I need them . Being simple for that Dollar Tree little dry erase board where I get to write an affirmation and see it every time I'm either recording a podcast or interviewing someone or in the middle of a coaching session , so that I always hold on to my confidence and my courage . So , being grateful for the little things , the little things , the air that you breathe , the sound of the rain that is really what helps our minds to receive abundance and to be grateful for all things .

Speaker 1

Number seven is using a theme . So I know a lot of people do this . I personally don't , but there are people that really like to journal specifically on a topic . For example , it could be on finances ,

Getting Started and Resources Available

Speaker 1

on what they're doing to take control of their finances . It could be on mindfulness what are some ways that they can be more mindful today , tomorrow , right ? There's a lot of journals that are focused around that . There's also a theme on business , right . So if you want to write specifically on how to grow your business or how to start a business , then a journal could be a great place for that , because it can also help you set a plan . It's almost like your blueprint for your business , based on what you dream and what you desire to create .

Speaker 1

Spirituality is another way . I tend to mix mine a lot with spirituality and my faith . As I mentioned , I do write as if I'm writing to God . I do pray a lot . It's also a prayer journal , so it really helps me talk about all things , all things that are important to me . But using a theme could be a great way to get started with journaling .

Speaker 1

Making it portable and easy to carry would be tip number eight . Now I don't tend to journal when I'm out on the road anymore , but when I first started journaling , there were times that I felt like , oh , I wish I had my journal right now , because journaling helped me decrease anxiety during a very complicated time in my life and there were days that I couldn't wait to get home so that I can write what I was feeling at that moment and how I started to identify my triggers and what were some ways that helped me decrease that anxiety and just kind of be centered again . So if you make it portable and that is important to you , you can either take a smaller size journal or you can again , for those that want digital , they can use their phone and maybe rewrite it when they get home or just take down some quick notes in the middle of the day where , when they're back to journaling , they can remember what were some things that they wanted to share . But making it portable and easy to carry , if it's important to you , is another thing that you can do to implement journaling in your day-to-day routine .

Speaker 1

Number nine is really writing down the top three to five most important things to do . Sometimes those important things really hold ourselves back if we don't write them down . Hold ourselves back if we don't write them down , and this is an opportunity for you to show some self accountability to get them started . So you know your day to day routine can start out by you know these are the top three to five things I'm grateful for . Go into your journaling piece and then end it with you know if I don't do anything today other than this thing , and jot those things down . Whether it's one , two , three , four , five , doesn't matter . Less is always more . That really gives you an opportunity to hold yourself accountable and move the needle forward in whatever it is that you're focusing on . The other thing is that the next day , when you start to journal , you're able to see this list . When you start to journal , you're able to see this list and again hold yourself accountable to the things that you said you were going to do , the things that you said you were going to do .

Speaker 1

And lastly , I know I mentioned about keeping it in a place where you know it's easy for you to find . So whether it's a nightstand , whether it's a table in your living room , it really depends on where you want to keep your journal . If you set proper boundaries , the people that you love know that this is a private book , a private journal , and kind of like that story that I told you guys growing up , it had a locket . I was like , if I write something here about a boy that I like in school or something like that , my mom's going to see it if she opens my lock on my diary . So journals are not that sophisticated anymore with a lock on them At least , mine isn't .

Speaker 1

I am the creator of the guided journal and and I promise you it's not that it is a simple journal with no luck . If you really feel convicted , just put it under your bed or something like that , where only you can find it if you feel that you need to do that . But the point is that having easy access and quick access is really what helps you take that habit to the next level , right , so it helps you implement that new habit and create a new routine when it comes to journaling . So whatever works for you , do that Now . Again , these were just some 10 tips that I wanted to share with you on how to get started with journaling , but there's so many other resources that you can find and , of course , I always say this if you ever have a question about journaling , just find me on Instagram , send me a DM . I am more than welcome to help you navigate through that process .

Speaker 1

I hope that you found this episode helpful and that you're able to get started with your journaling . And for those also that might be interested , I do have a quick guide to journaling , so I'll drop that link also in the show notes to help you get started with how to get started with journaling for success . So until next time chat soon , as always . Thank you so much for listening in . Don't forget to subscribe to the show to be notified the second a new episode is released and share with your friends who you believe could benefit from listening . Contact me at jessosariocom forward slash podcast to share your feedback , ask questions , make topic suggestions or even be a guest on my show . You never know if your topic will be next , until next time . Maximize your day and own it .