Today you will learn how to use writing as a transformative tool for personal development through journaling and content creation.

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Writing can be a powerful ally in self-discovery and personal growth. If you want to unlock a deeper understanding of yourself and communicate your unique message to the world, start incorporating journaling and content creation into your daily habits.

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Many people struggle with writing because they perceive it as a daunting task or feel overwhelmed by the need for perfection. Without some guidance and practical steps, they often miss the opportunity to harness writing's full potential.

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Writing is more than just art; it's a portal into the self, offering clarity, healing, and a voice to those who dare to explore its depths.

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Here is what you will get out of this article:

• A brief understanding of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and its connection to journaling
• Simple journaling prompts to explore your inner world
• 2 processes to start creating content
• The 3 main tools I use for written content creation

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Access your Self: journaling with IFS therapy

Disclaimer:The information provided in this section is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you’re experiencing emotional distress or mental health challenges, please consult a licensed therapist or mental health professional trained in IFS or other therapeutic approaches.

Internal Family System (IFS) is frequently used as an evidence-based psychotherapy, helping people heal by accessing and healing their protective and wounded inner parts. IFS creates inner and outer connectedness by helping people first access their Self and, from that core, come to understand and heal their parts.

According to the IFS Institute, they believe the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. Just like members of a family, inner parts are forced from their valuable states into extreme roles within us.

When you see yourself as an internal family, you can have conversations with its members/parts, and gain insights into their motivations and fears.

This understanding leads to compassion and helps to integrate these parts into a more harmonious whole, and it can help you:

• get crystal clear on what matters so you can make choices that feel right.
• release stress and step into a calm, grounded state of mind.
• build a self-care habit that fuels you every day and keeps you steady.
• communicate in ways that deepen your connections and bring real meaning.
• tackle life’s challenges with a quiet confidence, knowing you’ve got this.

By creating the habit of journaling through the lens of IFS, you create a space where each part feels heard, valued, and understood, leading to a path of healing and personal growth.

Journaling prompts

Set aside 15-30mins and sit down in a comfortable place, put some relaxing music if it helps, and take some deep breaths.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

• “What part of me feels most present today? How would I describe it?”
• “If I imagine my mind like a family, which part or ‘member’ has the loudest voice right now? What does it want me to know?”
• “What part of me feels like it’s trying to protect me today? How is it trying to help?”
• “When I think about something that’s been bothering me lately, what part of me seems to take over? What does this part believe it’s protecting me from?”

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Check out the IFS Guide app which has an AI therapist (Pepe) which offers you guided meditations and conversations.

(if you want to purchase the annual subscription with AI, reply to this email and I can give you a 15% discount—no I don't get any commissions)

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How to start your content creation journey

Today we have technology that can create almost whatever we can imagine, and it's more accessible than ever, which means there is a lot of supply.

How will people get attention for their creations?

The answer is content creation.

Content has gone from paintings in a cave, and stories around the campfire to the infinite scroll on social media—storytelling has evolved, but our craving for it never stopped.

Now, I want you to think about those paintings in the cave.

Do you think the beings that created them were thinking "This is it! This mammoth painting will go viral!"?

No, right?

I am pretty sure virality wasn't something they worried about.

Maybe they wanted to leave a mark or express themselves, I don't know, but the thing is, we now look at those paintings with a sense of awe, and they fuel our curiosity.

That's how you should think about it.

See content creation as a way to express yourself and leave an echo in this world that can impact someone else. Don't do it for the likes and followers, do it to share your journey—show others what you are creating.

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2 types of content creation processes

When it comes to content creation there is not one perfect way of doing it, there are more and less effective ways of doing it, but it all depends on what you're creating.

There are two main processes when it comes to content creation—both stem from an idea.

Documenting

Documenting is about capturing your journey in real-time.

This method involves sharing your experiences, thoughts, and progress as they happen. If you keep it real, it's an authentic way to connect with your audience, showing them the behind-the-scenes aspects of your creative process. For example:

• Micro-documentary: Create videos where you share your daily routine, challenges, and wins. This gives your audience a glimpse into your life and makes them feel involved in your journey.
• Social Highlights: Use platforms like Instagram or X to share snippets of your work, thoughts, or even struggles. This can create a sense of community and keep your audience curious about your ongoing story.
• Written Stories: Write short, medium, and long-form posts that reflect on your experiences, lessons learned, and insights gained from your creative journey. This not only helps document your progress but can also serve as a source of inspiration for others.

Documenting allows you to be vulnerable and relatable, which can create deeper connections with your audience. It's less about perfection and more about authenticity.

Idea Development

Idea development is the process of cultivating and refining your concepts before bringing them to life. This method focuses on generating original ideas and planning them out effectively. Here are a few ways to come up with good ideas:

• Go on long walks somewhere you feel inspired. Let your thoughts move freely and if you observe them you'll notice novel perspectives on a topic or problem. Write them down—you will forget them if you don't—and it doesn't matter if they aren't that good later on, you can just delete them.
• Consume consciously by studying other creators. Look for inspiration, but also analyze what works well in your niche. Identify gaps or unique perspectives that you can address in your content.
• Write every day: Make writing a daily habit to capture thoughts, ideas, and reflections as they come to you. Each day, jot down anything that inspires you, even if it’s just a few sentences. These small bursts of creativity can turn into larger, fully-formed concepts.

Don’t worry about perfection—daily writing is about creating a steady flow of ideas, which you can refine and expand on later.

• Gather perspective: Share your ideas with trusted peers or mentors for constructive feedback. This can provide valuable insights and help you improve your concept before fully developing it.

Idea development allows you to strategically plan your content, ensuring that it resonates with your audience and aligns with your goals.

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The tools I use

• ​Kortex: the new go-to tool for capturing ideas and developing them into structured concepts and long-form content. Kortex makes it easy for notes to be turned into useful content, and not just spread notes that will get lost—think of it as a combination of Notion, Obsidian, and Google Docs.
  Just. Try. It. Out.
• ​IFS Guide: This app helps you meditate and reflect, providing an AI therapist and guided meditations to connect with your inner parts. It supports your journey of self-discovery and emotional healing through structured practices.
• ​ChatGPT: this is to help you with brainstorming and overcoming writer's block. Just use it as a tool to help you get unstuck, but don't become reliant on it—use your creativity for content creation.

Summary

This week we explored:

• How journaling with IFS therapy enhances self-discovery
• How to start documenting your creative journey
• What you can do to come up with new ideas

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