#01: Who am I? An eye-opening exercise

Welcome to the online instructions for the Journal. We will guide you through the exercises so that you can use the Journal to the maximum. You can also use the opportunity to join the community of other users of our diary . However, before you start planning, clarify an important question: WHO ARE YOU?

Don't have time to read the whole article? We thought of you too. Watch a short video:

Do you know each other well?

Before you start planning how to achieve your goals, you need to know where your starting line is, what you are at. Therefore, the main task of the first day is to realize where you are right now. In life, in thinking, in lifestyle. We have designed a two-page spread with 6 questions that can help you with this. Let's go to them!

Who am I?

Can you sum up who you are in one sentence? What do you do? Where are you in your work and personal life? If not, use this space to reflect. The next time someone asks you who you are during a work presentation or networking event, you will have the answer ready.

STRENGTHS AND EXPERIENCES: What defines you?

What do you naturally excel at? What is one thing that only you can do? If you had to teach something, what would it be?

Think about the situations in which people turn to you for help. What do they appreciate about you? Even things you take for granted can be extraordinary. Do you already know what your strengths are? If so, what next for them?

Build on your strengths, use them and constantly improve. If your strengths are part of your short-term and long-term goals, you will become an authentic version of yourself.

Do you need help? Click here and find out what your strengths and advantages are.

GRATITUDE: What are you most thankful for in your life?

In addition to the daily amount of responsibilities, you rarely have time to think about everything valuable that you have in life. That's why we created it for you in the Journal.

The awareness of your gratitude has a huge power to give you energy when things are not going well. And also give you a signal of what to definitely remember when managing your time.

PRIDE: What are you most proud of in your life?

Is there something that you didn't mention in the previous two questions, and is it also a source of healthy self-confidence for you?

VALUES: What is most important to you?

Imagine you are 90 years old. At the end of your life, you will look back at everything you managed to experience, see and achieve. Which memories, relationships or victories are most precious to you? What matters most to you in life?

Correct planning is based on clear values. According to them, we should be guided in our daily activities as well as in our long-term goals. If you can't decide how to proceed, your values ​​will help you make the right decision and stay true to yourself.

If you can't list your 5 most important values, do this exercise online . And if you think you're clear about it, do it anyway. Maybe the result will surprise you. :)

PASSION: During what activities do you lose track of time?

Which activities used to be your favorite? What is your favorite thing to do today? You know that feeling when you immerse yourself in an activity so much that hours go by and you don't even notice?

It is very likely that you will find your superpower there. Rather, enjoy all the activities that bring you this feeling. Whether it's painting or formulas in Excel - if you connect them with your work life, you've won.

Of course, it's not just about work. These activities bring you joy and thus create balance in your life. To fully know yourself, it is important to know them.

Do you want to discover your passion and learn to work in a "flow" state, i.e. in such a way that you completely immerse yourself in the chosen activity? Read the bestseller called Flow, you can find more about it in our list of books that should not be missing from your library.

INTERESTS: What topics touch you fundamentally?

Think of a conversation with a good friend. What topics make your eyes shine like lights on a Christmas tree? What do you most often listen to podcasts, read books and articles or watch videos about? Are there areas that make your blood boil when you see something not working right in them? Write them down.

The journal will help you work on these life areas

In order to move from theory to practice, we divided life into 5 main areas. Include them evenly in your planning.

Health is paramount. If you have a lot of energy, it will be reflected in all areas.

Work is not only what feeds you, but also volunteering, studying, or taking care of the household.

Joy, these are things you do purely because you enjoy them and relax.

Relationships include partner and family ties, but also friendships, relationships in the community or your colleagues.

Self-development includes working on your character, skills and knowledge.

There is also space in the Journal for the sixth category - we left it empty . We are thus responding to feedback from users who lacked the option to add their own section. Name it whatever you want and use it to track your progress in a specific area throughout the semester/year.

How am I doing in these six areas?

In order to find balance in your life, it has to work in all areas at the same time. For each of them, mark your satisfaction with the current situation and briefly describe why it is so. What specifically increased your rating in the given area and what, on the contrary, decreased it? When you write down the pros and cons of each area, you will know exactly what to focus on. Growth is important especially if you can measure it in some way. If you are specific enough, at the end of the half-year you will see where you managed to move during the self-evaluation.

You can find more such advice and a great community of journalists on Facebook.

The first exercises in the Journal helped you find out where you currently are in life. Do you already know what you want to achieve? Plan your vision for ten years.