Six manifestation journal ideas that could change your life

As we welcome in the New Year and outline our goals for the next twelve months, you may be wondering how best to go about achieving them.

One way to keep your productivity in check and visualise your ambitions is with a manifestation journal.

Attract more positivity into your life by writing down what you want to attract in a brand new journal setting the tone for a prosperous 2022.

What is a manifestation journal?

Manifestation often refers to bringing something into existence through attraction and belief.

Many followers of the New Thought Movement promote the law of attraction and manifestation, believing that harnessing positivity will welcome more positive things into your life.

It’s the belief that our thoughts are made up of pure energy – if we channel this into optimism and forward-thinking, more of the same will be attracted to us.

Journaling for manifestation is, simply put, somewhere to write down all the things you want to happen in your life. You don’t have to subscribe to all the concepts surrounding manifestation to keep a manifestation journal. Many find that having a space to clearly see their goals helps them remain grounded as the weeks and months go by.

Typically, once you have written an entry or goal into your journal, you continue to repeatedly read over it to internalise your desires. This positive thinking will (hopefully) seep into your everyday life and help attract the desired results.

National Journal Writing Month

Many use January as a time to begin their yearly manifestation journals. With New Year’s resolutions and dedications to healthier ways of living circulating, it can be a good moment to harness that collective optimism for your own desires and ambitions.

January is also one of the National Journal Writing Months (NaJoWriMo) a 31-day challenge where participants commit to writing in a diary or journal at least once a day. The goal is to start building a journal writing habit, which you can carry with you for the remainder of the year. In January, the theme of NaJoWriMo is ‘journaling for personal growth and achieving goals’, which fits wonderfully with the concept of a manifestation journal.

How to write a manifestation journal

Whether you’ve kept a diary before or are completely new to the idea, there are a few things to consider when writing a manifestation journal.

The format in which you keep your journal is entirely up to you – there are no set rules, and different styles will appeal to different people. You may opt for bullet point style lists, or maybe a mind map is a clearer way for you to visualise your goals.

Some choose to write their manifestations in the morning, looking with optimism to the day ahead. While others use the quiet moments of the evening as a time to reflect on how the day went and retune their positive thinking.

Whatever you opt for, it’s recommended that you keep your entries as detailed and specific as possible. This way, you will be able to effectively internalise the exact outcome you want.

A big part of manifestation journaling is repeating the things you are looking to attract in your life. So, no matter how long or short your entry is, make sure to read it over multiple times so you can fully capture the positive thinking.

The most important thing to remember when writing a manifestation journal is to remain optimistic. While you may not have completed your goals in the exact way you initially hoped by the end of the year, studies have suggested that journaling can help lower your depression, encourage you to be more mindful, and also improve your communication skills. Whatever the result, keeping a manifestation journal can have a profound impact on your everyday life.

Manifestation journal examples

If you’re feeling lost on how to start writing your manifestation journal, don’t panic – there are plenty of examples to help kick off your new healthy habit.

Write a letter to your future self – Many first-time journal writers often choose to begin with writing a letter to their future selves, with plans to read it at a set point on a later date. Choose realistic goals that you can feasibly achieve in six months or so, and write the letter as if these have already happened. Imagining that you have accomplished what you want immediately helps frame your mindset into a more positive one.

Delve deep into your own wants – It’s easy to be influenced about what our parents want for us or, as we move through our careers, what our workplace demands of us too. Writing a manifestation journal is a good chance to delve deep into what we really desire for our lives, away from the pressure of work and loved ones. Try to think outside of these factors and channel the things you really enjoy.

Show gratitude – Once you’ve outlined your goals for the next year, it’s important to maintain a high level of positivity. One way to achieve this is by noting down the many things you are already grateful for. By showing love for things in your life you already have, you’re opening yourself up to more wonderful happenings. This is also sometimes known as an appreciation list.

The 5×55 method – This is a really common manifestation journal example, and involves writing down an intention 55 times a day for five consecutive days. Not only does this help ingrain the idea into your mind, but it also makes the want feel even more real, rather than something projected into the future. For best results, choose an intention that conjures up an intense feeling of positivity.

Keep a dream log – If you’re someone who has particularly visual or memorable dreams, keeping a dream log as part of your manifestation journal can help you to understand more about your deeper self. This is incredibly useful for self-reflection and can highlight certain personality traits that help promote a more positive life.

Release your anxiety – We all have something that makes us anxious, and these can be big hindrances when it comes to manifesting our ideal life. Use your journal as a means of releasing those anxieties, perhaps asking yourself what you would be without that those negative thoughts, how many of your worries actually matter, or what you need to do right now to achieve peace of mind. Aligning yourself with the page and those words can be an incredibly soothing experience that proves valuable for your manifestation journey.