Accomplishment journals

[tesscaline]

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with keeping an accomplishment journal, and how well it worked out, if it had any impact?

I know that, for me, one of the things I struggle with is being aware of the good things I do, daily. I easily get caught up with critical thoughts about how little I've accomplished, what I'm not doing that I should be, or how much there is left to do on a "to do" list, and forget about all the little victories I've had.

So I was thinking: what if I started keeping a journal of everything I accomplish each day? Like a "to do" list, except that it's all things that are done, that I can throw in the face of that critical thought process? Something to remind me of all the things I can be proud of myself for?

I know some people who keep "happy jars" where they write down things that made them happy over the course of a year, and go back and read everything at the end, and that seemed like an interesting idea too, but on a longer term sort of basis.

What do you guys think?

[I like vanilla]

I am not so great at keeping a journal. I tend to process through more visual- rather than word-based processes (e.g. drawing pictures - often abstract - of where I am or a process that I am working through).

However, recently, rather than starting an accomplishment journal I started an 'accomplishment calendar'. I use different markers to write on each day of the calendar an accomplishment (or two) for that day. 'Self-care', 'walk in the park', etc. I use different colours for different types of accomplishments. For me, the initial problem was feeling guilty about days with no writing, but I have since decide to focus instead on the days with colours. I am also discovering that since I have started the calendar, I want to and at some level am better able to 'accomplish' something each day. E.g. last day I gave an assertive 'no' to a project at work that I did not wish to take on and would have been too much for my current workload even if I had wanted to do it. I said no in part because I am learning assertiveness, in part because I have 'assertive' on my calendar so know that I can do it, and in part so I could write 'assertive' on the calendar for that day.

So, so far the results have been a bit mixed but overall positive and getting more toward the positive side of things as I go along and get more practice.

[tesscaline]

I think a calendar is a great way to do it

I actually picked up a small sketch journal (no lines) today (I like notebooks a lot, so I'm always picking them up here and there), and I thought it'd be great for using as an "accomplishment journal", since I can draw in it as well as write. 

My thinking is that even small things can be accomplishments.  Like, for me, remembering to eat at all, let alone do something like cook proper meal, is an accomplishment.  So there should be things to write down every day, unless I just don't get out of bed at all one day (but that doesn't happen, because: cats).  Something I did, --anything-- I did, that I want to be reminded that "hey, look, you do all this stuff!"

[pam]

OMG, i forgot all about that!! I used to have a "Good Things" Journal. YES, DO IT! It helped me sooo much.

I went by month tho, knowing I wouldn't be able to come up with daily things.

WHY I did it--I had a real problem remembering anything good. I mean really bad. I couldn't remember something from a few days ago. I think it was my inner critic erasing things so I wouldn't start to get hope up or feel happy for very long. (because u will only be let down later so why bother type of thing.)

What the best part was--when you turn back the pages and see how far you've come. That the "good" things got better over time. And the progress was staring me right in the face so I couldn't ignore it!

I guess I stopped it after a yr or so because I didn't need it anymore. Now I can remember to give myself credit and move on to another good thing. 

[I like vanilla]

Tesscaline, I agree, even 'small things' can count. I certainly count the little accomplishments that I make (and yes remembering to eat is one that I am working on too). I also like the idea of an unlined journal/notebook. I have one with lines and do sketch in it but the lines interfere with the sketching (at least for me).

Pam, thank you for the reminder that these accomplishment journals/calendars/notebooks, etc. can be a good reminder. I often need these cues too. Recently, at my therapist appointment I was bemoaning how stuck I was and how I felt like I was not getting anywhere. He, as ever remaining respectful of my feelings and thoughts, gently reminded me of a number of accomplishments and activities I had been practising in the last little while.

I think, like many people and especially many with CPTSD, I am prone to being better able to see the negatives and places where I lack a skill or ability than I am to being able to see the positives. The upside is that in some areas I have become 'fluent' enough at the positive activity I have, in a sense, stopped noticing it as an achievement. To have the reminder from my therapist last day and my calendar daily feels really energizing and empowering.

Tesscaline, I agree with pam, "YES, DO IT!" There are so many positives to keeping such a journal and really very little downside (and my own downside 'feeling guilty about not filling in each day' ended up as an upside as it helped me to see areas there were still hurdles for me - e.g. 'all or nothing thinking' so it ultimately worked out well there too).

[tesscaline]

Thank you for the encouragement! I did start keeping what I'm calling a "You Did It!" Book, and it's already helping. At the end of the day I sit down and have to focus on all the good things I've done, how well I'm doing at making progress even just with little things (and the little things are where I really struggle), and it's turning out to be a great way to reframe bad days into good ones, and stop that critical thought process.

Some days, not a lot goes into it, but I used a journal with smaller pages so that it's hard for them to seem empty even with just a few lines written down. That helps too. And, as a side effect, it's making it easier to keep track of what day of the week it is (which is something I'm having a hard time with, recently -- if it weren't for reminders on my phone, I'd miss every appointment because of it) since I'm putting the date and day of the week at the top of each page   

[Kizzie]

Wonderful idea Tess, I was just thinking this could be a great recovery exercise in our new "Monthly Recovery Exercise" if you're OK with it.

[tesscaline]

Kizzie,

I'm more than fine with it. I think it's a great idea for the monthly exercise

[Kizzie]

That's great, tks 

Would you like to write it up into an exercise and post it in the Ideas for Recovery Exercises thread http://outofthefog.net/C-PTSD/forum/index.php?topic=3482.0.?   (If not I will).   

[samantha19]

This is a great idea.

I definitely struggle with being kind to myself and acknowledging my accomplishments. This thread made me realize how I've been focusing on the bad the last month, even though I've achieved so much more than before.

I'm gonna start one of these things, thanks for the great idea! :-)

[Jewel]

I love this idea!  Thanks for suggesting it!   

I can see how this exercise could really shift my perspective, short-term and long-term.  I can definitely come up with 3 things a day that I accomplish.  Some days just staying in life is an accomplishment.  Other days, recognizing progress I've made, even if just a baby step, is an accomplishment.

I'm going to start playing with this and see how many things I can come up with in a day.  This was a fantastic idea--thanks so much!

Peace, friends.