The week I removed "blockers" from my journal template

"Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."

When I took the StrengthsFinders questionnaire during my freshman year of college, my business leadership professor asked our class, “why do you think StrengthFinders only shows you your top five strengths? Why does it hide the traits you scored lowest in?” The consensus was: because we would fixate on what we suck at, which helps no one, rather than exercising what we excel at, which is what we are here to do.

The “sprint retro” journaling template my husband proposed to me eight months ago when I first began this practice was simple: treat each day like a retro. Break down the day into these four categories: what went well, blockers (what needs to be overcome to get what you want), what’s going away (that which is no longer necessary), and plan for the future. He explained that it’s helpful to start with what went well - what I am grateful for and what I rejoice in. Only after counting my blessings am I ready to ask for help and recognize the conditions, internally and externally, that are blocking me from my ideal self-expression. But what if the daily practice of imagining my disappointments and barriers is the very thing keeping me from smashing them?

Enter: an alternative.