Melanie Knights is an incredibly inspirational figure to me. I discovered her years ago during my time in a Pinterest membership and followed her journey on Instagram.
She is a content repurposing queen and it’s been amazing seeing her flourish and find her own path advocating for plus-size women and working to destigmatize the negative societal outlook on the word “fat.”
I was inspired by our conversation on her podcast, Entrepreneurial Outlaws, from a couple of years ago and wanted to revisit some of what we discussed as well as offer up some journal prompts for the stuck creative (me included).
During the recording of my episode, we spoke about content repurposing and how to get intentional with your content—along with the power of journaling to help with decision making, processing events (in life and business), and all the things really.
It always sounds lame, but I think it’s one of those words associated with “girls” and therefore is seen as inferior for that reason alone. But it’s powerful and I’ll always encourage people—regardless of gender identity—to use journaling as a tool. You really will be amazed at what you can figure out just by writing down thoughts and feelings to uncover the facts and problem-solve based on what you discover.
Enough of the journaling sales pitch—here are some of the highlights of what we discussed and I’ve shared 12 journal prompts below (one for every month of the year to offer variety but minimise the overwhelm factor).
Gold Nugget 1: Journaling can shape your business decisions
“Journaling every morning helps me clarify my goals and make aligned decisions. It keeps me focused and prevents shiny object syndrome.”
So I don’t journal every morning at the moment—although that’s something I should try to pick up again—but when my brain is overwhelmed and running screaming through neuron-passageways, journaling always helps. It’s a space to write down all the confusing, loud thoughts and be able to look at them objectively as the words stare back at you from the page.
Then your brain is like “ooooh, that’s not so bad.” And it’s this weird “I told you so” between your own words and your brain.
It’s kind of similar to talking through your problems or concerns with someone else, but if you’re not sure how to express yourself to someone or you don’t have someone to help you right at that moment, it’s a good alternative to get you thinking. Whatever the outcome of your jumbled word mess might be, it sets you up for further thought or discussion.
Melanie posed the question: What does being an Entrepreneurial Outlaw mean to you?
“It means staying true to yourself and your values, following your unique strategy, and not comparing yourself to others.”
And I think that’s something journaling can help you with. Keep you focused on what your inner thoughts or (for the slight woo in all of us) intuition are telling you.
What does [insert what’s been bothering you here] mean to you?
Gold Nugget 2: Build confidence through reflection
When we have uncomfortable thoughts or feelings, it’s always tempting to stamp them down and pretend that you don’t. Everything is fine. No upsetting emotions here, please.
But reflecting on those hard thoughts or painful experiences through reflection can help to shift your perspective. By writing what you’re feeling down and actually facing why you’re feeling that way, you can start to (re)build confidence in yourself. (And therapy—therapy is excellent for that.)
Faith Mariah shared an incredible exercise a while ago that’s stuck with me ever since. I’ve created quite a shorthand version of it to help me remember the 3 steps, but I highly suggest you watch her video.
Fact → Thoughts → Feelings
How you think about something that you can’t change, like a work event (the fact), impacts how you feel about it.
So if you’re worried about a presentation you’re doing next week, those worries and doubts about your abilities will change how you feel about it: Nervous, anxious, etc. But if you can work on changing your thoughts, you can start to change how you feel.
Ask yourself: How would I like to feel? And then work backwards from there: What do you need to start thinking in order to feel that new way? (Seriously, watch Faith’s video. I’m likely not doing it any justice here.)
This process and how you approach it is unique to you, but if you answer the questions truthfully and remove any external pressure on how you “should” be feeling, you’re likely to build up your confidence in yourself and what you’re capable of by practicing this reflective exercise.
Melanie: What other challenges arise from [the pressure to be everywhere]?
Sandy: Comparison is a big one. Constantly looking at others’ content can make you second-guess yourself and lose confidence.*
*Comparing yourself to how you think others are feeling in particular situations is the fastest way to lose confidence. We don’t and can’t know what others are thinking, feeling or experiencing.
Gold Nugget 3: Journaling helps you see connections
As someone with AuDHD, it takes me a little while longer to process information and feelings. This is where journaling can be a really helpful tool to help me work through the jumbled mass of information and emotions.
As you write, you’re working through what happened, why, and how you feel about it. This helps you see connections and better understand the world around you.
There’s no shame in that. In fact, I’m sure similar journaling practices are equally as valuable to neurotypical people. Even if you have to refer to an emotion wheel to figure out what you’re feeling, I think that’s valid since we spend most of our childhood and awkward teenage years trying to hide how we feel so we don’t embarrass ourselves or upset anyone.
I think it’s difficult for everyone to understand why they’re feeling uncomfortable when something happens and they’re not sure why or can’t pinpoint exactly what that feeling is. By understanding connections—in work and life—we can start to create our own strategies or coping mechanisms to help us out going forward.
Melanie: How do you help entrepreneurs streamline their content strategies and avoid burnout?
Me: I focus on creating workflows.* Start with evergreen content, like a blog or podcast, and repurpose it. Break it into nurture emails, then visibility content for social media. This system saves time and keeps the content authentic.
*Creating workflows, in life and business, is incredibly valuable and helps reduce decision fatigue. If there’s a task you do regularly, why not make a list of all the pieces of information you need to complete it? There’s a free tool called Goblin Tools, which offers a great place to start if you need help breaking down tasks and, with practice, you’ll start to make those connections more easily on your own.
12 Diamond-level journal prompts
I had to stick with the mining puns, I’m sorry. Ignore the cringe and enjoy the prompts!
- What is the biggest decision I’m facing right now, and what thoughts or fears are holding me back from making it?
- What does staying aligned with my values in business mean to me? Write a list of those values and reconnect with your purpose for each one.
- What small steps can I take to avoid “shiny object syndrome” and stay focused on my main goals?
- If I let go of external pressures or expectations, what would success for me look like?
- How do I want to feel about a challenging task or event in my business? What thoughts will help me get there?
- What recent wins, big or small, can I celebrate today? How do they reflect my growth?
- In what ways do I compare myself to others? How can I shift my thoughts to focus on my unique strengths?
- What uncomfortable feelings have I been avoiding, and what might they be trying to tell me?
- How can I better use workflows or systems to reduce burnout and decision fatigue in my business?
- How can I make energy-consuming tasks feel more intentional and aligned rather than overwhelming?
- What’s one small step I can take this week to simplify my business processes and free up mental space?
- How can I prioritize rest in my schedule to reduce feelings of burnout?
