We have thoughts racing in our minds, don't we? Sometimes those thoughts can get away from us and lead to some serious issues in our lives, starting with our thoughts, then our emotions, then our actions and finally, our results in life.

So what's the answer to controlling these thoughts and regaining our focus?

In my research of studying successful people in life, there was one common element that I noticed almost every one of them performs: journaling. I mean really putting your thoughts on the page. It can be songwriting, poetry, sketching, stories or just your thoughts.

Before I heard that journaling was done by some of the most successful people in the world who I look up to, I had my own experience with it. At 15 I began songwriting and what started off as simply a fun process for me quickly turned into a venting process. Anytime I had anything going on in my life that led me to overthink or feel a high emotional state, I would pick up a pencil and piece of paper and begin to word vomit all over the page. I turned those words into songs and I fell in love with this therapeutic process.

After doing this, I realized how liberating and empowering that process can be. All of a sudden I wasn't overthinking anymore, I was able to mark down my thoughts and set them aside. This process really helped me to cope with the struggles of growing up as a teenager.

By the time I was 19, I decided to actually start a journal. I started off by filling it with memories from drunken nights that I didn't want to forget, but it quickly turned into me journaling about everything and anything. After a while, journaling became a very powerful part of my life. I wrote twice a day; once when I woke up and once before I went to bed. It helped me to vent, solve problems, make plans and focus on what empowers me. Now here we are over 1000 journal entries later and not only has my life has changed a lot; so does how I journal.

Here are a few tips you can use while you journal.

* There is no right or wrong. Let yourself be as open and honest as you can. You don't need to keep what you wrote, you can burn it as long as you get those thoughts out of your head.
* Ask yourself empowering questions. If you are having trouble finding inspiration for what to write about, start with a question and go from there. It can be as simple as "What was great about today?" "What am I happy about?" or "What's my plan for tomorrow and the future?"
* Journal consistently, even if you don't feel like it. Get into the habit of writing consistently, remember there is no right or wrong, but you want to develop a habit.

By: Bren Dubé @brendube

Based on Episode 42 of The Implicit Show