Present Not Perfect: The $6.79 journal that helped me slow down and appreciate life

Everyone experiences their own kind of stress and sometimes it seems impossible to allow yourself to slow down and truly take the time to embrace life, find peace and even love yourself. I have always been a perfectionist and often am my own worst critic. During my senior year of college, I took on a lot of responsibilities and noticed that I was constantly experiencing feelings of stress, anxiety and not thinking I was good enough or working hard enough.

I googled different ways to ease stress and saw that guided journals have helped many people. I found "Present, Not Perfect: A Journal for Slowing Down, Letting Go, and Loving Who You Are" on Amazon for only $6.79 (in my budget!) and after reading a couple reviews decided to order it for myself. I can honestly say that after competing all the directives in this journal I have released myself from the pressure of perfection. I am a more positive, appreciative, happier and healthier person. This post is not sponsored, I just really love this journal and am thankful for how much it taught me. (Click the above photo to find the link where you can purchase the journal on Amazon.)

I am so excited to give you a glimpse into this 123 paged guided journal and share with you 5 of my favorite directives/prompts. Let's dive in!

Page 21

I loved this directive because it forced me to not only think about my biggest fears, but to also write them down. Since I wrote down these fears several months ago I am proud to say my fear of rejection is not nearly as bad as it used to be. I have taken many risks in my personal life dating wise and my professional life career wise. Some of these risks have gone great and some have led to rejection, but I don't regret any of them.

What are your biggest fears? Write them down and try to release them!

Page 32

I thought this prompt was special because it reminded me of a lot of meaningful times from my childhood. I hadn't heard the song "Sunrise" by Norah Jones in years, so listening to it transported me back to being 8 years old and singing in the living room for my parents. I got to reflect on how many influential people I've met and how many important milestones I've reached since then.

Put on one of your favorite childhood songs and relive some special memories!

Page 74

This directive is great because it really puts things into perspective. We could all use a pep talk every once in a while, and it's even better coming from yourself. Sometimes I forget just how fortunate I am to be alive and have such great people in my life. I come back to this page whenever I am feeling down and need a reminder to breath and be grateful.

Write yourself a pep talk and keep it near your bedside table or desk for a nice reminder!

Page 94

This page is important to me because as previously stated, I am my own worst critic. I never realized that many of my negative thoughts were based in self-doubt rather than the truth. Translating these negative thoughts into objective statements helped me realize that I can't let negativity and my inner critic get the best of me.

What is your inner critic saying about you?

Page 120

This is one of the last pages and in my opinion the best one. Allowing myself to be free from both my internal and external pressures has immensely improved my quality of living, and finding ways to be more present and enjoy every moment has been essential in maintaining that freedom. Even when I am feeling down or think I've failed myself, I come back to this page and get a reminder that I am always working on myself.

Even if you choose not to explore this journal, I hope you consider finding a way that helps you slow down, ease stress and enjoy and appreciate life. Today I am appreciating freshly painted nails, cuddles with my roommate's cat and the new Michelle Obama podcast.

What do you appreciate most today?

XOXO,

Presley