Find Your Flow: Why Guided Journaling Fails and How the Flow Journal Fixes It | Waves Wellness
You tell yourself you’ll start fresh tomorrow — eat better, think clearer, feel happier. But somehow, tomorrow keeps slipping by.
The mind feels noisy, your to-do list shouts louder than your thoughts, and self-care always comes last.
It’s not about forcing yourself to “be positive.” It’s about gently training your mind toward calm, clarity, and intention, in just small present steps daily.
Over 12 weeks, the Flow Journal blends neuroscience-backed prompts, mindful reflection, and simple daily actions that help you feel lighter, more centered, and more in flow with your life.
In this blog, we're going to debunk all common objections you may have about journaling and/or using the flow journal.
We understand it just launched, you probably don't know us, and you need more info. I would too. So we're (obviously) going to give it to you.
First let's start with some common objections you may have:
“I don’t have time / I’m too busy.”
You don’t need hours — just a few honest minutes.
The flow journal is designed intentionally to a tee. Each single prompt is based on a technique to help you improve your mindset, ultimately, and it takes less than even 5 minutes.
Think about it this way.
Think about something amazing in your life, something that no matter how small, helps you relieve stress, be happier, or get through the day easier.
Now think about something you hate. Now, do you see the difference and how long that took?
It's never about what you do, its more so about the way you feel when doing it; in other words, we call that flow.
Journaling itself is a great way to gain self awareness, grow, achieve goals, relieve stress/ anxiety, boost creativity/problem solving and even improve emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing and health. (linked to various studies that show journaling benefits on real people.)
Even more, here's some stats about journaling that prove it themselves:
The mind feels lighter when thoughts meet paper.
25% of People who kept a weekly gratitude journal reported increased life fulfillment optimism, and satisfaction. (We're also going to talk about the repetitive toxic positivity situation soon and how the flow journal solves it, hang in there😉)
Journaling has been shown to reduce anxiety by ~9% and PTSD symptoms by ~6% across multiple studies. (Small daily reflection = big impacts & long-term mental health gains.)
47% of patients with asthma and rheumatoid arthritis tried journaling (writing about stressors) and their symptoms had significantly decreased.
(Translation: Writing out your emotions doesn’t just clear your mind, it literally helps your body recover from stress-related symptoms.)
That being said, there's multitude of studies on journaling you can check out.
It simply helps you look into and at, rather than be in and associate, with what's going on your life.
This is why its so effective for making change, because awareness, acceptance or detachment is what leads to it.
It also helps your memory, critical thinking, and ability to focus. I journal myself and that's why I say this. Because it helps you keep your focus on whatever you need to or conversely, release and/or detach it.
But journaling can be hard to start, continue, or do it without false standards we have pushed onto us.
Firstly, we've gotta release all this standards BS, its your wellness, you have to start choosing what makes you feel good.
And when society has consistently told you something else I know it can be hard, I have been there as well, but think about happiness and where society's idea of it will get you in the one life you do have.
(that's what I did and I just said f* it; its my life I get to choose and I am for my happiness which I will be only one living and responsible of)
That's why guided journaling exists, as well as to help you achieve or move into a different state.
Moving into a different state = moving into a different way of seeing life and therefore living it.
Want to peak inside the Flow Journal?
The flow journal helps you find, shift, and create happiness and happier outcomes and we do this, because it simply is where motivation, vitality, and energy begin. Don't you think?
If you wanted something, do you think that it is the thing you really want? Or the feeling it gives you about yourself?
I mean lets use an example. The iPhone 17 pro. After you buy it, months later does that excitement remain? Or does that feeling that you're now an iPhone 17 Pro holder matter more?
“I’m not a writer / I’m not good at expressing myself.”
You don't need to be a writer for the flow journal, because its not about writing, its about shifting.
Apart from that its holistic expression revolved that means you draw, doodle, color sketch, write, scribble whatever makes it your happy flow.
Regardless the prompt pushes your mind in a forward direction and writing a line or two helps ground it.
You don't need to be a writer, you just need to flow and show up, writing is an outcome that comes after.
With expression, you're guided to what to write about so that shouldn't be too hard. Likely if you seek anything you have to do something, if you seek fulfillment writing a line for your better self won't hurt and you'll see and feel its benefit each time anyway.
It’s not about perfection, it’s about presence.
“Won’t it feel forced / fake if I’m answering prompts?”
Well not really. Prompts push you to think in a certain direction but ultimately its your life, your memories and your experiences you're still writing about. This time you're using them intentionally to see a new life blooming.
“Does it really work / is this just fluff?”
Journaling is a proven practice. You can even try writing about something that's stressing you out now and see if it helps. Then you can try writing something uplifting after and see how it helps.
Our guided journal simply uses our extensive studies on wellness to create a meaningful, sustainable focus + flow structure with each prompt rooted in further neuroscience based methods (with real data behind them.)
We can't forget the design, because if you don't like color it won't be for you. We love art and don't sacrifice it for science.
For instance, the use of positive psychology or forward directed prompts in the journal. CBT for positive habits and behaviors and mood tracking for regulation, awareness and alignment.
NLP and visualization methods, to shift that internal dialogue that guides your actions and creates your habits, or shall I say your feeling of them.
Athletes use this technique to preform better (for instance), neuroscientists have backed it. The flow journal simply gives you the way, the structure, the focus, and you are meant to find your flow within it.
Short answer: Yes. It works because it's a science-backed tool, not just a pretty notebook.
Your flow starts the moment you slow down
“I already journal / I can do it myself.”
Well I won't argue with you then. We're here to help and if we can't we wouldn't tell you we can.
If your journaling practice is the best it can be, helping you reach the life you desire, sustainably, keeping you accountable, and inspiring you towards better, I mean how can I argue. Keep going!
If however you find its not the best it can be, and there are goals and states that may be easier with a guided journal - then you know your answer and I have not much to say!
“It’s too expensive / I don’t want to spend money.”
We understand. However don't put a price on your happiness. Money comes and goes in life, but happiness makes experiences colorful, energizing, and lively and ultimately in life that's what we'll be taking and remembering after it all.
Obviously if its not something you can afford, you can choose to use pen, paper and prompts from the internet that help you achieve your goals meaningfully.
In fact, we even post free, proven prompts and wellness tips on our social media — check them out if you'd like @shopwaveswellness!
“I’ll quit / won’t follow through.”
This is one of the major reasons journaling doesn't stick for people and why its benefits don't become real.
The flow journal employs specific techniques that make actually using the journal more appealing and significant. Apart from it working in no time and each time.
Its not just a journal, its a new life. And your commitment determines how much you want that life. As long as you see it, open it and read what's in it. It's highly, highly unlikely that with the techniques used you won't be motivated. Also because it starts with motivation for why your using it.
The goal isn’t to do it all — it’s to keep showing up, even for two minutes.
Stop Feeling Forced: The Guided Journal That Actually Follows Your Flow
You already have what it takes to create change — you just need a proven way to stay in flow. That's what the Flow Journal helps you do.
We've all started a journal with good intentions, only to have it end up collecting dust. Here are the common reasons other guided journals don't work (and the shifts we made to fix them):
| ❌The Problem: Reasons Guided Journals Fail | ✅The Solution: How the Flow Journal Shifts That |
|
Rigid, Repetitive Structures. The same prompts and structure day after day feel more like an assignment than a practice. |
It's a Flow, Not a Formula. Daily mindset and habit-building prompts are blended with surprise wellness prompts and a guiding Flow Map. It keeps things fresh, engaging, and always moving you toward your goals. |
| Boring Design. Grey boxes, small dull text, and blank pages that feel half-missing. Why buy a journal if it doesn't inspire you to open it? | Vibrant Design Fuels Action. We don't sacrifice color or design for effectiveness! All the graphics, colors, and design are meant to uplift, inspire, and reinforce the science on the page. Happiness needs color! |
| Toxic Positivity. Overly positive, shallow prompts that demand gratitude every day, ignoring how you actually feel. | Gentle, Forward-Directed Clarity. We don't tell you to smile; we give you the space to find your own light. You get flexible options, like choosing between daily gratitude or listing three things you’re looking forward to. We accept, clarify, and shift—we don't ignore. |
|
Inauthentic, Restricting Prompts. Guided prompts that feel like assignments, blocking your flow and making the practice feel uninspiring. |
Your Flow, Your Rules. The journal has intentional space to write freely, color, draw, or express yourself in any way. Our gentle, thought-provoking questions emphasize your flow, making the journal a flexible and deeply personal practice.
|
Conclusion: It's Time to Choose Your Flow
You've seen the data, and you've debunked the doubts. Now you know the Flow Journal is not just another notebook; it's a 12-week blueprint for mental transformation, engineered to make self-care feel effortless, intentional, and inspiring.
We replaced the rigidity of traditional guided journals with gentle, science-backed flow.
We stripped away the toxic positivity and replaced it with flexible clarity.
We removed the assignment feel and gave you Your Flow, Your Rules.
Your new state of clarity, peace, and focus is just a click away.
Click below to get your Flow Journal and start your 12-week transformation toward a happier, more you-centered life.
*Note: Below review was left before improved version of the Flow Journal
