Project Girl 2 Woman, Author at ProjectGirl2Woman

How to become Successful through Journaling – Even if you are Terrible at Journaling

Tim Ferriss does it, Judy Willis does it, even Anaïs Nin, Einstein, and Leonardo Davinci did it. And what do all of these people have in common? Right they are or were successful, and they journal(ed). Many successful people in history have journaled. Ever wondered why all those people kept a journal although they knew no one would ever read it?

If you’re serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured, and unique individual, keep a journal.

– Jim Rohn

Journals have so many functions. You can use them to jot down your goals, take notes on your daily to dos or just write out your emotions and thoughts. Your journal can be creative and pretty or simple and practical. ( I personally am more on the messy , with tiny scratchy writing side lol). Let’s take a look at some benefits of Journaling:

Scientific Benefits of Journaling

Journaling Improves your Mood

Not only will your writing skills improve if you keep a journal a study conducted by UCLA found out that writing about your emotions and actually labeling them makes you feel better.

In the study 30 participants between the age of 18 to 36 had to view pictures with different emotional expressions. Below the pictures they read words such as “angry” or “fearful” and had to chose which emotion fits the expression. On other pictures they read “Harry” or “Sally” and had to choose the right gender. When participants attached an emotion to the facial expression there was a decreased response in the amygdala compared to when they saw the names attached. Attaching labels to the emotions decreased the emotional response.

“I don’t journal to ‘be productive.’ I don’t do it to find great ideas or to put down prose I can later publish. The pages aren’t intended for anyone but me. It’s the most cost-effective therapy I’ve ever found.” Tim Ferriss

It Reduces Stress

Scientists found out that when you write about stressful events for 15 to 20 minutes a day on 3 to 5 occasions your will feel both physically and psychologically better. Journaling is the cheapest stress reduction tool.

Achieve Goals

If you write down your goal on a constant basis it increases your chances of achieving them. Writing them down and reviewing your goals keeps them at the front of your mind.

Improves Performance

According to a study conducted by Harvard Business School journaling only 15 minutes per day can improve your performance significantly.

In a study at Wipro three groups were put through training. One group had to journal the last 15 minutes of their workday and reflect on the lessons learned for 10 executive days. The second group had to additionally spend 5 minutes on discussing their notes with each other and the last group did neither. The group who journaled did 22,8% better the group that additionally reflected 25%!

Improves your memory

Not only can you look back later in life and see what you did on a particular day it also keeps your memories sharp. Scientists found out that writing causes similar reactions in the brain as complex activities, such as making music.

And maybe in a hundred years someone will find your journal and make a movie of it.

“I hope that someday when I am gone, someone, somewhere, picks my soul up off of these pages and thinks, ‘I would have loved her.’” — Nicole Lyons

So how to get started?

1. It doesn’t have to be a pretty journal

I know on Instagram and Pinterest there are many pretty journal pictures. And you can make your journal look pretty, but actually there are no rules to journaling. You can adapt it to your personal
needs. If you feel like putting pictures and nice prints you can do that, but you can use plain paper or even journal online in word or a note program. In case you want it to look pretty, but don’t want to spend hours on drawing nice pictures check out this thepetiteplanner.com they have many free printables. I love the site and use a few of the printables myself.

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2. Start simple

Many think that journaling means writing pages of your thoughts and takes a lot of effort. But you can also start simple. Writing a sentence, a day is enough. You can even just write down a word. I had a really successful classmate, who would only write down what she was grateful for on that day. Thinking back it is really amazing she already knew, when young how beneficial it is to write down what you are grateful for. And I am sure it is super interesting to look back and see: “Today I ate the most amazing Pizza with my best friend. ” And think about the good old times.

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3. Make it a habit

Try writing in your journal on a daily basis to reap the benefits of journaling. If you just journal on and off at some point when life is busy, you will easily forget about journaling again. Or at least that’s how I feel. So, try to make it a daily habit and stick with it. And if you can’t make it sometimes don’t beat yourself up over it.

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4. Take your journal everywhere

What if you have a good idea, while on a trip or you want to take notes. You can use chances, such as riding the train or waiting at the doctors to write into your journal. Throughout the day you will have little time gaps to write down into your notebook.

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5. Have fun

However, you decide to do your journal. Whether you want to make a really pretty looking one a plain and practical one keeps in mind to have fun. Will it change your life? If you journal continuously journaling has the potential to drastically improve your life. Give it a go and see where it takes you.

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Before you go…

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Love from Germany,

Julia and Carina

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10 Ways to be more Social during Quarantine

Project Girl 2 Woman

How many of us are tired of self isolation? Tired of feeling lonely? We don’t want to stare at our white walls any longer with no end in sight! But wait – what if I get infected? Is it safe outside? Are my friends infected and don’t know it? Am I infected and am I a risk to others? Maybe I should stay inside… And another 2 weeks with the same old habits begin and just slowly we all turn crazy.

Let’s stop being dramatic. I have good news for all of us! We no longer need to stalk our neighbors through our lovely windows just to get a tiny bit of social contact. With the following 10 tips you can boost your social life and maybe even start new friendships!

1. Spend time with your family:

Yes, it’s obvious but honestly do we really use the time to improve our family relationship? There is no better moment to spend time with your loved ones and if you even live with them you can have physical contact too! Hug your mom, invite your siblings to a nice round of Monopoly or surprise your lover with a nice breakfast in bed. This is the time to conquer problems, fight fears and to cry together over sad movies! Before we complained we never had enough time. Well now we do have the time! No more excuses.

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2. Watch movies online with your friends or strangers

Of course nowadays it is easy to share your screen and to watch movies with your friends (per Skype, Discord).Choose a film based on both of your interests, get snacks and a comfy pj and laugh your heart out. If you are interested in watching movies with strangers – more like a cinema setting you can check out filthy casual! Usually one person is sharing a movie and you can watch it. You can communicate with the other movie watchers by writing in the chat right next to it! But please be aware that not all movies are appropriate for children!

3. Joining a Discord Server:

Joining a Discord Server: Now, I have mentioned Discord earlier – why not share some more information about it? Discord is a desktop application and only requires the creation of an account. In general it is a great way to share one’s interests with others. If you look online for Discord servers you will find a big variety of opportunities. Studying languages, gaming even groups for gardening can be found! Just search discord and your interest on google and apply and join a server of your choice (of course you can apply to more than one) . Next you can chat and even call with people who share the same hobby with you. And the best? It’s free, international and a great way to make friends during this pandemic. Also, you can always invite your friends and share this moment together.

4. Start or Join a Facebook group:

If you don’t want to download a program you can always use Facebook instead. Facebook also offers a big amount of different groups and is (depending on the group) easier to join. People are also very friendly and it is definitely a way to make new friends. Just like Discord- Facebook is free, but you have to register an account. Also, you can always invite your friends to a group and share great moments together. The advantage of Facebook is that you can share moments on your profile, you can read the news, check local but also international events (hopefully happening soon), chat with complete strangers (please be careful!) and even support individuals or businesses. If you are not ready to talk with a person or a whole group you can still exchange voice messages to hear another person’s voice! Are you sick of quarantine? Join a group or even better – start your own one!

5. Build your Social Media!

Yes, I am talking about Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok and so on. Social Media is booming right now- everyone is online to connect to as many people as they can. And you should too! Building your social media account does not mean trying to be famous but instead you should focus on networking. Build good relationships with people you like, who you can support, who share the same mindset. It does not only make you more productive during quarantine if you choose the right people, but it also makes you feel more social and even increases your social skill, Also you can see how others handle their self isolation and maybe even get the motivation to start a new project or be more creative!

6. Taking Online Classes

You probably are curious how learning should help with being more social. Especially if you are a student and you know that mostly we don’t connect with anyone anymore as classes are either recorded or students are absolutely quiet with no camera and no microphone on. If you can choose to do a course voluntarily I would definitely recommend you to look for an interactive course. No matter if learning programming, sewing or cooking- if you choose the right course you can talk with your fellow students and connect in an easy way. Also, you can create wonderful friendships even after completing the course! Just see the learned knowledge as a plus 😉

7. Joining HelloTalk or get a Tandem Partner:

You are a language learner but don’t want to pay money? No problem! You can always download the app Hellotalk or get a Tandem Partner! Both are great ways to connect with people and to increase your language skill. Just remember: The internet can be a scary place. Don’t put yourself in unnecessary, dangerous situations by meeting strangers in weird places! The advantage of getting friends over a language learning plattform is that you also learn new facts about a different culture and maybe even find yourself attracted to a new lifestyle! Why not craft some travel plan for when this virus is finally over?

8. Get a Penpal Partner:

I know it seems complex with all the letter and sticker shopping and then sending it off: Why can’t we just find friends online? If you are a penpal friend you will already know why it is so fascinating to write letters instead. I had my first and last penpal friend when I was 10 years old – don’t ask me how I found that boy 300km away because there is no way I can remember that. But I for sure know that it was amazing. Not only that you have this rush of excitement every time you receive a letter – but as you also don’t know the person (at least at the beginning) it is always mixed with curiosity as you don’t know what the person wrote next. Yes, it could be dangerous if you hand your address to the wrong person, but you can always look up a safe penpal site with verified users to avoid any troubles. Just a tip: every penpal is happy for small extras, like stickers, drawings or even a picture if you know each other better! It may be more time consuming but at the end you have the actual proof in your hands and I will promise you that crafting letters is more fun than you think!

9. Games Games Games

Oh, yes – I can’t wait for the comment of my sister once she reads through this article. But to be quite frank – gaming helps to be more socially active! And it’s fun! Of course you do not have to play shooters like GTA or Rainbow 6 Siege but just any game that can connect you to the outer world will work. Games nowadays have a push-to talk button where you can talk with the person playing with you (stranger or friend). For example Arma 3 Tanoa Life: The game is about creating a character on an island whereby all the regulations and rules are based on the players. You can choose to be a policewoman and fight other players who choose to go the criminal road, be a reporter or a diver. The reason why I mentioned this game is the fact that it offers you a virtual world whereby the gameplay is more based on real life (lets ignore the weapons, ladies). Of course you can also play survival games, strategic games even board games online. Or if you prefer to watch: Just follow a gameplayer on twitch – the community is always welcoming and friendly (at least from those who I know).

10. Join a Virtual Event:

Not a fan of gaming and preferring the real world? No problem! While everyone is quarantined in most parts of the world- artists and creators came up with a new idea: virtual events. It doesn’t matter if it’s the concert of your favorite singer, pride, cosplayers or sport events. Many scenarios are filmed and shared live through platforms like Youtube, Twitch or Facebook (feel free to add more platforms in the comments!) Buy your fan merch, wave your lighter and watch your next BTS concert virtually! Same goes for your favorite sports events: Grab a beer,the football scarf of your favorite team and throw yourself in your favorite seat when watching the long awaited football game.

We don’t need to live like the world is on pause now. Due to all the technical improvements and developments we had over the past years we can combine our quarantine with other people. With things we enjoy doing or seeing.

At the end it is our own choice what we do during the Corona pandemic. I just hope you aint giving up. Work hard and use every second given.

Bad times like this won’t stop us from connecting with others and to improve our lives.

IF you want to improve your life during the lockdown – don’t forget to check out our other posts!

Stay healthy and we post again on Saturday!

Have a great week

Carina and Julia 🙂

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How to Make a Budget Plan for Beginners + Free Budget Plan Template

Project Girl 2 Woman

3 Benefits of Budgeting:

Budgeting is not only important for companies and entrepreneurs but also beneficial for any household worldwide.

Overview of all the occuring costs:

Do you know how much you actually spent on coffee the past month? How much money you used on your last shopping trip? Why your costs are suddenly so high on certain days? I had a colleague, who never knew he spent 400$ on Sushi a month, until he did his budget plan.

Especially with credit cards it is hard to know how much money we actually spend. Take your card. Swipe it. Type in your password –if even necessary and ZAK! The bill, thrown away or stashed in one of the shopping bags (Or in my case my purse – I already have a bill collection in there). Mostly we don’t even look at the costs at all. Especially, if we talk with a chatty friend, if you know what I mean. But if you take your time and write down your expenses – maybe even just once a week you will always have an overview of where your money goes.

(I probably shouldn’t add this to the blogpost – but do Americans really buy toilet LEDs with air freshener? I need to say that I was kind of stunned at the beginning but looking at it for a second time – it looks pretty cool. If you are curious: here is the Amazon link)

Saving more money and hitting money goals

If you know where your money goes, you can start thinking about where to cut costs and where to cut the expenses completely. Do you really need another flower pot if your room already looks like half a jungle? Probably yes, but I am sure you can cut down on coffee costs , the magazine subscription you pay for, but never read, or eating out five times a week. (Easier said than done – I know).

If it is really hard for you to give up on anything and you really think you need to buy the extra super expensive bag, or another video game, then just think about your money goal. (A personal tip; Write down! The exact number and pin it to your desk wall! – You will always be reminded of your goal). Before, I always thought, this month I will spend less, but never actually achieved the goal. It was simply too vague. Saving get so much easier, when you have an actual number in your mind instead of a vague, undefined number.

Why is it important for you to hit this money goal? Also, if you cannot withstand the urge to spend money, just tell yourself to wait for another week. One week will turn into two, and two will turn into the day you hit your money goal! I am not saying never afford anything, just not spend money recklessly.

Calculating debt repayments and possible debt amounts:

Budgeting can help you hereby in two ways:

If you already are in debt you can calculate and find a way to decrease your debt with a cost reduction plan or

if you plan on investing in a bigger project ( for example taking a loan to buy a house or to pay for tuition fees) you can take a look at your total expenditures and figure out how much money you can pay back and how long it takes for you to pay back this debt amount. Here you can set yourself a personal goal date to become debt free and work towards a positive number.

LHow to create a Budget Plan- The 50/30/20 Rule

One of the most used budget plans is the 50/30/20 budget.

50% = Basic costs (you need to live)

30% = Wants

20% = Savings or debt repayment

As you can see in the list above, you do not have to abstain from the things you want, you merely have to restrict the amount you spend on them to 30% of your net income.

50 %

If , for example, you have a net income of 1800$ you first pay off your basic living costs, such as your rent, food costs, car costs, insurances, water and electricity and your phone bill and most importantly, to read our blog, internet costs. Think about all necessities you need to fulfill your basic needs. If the amount reaches more than 50% think about small reductions of those costs: Can you drive with public transportation? Can you save money when buying groceries? Can you reduce your rent or electricity bill? Let us know if you would like more information on how you can save money?

30 %

are your want-budget. With a net income of 1800 $, this would be 540$ per month, which you can spend on books or short travels. Moreover, spendings to increase your skills like online classes and a visit to your favorite coffee shop also count to your want money

20 %

The rest, consisting of 20% goes to debt repayments and savings. 360$ a month is put aside for unexpected expenses.

Personal Tip:

If you are interested in investing I would recommend you to reduce your “want” percentage to 20% and use the remaining 10% to invest.

How to create a Budgeting Plan

Step 1: Set up your categories: You can use the categories of the 50/30/20 Budget Rule or form your own ones.

Step 2: Add the month you are budgeting for

Step 3: Write down all costs

Step 4: The space before “Amount” is to highlight the acceptance of the amount spend.

Let’s say you buy groceries for 100$ but your goal was to spend less than 80$: You can either color it orange if it is still in the “okay” range for you or “red” as it went way over your budget.

If you, instead of 100$ only spend 70$, it would be colored green as you hit your planned budget goal. Checking your budget plan you can immediately see where you spend too much money. If you don’t want to color, you can just add a x for “over the budget” or leave it empty if you are below.

Step 5:

Every time you save money or you a set amount to pay back debt you can “fill” the bottle. To know the size of the circle added, we use following calculation:

100% / your money goal x the amount you saved

If you have, for example, a money goal of 2000$ – and you put 100$ in your saving jar:

100% / 2000$ x 100$ = 5%

Now estimate what 5% of your bottle are and color it in your favored color.

Step 6: At the end of the month you sum up your costs.

Step 7: Calculate the % of each category based on your total income. Color the percentage on the graph.

Calculation: 100% / total income x costs of category

Lets say you have an income of 1800$ and your total expenses for “Basic Costs” is 1080$:

100% / 1800$ x 1080$ = 60 %

Step 8: Compare different month’s to figure out your spending habits.

Setting Goals for Budgeting:

One very important money goal for budgeting is being debt free and not making debt on a monthly basis. But in general budgeting is based on your personal needs and the different activities you add to your life. We can’t decide your money goal, but we can help you with goal setting. Read more about goal settinghere..

If we think about the reasons why we buy unnecessary items we probably immediately think about items connected to friends or social media, or stuff we collect. I, myself, got seduced by ads on social media. I bought a new bag I didn’t need. Do I regret it ? No. But I cannot deny that I could have saved the 40$ and invested the money.

Or have you ever had a situation where you went out with a friend and she talked you into buying something? Maybe a new shirt that looks fabulous on you? Maybe a new computer game? Or maybe it is the other way around and you bought something to gain respect from your friends?

My sister always gets weak when she passes bookstores. She always picks up a new book.

In general it is not a bad thing to spend money on yourself. It is the reason behind the purchase and the amount you spend that makes it acceptable (in your perspective) or not. So, if you consider buying something the next time you are in between a group of people (or social media) consider for yourself if the item is worth buying and will have a good use or if the money is wasted.

If you have a question to Budgeting – feel free to leave a comment or write on our social media!

Also, if you are curious about how to overcome procrastination or how to be more motivated: Check out our blogposts! And if you are curious about our progress check out the progress report.

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