Voice Journaling My Way Through 2021
My News Years Resolution ft. Audio Journal Apps
I started sounding off during the first lockdown of 2020, and it changed everything. Sounding off is a little like keeping an audio journal. All you do is take out your phone, hit record, and sound off about your day.
It’s fun, easy, and it tricks your mind into processing all those thoughts and feeling you’ve been putting off. Along with fooling your brain into holding yourself accountable. Elly writes a lot about the psychological benefits of audio journaling. Spoiler: there are many scientific benefits, and it’s way easier than keeping a written journal.
I’m a big fan.
Three ways I will audio journal my way through 2021…
Anytime, Anywhere
I love about audio journaling because it’s so easy to sneak it into your normal routine. At the moment, I tend to sound off for a few minutes every evening before bed. I’m going to try sounding off when I’m getting ready in the morning, while I’m driving, and on the weekend walks. Slipping sounding off into my everyday life makes it feel less forced, and more like a welcomed release.
Find a Rhythm
Here’s a trick that makes making journaling a habit 100x easier. Journal about journaling. Every week or so, sound off about sounding off. How it made you feel? How it changed your life? By reflecting on how journaling's proven benefits are working for you, motivation to continue appears like magic. Think of it like looking in the mirror after going to the gym for six months. Make time to reflect, to boost your spirits.
Listen Back
“Don’t listen back” is the first tip I give friends when they start an audio journal. “Just push onwards and listen back in a year or two,” I say — Knowing the immediate benefits come from voicing your thoughts. At the start, listening back can be a bit of a distraction. The thing is, I’ve been doing this for almost a year, and so it’s time to listen back. I bookmarked some important entires. Entires that inspire me, and remind me that life is this weird and winding thing that keeps going.
Will you start an audio journal in 2021?
We’re building a voice journal app, follow us: co-founders Elly, Paavan, & Rory post on the Sound Off publication every week.
