Note to Self: a journey to self healing
Note to Self: a journey towards self-healing
Josephine Tov Josephine Tov
for _________________________ ’s eyes only. today’s date: ________ /________ /________
date: ________ /________ /________
Hi there! Just wanted to say a few words before you move further. I want to reassure you that however you are feeling is ok. It’s ok to be sad or mad or anxious or confused. We’ve all been through it at some point in our lives. Whatever it is that’s keeping you up at night, this journal is a safe space for you and whoever you wish to share it with. Focus solely on your truth. The things you couldn’t say. The secrets you’ll never tell. The things you know but refuse to admit. And when you’re all done, you can decide to burn this journal, or a page or two. Release yourself of these feelings that have weighed so heavy on your heart and mind. This is your raw and unfiltered journey in getting through this temporary pain. Remember, you are the most permanent thing in your life. So choose you. <3 And in case you haven’t heard it today,
I’m so proud of you.
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date: ________ /________ /________ These first pages are for you to write a letter to yourself as if you are writing to your best friend. This is just for you, don’t worry. Describe your life right now – your daily routines, aspirations, dislikes, desires – whatever you’re feeling. Save these pages to look back on throughout your journey.
Dear me,
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date: ________ /________ /________
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Love, me 4
date: ________ /________ /________
e
hip you
th
a re l
s tion
ha
ve
wit
urself h yo affects all the others.
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date: ________ /________ /________ Why do I want to start this journal?
What do I hope to get out of it?
What do I want to accomplish?
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date: ________ /________ /________ How am I feeling today?
What would make today better?
Three affirmations for myself: 1. 2. 3.
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date: ________ /________ /________ Throughout this journal, as well as at the end, there are pages of free space purely dedicated to whatever you wish to use them for– doodles, notes, journal entries, etc.
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date: ________ /________ /________
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PAST
My earliest memory is
I’d describe my childhood as
Home to me is
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(person, place, thing, feeling, anything)
date: ________ /________ /________ The happiest I’ve ever been was
The best day of my life was
What happiness looks like to me
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date: ________ /________ /________ The most dramatic thing to ever happen to me
Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and to do the things that make Something continue I will never forgive you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
Something I regret
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date: ________ /________ /________ The craziest thing I’ve ever done was
Five things I have done but will never do again are 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Why not? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 13
date: ________ /________ /________ The hardest decision I’ve ever had to make
The dumbest decision I’ve ever made
The best decision I’ve ever made
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date: ________ /________ /________ The key to staying positive does not mean you have to be happy all the time. It means that even on hard days, you know there are still better ones coming.
hard days
better days
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date: ________ /________ /________
PICK ME UP Use this page as a reference for things to do when you feel down. What makes you feel better on bad days? This can include anything from your grandma’s signature cookie recipe to songs that you scream in the shower to crafts that you lose track of time making.
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date: ________ /________ /________ A life-changing experience that made me into the person I am today
Remember a time that was particularly difficult. In what ways am I now thankful that event occurred? In what ways could I find the positive in life’s challenges?
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date: ________ /________ /________ When was the last time I had a really hard day? What happened?
What helped me the most in getting through it?
In what ways has this experience helped me grow? Did I learn anything new about myself?
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You deserve more than just the bare minimum.
date: ________ /________ /________ My greatest heartbreak
How did this affect me?
Something I wish I did differently while healing
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date: ________ /________ /________ The last time I said “I love you” was
The last time someone told me “I love you” was
Have I ever said “I love you” to myself?
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date: ________ /________ /________
STICKY AFFIRMATIONS
Get a small stack of sticky notes and write “I love you” on the first one. Write down two more affirmations for yourself on separate sticky notes. Place these all around your mirror and read them out loud to yourself. Add a new sticky note as frequently as you’d like, but always make sure to read it to yourself in the mirror.
I am capable.
I am worthy of good things that happen to me.
I love you.
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date: ________ /________ /________ Baggage I carry
A list of assumptions people have made about me: Why do you think people assumed these things? Are any of them true?
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date: ________ /________ /________ When have I felt most understood?
When have I felt most misunderstood?
What did I do about it? What do I wish I could have done differently?
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date: ________ /________ /________ The hardest thing I’ve ever done
If I could do it again, I would change
The most important thing I learned from this experience
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The universe will
never
give you more than you can handle.
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RAPID FIRE Check the boxes that apply to you.
I have been in love
run away
broken a bone
had a bonfire
given blood
gotten married
gotten a massage
driven a golf cart
ridden in an ambulance
cleared my browser history
got my card declined
written my will
gone surfing
showered with someone
met someone famous
been a bridesmaid/ best man
been on a diet
given a speech
had cosmetic surgery
cheated on someone
dated long distance
peed in the woods
gotten a piercing
gotten pulled over
seen a ghost
flown in a helicopter
dived off a high board
bleached my hair
won a competition
gone skydiving
gone camping
thrown up from drinking
gotten a bad tattoo
broken an expensive item
smoked a cigarette
gotten kicked out of a store
compared horiscopes
gone to a rave
turned someone down
dated someone twice
recited a poem
been to a spa 31
date: ________ /________ /________
RAPID FIRE Continued
I have
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failed a test
driven a boat
been on a double date
made a charcuterie board
done an escape room
gone viral on social media
kissed a stranger
had a pen pal
been on TV
earned a college degree
watched the sun rise
done the splits
planted a tree
been to a trampoline park
used a paper map
lied to a doctor
handwritten a love letter
cried in a bathroom stall
vaped
saved someone’s life
sung karaoke
fired a gun
stayed out all night
failed a driving test
hiked up a mountain
had a tarot card reading
danced on a pole
purchased a hydroflask
changed a car tire
broken someone’s heart
lost a bet
gotten in an accident
been to a music festival
chipped a tooth
ridden a mechanical bull
had a 9 to 5 job
faked it
had boba
ran a marathon
lost my keys
been given a promise ring
gotten a COVID-19 vaccine
date: ________ /________ /________
go
let that shit
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date: ________ /________ /________ A confession I have is
A list of things I am happy to let go of:
• • • • • • • • • • 34
date: ________ /________ /________ Just as the first pages of this journal were, these next few pages are for you to write a letter to yourself. This time, make it out to your younger self. What would you have told yourself knowing what you do now?
Dear younger me,
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date: ________ /________ /________
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Love, me
date: ________ /________ /________
CHECK IN How am I doing on this journey so far? Have I learned anything new about myself? Is there anything I want to dive deeper into?
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date: ________ /________ /________ My biggeest inspiration is
PRESENT
I am grateful for
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date: ________ /________ /________ My favorite photo in my phone Describe, sketch, or paste it below and describe what it means.
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date: ________ /________ /________ Things that bring me happiness
Things that make me laugh
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date: ________ /________ /________
Find your yellow
when you’re feeling blue.
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date: ________ /________ /________ People I love
Why I love them
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date: ________ /________ /________ People that love me
How I know they love me
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date: ________ /________ /________ One thing I’d like to change about myself is
A relationship I would like to mend
If I could erase any single day of my life, it would be
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date: ________ /________ /________ If my life was a book, what would it be called? What chapter would I be in right now?
What chapter would I like to be in?
How can I get there?
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date: ________ /________ /________ days passed
now
days ahead
stay here
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date: ________ /________ /________ Something good that happened yesterday
Something good that happened today
Something that I look forward to tomorrow
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date: ________ /________ /________ What do I need to hear right now?
What do I want to hear right now?
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date: ________ /________ /________ What do I need in my life?
What do I want in my life?
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date: ________ /________ /________ The little things in life I appreciate the most
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date: ________ /________ /________ Fill these bubbles in with your different personality traits, good and bad. What kind of person are you really?
I am
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date: ________ /________ /________ If I had to describe myself to someone that didn’t know me, I would say
My pet peeves are
I’m tired of hearing
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date: ________ /________ /________ If nobody would ever know, I would
I will never respect
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date: ________ /________ /________ What steps would I take to fix a broken heart?
The biggest waste of my time and energy right now is
People I would love to punch
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date: ________ /________ /________ Topics I find difficult to talk about, even to people I’m close with
People I need to cut out of my life
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date: ________ /________ /________ Something I wish I could forget
Things I am still holding onto
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date: ________ /________ /________ Something I would love to do for someone, but don’t have the ability to do is
Five ablities, things, or people I take for granted
For each thing on your list, write what positive contributions they make to your life.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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date: ________ /________ /________
PROGRESS CHART Growth, like progress, is non-linear. It has ups and downs, but regardless you are still moving forward. Over the next month, refer back to this page and connect dots to illustrate your progress. The better you feel, the higher the dot should be and vice versa, still moving forward each time.
always forward
:))
://
:((
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>
date: ________ /________ /________ How happy am I with my life right now?
0
1
2
3
4
5
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7
circle one
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9
10
How can I make this a 10?
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date: ________ /________ /________ How in control of my life do I feel right now?
0
1
2
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How can I make this a 10?
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circle one
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do
ou b u r n y rs e lf o ut t ’ . n
trying to keep someone else warm.
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date: ________ /________ /________ The three people I am closest to are For each person, describe why.
1. 2. 3.
Three people I would like to thank for being in my life are 1. 2. 3.
Three good things I have done for my mental health lately 1. 2. 3.
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date: ________ /________ /________ What is one thing that I know I can do that has a positive effect on my life, no matter how small?
How can I make this action a regular part of my life?
Are there any other actions I can take that would benefit others and myself? What’s the first step I need to take?
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date: ________ /________ /________ At the end of the day, who is there for me when I need them most?
Who of these people could say the same about me?
If I could talk to my best friend right now, i would tell them
When was the last time you sent a handwritten letter to someone? Use the next page to write a letter to your best friend. It can be about anything, just remind them that you’re thinking of them. You may also choose to tear the page out and send it to them if you’d like. 64
date: ________ /________ /________ Dear best friend,
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Love, your best friend
date: ________ /________ /________ The best piece of advice anyone has ever given me is
If someone going through a similar situation as me right now asked for advice, I would say
A random act of kindness that I will never forget was when
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date: ________ /________ /________ Something that gives me hope for the future
Habits I would like to: Quit
Work on
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date: ________ /________ /________ Rules I live by
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date: ________ /________ /________ Current Priorities List
If you wouldn’t say it to a friend,
please don’t say it to yourself.
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CHECK IN How do I feel after completing this section? Did I dive deeper into the topics you listed on page 37? What progress have I made and where do I want to go next?
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FUTURE Five realistic goals I have for the next year 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Five things I need to leave in the past starting today 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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date: ________ /________ /________ Where do I see myself in five years?
Where do I want to be? What kinds of things do I hope to have acheived?
My dream is to
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date: ________ /________ /________ Where do I see myself in five years? How about 10?
Where do I want to be? What kinds of things do I hope to have acheived?
My dream is to
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date: ________ /________ /________ Something I think everyone should experience in their life
Things that scare me about the future
My biggest concern is
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date: ________ /________ /________ A risk I would take if I knew I couldn’t fail is
I would die for
If I could know how I’m going to die, would I want to know? Why or why not?
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date: ________ /________ /________ What would be the worst way to die? What would be the best?
After my passing, I would want my loved ones to remember me as
Something I will take with me to the grave and never tell anyone is
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date: ________ /________ /________ Fill these bubbles in with your goals for the next 5 years. Where do you want to be? Who will you be with? What will you be doing?
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date: ________ /________ /________ What does the “finish line” look like for me right now if there is one? Do I think I can get there?
My next challenge is
Something I’ll do differently with my children (if I have them) than my parents did with me
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date: ________ /________ /________
MY FUTURE IS Use this space to make predictions about your future. What do you want from it?
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date: ________ /________ /________ Before I die, I want to
If I could spend the last day of my life anywhere, with anyone, doing anything, I would
My legacy will be
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date: ________ /________ /________ A thought or memory I will never share is
I want less of
I want more of
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date: ________ /________ /________ MY BUCKET LIST
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date: ________ /________ /________ I’d love to: Go to Try Make Let go of Study Talk to See Meet Have Learn how to Change Help Stop Feel Be
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THE FUTURE BEGINS NOW One week from now, I will
One month from now, I will
One year from now, I will
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Everything you want is on
the other side of fear.
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A LETTER I WOULD LOVE TO SEND Dear ___________________________________ ,
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Love, ______________________________
date: ________ /________ /________
A LETTER I WOULD LOVE TO RECEIVE Dear ___________________________________ ,
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Love, ______________________________
date: ________ /________ /________
Everything,
in time.
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A LETTER TO MY FUTURE SELF Dear future me ,
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Love, me
date: ________ /________ /________
CHECK IN This is the end of the guided section of the journal but not necessarily the end of your healing journey. How do you feel? How is your heart feeling? Is it in line with your head? What have you learned and what do you still have to learn?
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NOTES TO SELF The story is never finished. Use the rest of the journal continue however you’d like, only to be shared with whomever you choose.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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Someday, all of this will make perfect sense. So for now, feel the things that you want to feel and continue to do the things that make you happy. If it needs to fall apart, let it. But remember to pick yourself up and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
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