How I Transformed My Brain in 2024 to Escape Overthinking and Embrace Positivity

In late 2023, just a few months after my 30th birthday, I found myself at a crossroads. It wasn’t that my life was bad—far from it. But as I reflected on the years gone by, I realised how much time I’d spent drifting, dreamily moving through life without direction. I’d always been a dreamer, but I lacked a plan.

The thought of turning 30 had sparked something deeper: a longing for intention, clarity, and purpose. The idea that life is short had never felt so real, and I was ready to take control.

Armed with a few journal prompts I’d found online, I began to explore my vision of an ideal life. I sketched out mind maps, crafted mood boards, and visualized my future self living with purpose. What did I discover? I wasn’t fully aligned with the life I wanted.

I wasn’t unhappy, but I knew I wasn’t fulfilled either. I wanted more—a life that felt meaningful, intentional, and undeniably my own.

The Turning Point: Journaling as a Tool for Change

At first, journaling was just a way to organise my thoughts and set goals for 2024. I started small, using prompts to clarify my intentions.

But what started as a simple exercise turned into something transformative.

By mapping out my desires and consistently reflecting on where I was throughout the year, I began to notice patterns in my thoughts—especially the overthinking. I realised that much of my mental energy was spent on repetitive, negative thoughts: What if this doesn’t work? What if I fail? What will people think?

Journaling became a safe space to unpack these thoughts. Over time, it helped me break the cycle. Here’s how:

1. Bringing Awareness to Overthinking: writing down my thoughts allowed me to see them for what they were: fleeting, often irrational stories I was telling myself. Journaling gave me the distance I needed to observe my overthinking without judgment.

2. Reframing Negative Narratives: through regular reflections, I began to challenge negative thoughts. When I noticed myself spiraling, I used journaling to flip the script: What’s the best that could happen? What am I learning from this experience?

3. Practicing Gratitude: incorporating gratitude into my journaling routine shifted my perspective. Even on tough days, finding small things to be thankful for—like a kind word or a sunny morning—helped me focus on the positive.

4. Focusing on Progress Over Perfection: one of my favourite parts of my weekly journaling was creating scorecards to track my effort, not outcomes. This small shift helped me celebrate progress rather than get caught up in perfectionism—a major trigger for my overthinking.

5. Setting Intentions and Letting Go: journaling became my way of setting intentions for the week ahead and letting go of challenges I couldn’t control. It taught me to live in the present rather than ruminate on the past or worry about the future.

My 2024 Journaling System

To kick off 2024, I developed a journaling system that allowed me to stay aligned with my goals and intentions throughout the year:

Clarifying My Vision
I started by narrowing in on what I truly wanted in life. Through journaling, I explored my 1-year and 5-year visions, asking questions like:

• Where do I want to be this time next year?

• What excites me most about reaching my goals?

• What’s currently holding me back, and how can I overcome it?

• What steps can I take now to move closer to my goal?

Mapping Out Achievements
I wrote down activities that would move me closer to my goals, ensuring I included time for fun and self-care. I created a mood board to visualise my year, and then I created a basic calendar view with my commitments for the year to avoid over-committing.

Breaking Goals into Themes
I organized my goals into areas like:

• Yoga practice

• Emotional well-being

• Physical well-being

• Professional development

• Social connections

• Finances

Getting Started Immediately
To avoid procrastination, I took small, actionable steps right away. I bought journals, set up a savings plan, and created a budget that included my goals and experiences for the year.

Establishing Weekly and Monthly Practices
My weekly journal included:

• Gratitude reflections

• What went well and what didn’t

• A weekly scorecard for effort in my goal areas

• Focus for the week ahead

• A tarot card reading for inspiration

Each month, I decorated a larger journal, evaluated progress in each goal area, wrote about improvements and lessons learned, and highlighted key moments from the month.

What I’ll Change in 2025

For 2025, I’ll be keeping much of this system the same but with a few adjustments:

• Daily Practice: I’m adding a 5-minute daily journal template for quick reflections.

• Streamlined Weekly Reviews: These will be simpler and less decorative to save time.

• Focused Monthly Reviews: I’ll focus more on scrapbooking and targeted questions for alignment with my goals.

As we step into 2025, it’s a chance to create a life full of intention, positivity, and growth. Journaling has taught me to slow down, embrace the process, and focus on what truly matters.

If you’re thinking about how to create a meaningful 2025, journaling is a wonderful place to start.

To make it even easier, I’ve created a 5-Minute Daily Journal Template that includes simple prompts like affirmations, gratitude, and reflections. It’s perfect for those who want to take small but impactful steps toward reducing overthinking and building a positive mindset.

You don’t need hours to see the benefits—just five minutes a day can help you find clarity and purpose, especially as you prepare to embrace a new year.

Wishing you all the best for 2025 and beyond

Tamryn xo