Ditch the games. You don’t have to fess up to it publicly but you probably play games if you’re like most people. Yes, adults too. Whether it’s a video game, a board game, angry birds (or candy crush or another smart phone game) or trivia night at the bar, we all engage.

I’m not saying it’s not okay to play games but ditch them for a while and pick up a pen. Metaphorically speaking, of course, because people don’t use pens anymore. So, pick up your laptop and get writing.

You don’t need to write a book and get it published. If you’re comfortable, apply to write for a website or a magazine. If not, start your own blog and write about things that matter to you, things related to your field of work or things related to causes you believe in.

And if you’re still gun-shy, then write a private journal. No, I am not kidding. Many of the world’s greatest leaders still engage in the long-forgotten activity called journaling. In fact, this is where they get most of their genius ideas.

Writing things down forces you to think through them and of course, ensures that you won’t ever lose the information. I was at the Annual Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Conference this year when Kim Ades, President and Founder of Frame of Mind Coaching, spoke about just this thing.

Kim works with many executives and she claims that the most successful ones journal, which is the basis of much of her business. I tried her free trial that she gave out at the conference so take it from someone who was a skeptic and became a believer.

Journaling is the best form of reflection and reflection is the only way we will be able to step outside of ourselves and look in. It reveals the truth and forces us to face it. When I first did my journaling with Frame of Mind Coaching, I learned things about myself that I have been able to change now and become a better person and a better professional.

Regardless of which method you start with, just begin writing. If that means writing to yourself, then so be it. Start journaling.

Just start.

For you.

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