--- title: Mari's Life Matters Blog | CreateWriteNow | Kara McDuffee description: Discover how Journaling For The Health Of It® helps you with your Money, Health, and Self Matters in our monthly problem-solving columns. --- [Skip to content](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/author/kara-mcduffee#main-content) Close ** Click to close Learn from real people, just like you, how therapeutic journaling can benefit your life. Within these personal stories you’ll find journaling tips, tricks, inspiration and ideas that help you structure your journaling practice—and discover the true value journaling can bring to your life. Find the inspiration to keep going and the motivation to make journaling work for you and your hectic schedule. Learn about these everyday people who made the decision to put pen to paper and how it transformed their lives! Have a problem getting back into or staying with your Journaling Power Practice? CreateWriteNow provides 300+ unique, soul-searching journaling power prompts here that will inspire your Muse and jumpstart your word flow. Life Matters Blog | [Self Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-matters), [Life Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/life-matters), [Self-Love Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-love-matters) ## [Self-Love Matters: Three Weapons to Defend Your Journaling Habit](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-3-weapons-to-defend-your-journaling-habit) [Kara McDuffee](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/author/kara-mcduffee)   I felt so accomplished; after years of half-hearted attempts, I had finally started a consistent journaling habit. For months every morning, the notebook and pen found their way into my hand, and I proudly did what I always knew was beneficial for my life: I journaled. Until I didn't. The habit didn't stop all at once. There was a random day when I had to leave earlier than usual. Another one when I didn't sleep well. One when a huge work project hung over my head and demanded my attention as soon as the alarm went off. And over time, this gradual line of decision-making–to forgo journaling in place of something that felt more pressing–made my new habit all but disappeared.  How had I finally started and stuck with such a beneficial habit for months–and one I was so motivated to do–only to let it fade away so quickly?   [Read More](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-3-weapons-to-defend-your-journaling-habit) Life Matters Blog | [Self Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-matters), [Life Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/life-matters), [Self-Love Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-love-matters) ## [Self-Love Matters: 6 Surprising Tips to Start (and Actually Stick) with A Journaling Habit](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-6-tips-to-start-a-journaling-habit) [Kara McDuffee](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/author/kara-mcduffee) My apartment used to be littered with empty notebooks with a first page that read, “I’m excited to start journaling again!” And then, after a few scribbled pages, nothing. I couldn’t seem to stick... [Read More](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-6-tips-to-start-a-journaling-habit) Life Matters Blog | [Self Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-matters), [Life Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/life-matters), [Self-Love Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-love-matters) ## [Self-Love Matters: 3 Reasons Naming Your ‘Why’ Brings You Inner Calm And Energy](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-3-reasons-naming-your-why-brings-you-inner-calm-and-energy) [Kara McDuffee](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/author/kara-mcduffee) Do you ever feel stuck in a procrastination fog, unable to get yourself to do the thing you’ve been telling yourself that you want to do? Or, when you do get around to doing it, disappointed that it... [Read More](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-3-reasons-naming-your-why-brings-you-inner-calm-and-energy) Life Matters Blog | [Self Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-matters), [Life Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/life-matters) ## [Self-Awareness: ABC's of Changing your Inner Dialogue](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-abc-of-changing-your-inner-dialogue) [Kara McDuffee](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/author/kara-mcduffee) ### How can your ABCs skyrocket your self-confidence and success? Have you ever beat yourself up over something you said? Or perhaps got extra critical of yourself because something turned out... [Read More](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-abc-of-changing-your-inner-dialogue) Life Matters Blog | [Self Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-matters), [Life Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/life-matters) ## [Self-Awareness: When Is The Scarcity Mindset Pulling You From Happiness?](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-when-is-the-scarcity-mindset-pulling-you-from-happiness) [Kara McDuffee](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/author/kara-mcduffee) Have you ever felt like you’re *not enough* of something? Or perhaps, that you don’t *have enough* of something? I’ll answer for you: you have. I know because it’s not merely a universal feeling we all... [Read More](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-when-is-the-scarcity-mindset-pulling-you-from-happiness) Life Matters Blog | [Self Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-matters), [Life Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/life-matters) ## [Self-Awareness: Why does unlearning lead you to happiness?](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-why-does-unlearning-lead-you-to-happiness) [Kara McDuffee](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/author/kara-mcduffee) From when we’re born, we’re encouraged to learn things. In the early years, we embrace learning like a sponge; we absorb everything, and anything as our brains begin to construct life. As we get... [Read More](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-why-does-unlearning-lead-you-to-happiness) Life Matters Blog | [Self Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-matters), [Life Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/life-matters) ## [Self-Awareness: What Patterns Are Holding You Back?](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-what-patterns-are-holding-you-back) [Kara McDuffee](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/author/kara-mcduffee) We all have that person in our life who repeats the same mistakes over and over again. Whether it pertains to relationships, work, or everyday life, we can see that they’re not learning from their... [Read More](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-what-patterns-are-holding-you-back) Life Matters Blog | [Self Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-matters), [Life Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/life-matters) ## [Self-Awareness: Are you having trouble starting or sticking with something?](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-are-you-having-trouble-starting-or-sticking-with-something) [Kara McDuffee](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/author/kara-mcduffee) I know that I’m not alone in my failure to make a change. After all, there’s a reason that most New Year’s Eve resolutions don’t even last until the end of January. Have you ever set a goal that you... [Read More](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-are-you-having-trouble-starting-or-sticking-with-something) Life Matters Blog | [Self Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/self-matters), [Life Matters](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/tag/life-matters) ## [Self-Awareness: How Our Bodies Affect Our Choices in a Powerful Way (And How We Can Harness This Power)](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-how-our-bodies-affect-our-choices-in-a-powerful-way) [Kara McDuffee](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/author/kara-mcduffee) My friend's lack of awareness around her body's choices almost destroyed our relationship - and her life. At the beginning of the pandemic, my friend lost her job. The lack of stability fueled her... [Read More](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-how-our-bodies-affect-our-choices-in-a-powerful-way) # Life Challenges Blog ## Posts by Kara McDuffee: [![Self-Love Matters: Three Weapons to Defend Your Journaling Habit-featured](https://www.createwritenow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Self-LoveMattersThurmb.jpg?length=400&name=Self-LoveMattersThurmb.jpg) ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-3-weapons-to-defend-your-journaling-habit) Self Matters AND Life Matters AND Self-Love Matters Kara McDuffee #### [Self-Love Matters: Three Weapons to Defend Your Journaling Habit Self-Love Matters: Three Weapons to Defend Your Journaling Habit](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-3-weapons-to-defend-your-journaling-habit) I felt so accomplished; after years of half-hearted attempts, I had finally started a consistent journaling habit. For months every morning, the... [Read More Details Click to view blog post ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-3-weapons-to-defend-your-journaling-habit) [![Self-Love Matters: 6 Surprising Tips to Start (and Actually Stick) with A Journaling Habit-featured](https://www.createwritenow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Self-LoveMattersThurmb.jpg?length=400&name=Self-LoveMattersThurmb.jpg) ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-6-tips-to-start-a-journaling-habit) Self Matters AND Life Matters AND Self-Love Matters Kara McDuffee #### [Self-Love Matters: 6 Surprising Tips to Start (and Actually Stick) with A Journaling Habit Self-Love Matters: 6 Surprising Tips to Start (and Actually Stick) with A Journaling Habit](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-6-tips-to-start-a-journaling-habit) My apartment used to be littered with empty notebooks with a first page that read, “I’m excited to start journaling again!” And then, after a few... [Read More Details Click to view blog post ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-6-tips-to-start-a-journaling-habit) [![Self-Love Matters: 3 Reasons Naming Your ‘Why’ Brings You Inner Calm And Energy-featured](https://www.createwritenow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Self-LoveMattersThurmb.jpg?length=400&name=Self-LoveMattersThurmb.jpg) ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-3-reasons-naming-your-why-brings-you-inner-calm-and-energy) Self Matters AND Life Matters AND Self-Love Matters Kara McDuffee #### [Self-Love Matters: 3 Reasons Naming Your ‘Why’ Brings You Inner Calm And Energy Self-Love Matters: 3 Reasons Naming Your ‘Why’ Brings You Inner Calm And Energy](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-3-reasons-naming-your-why-brings-you-inner-calm-and-energy) Do you ever feel stuck in a procrastination fog, unable to get yourself to do the thing you’ve been telling yourself that you want to do? Or, when... [Read More Details Click to view blog post ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-love-matters-3-reasons-naming-your-why-brings-you-inner-calm-and-energy) [![Self-Awareness: ABC's of Changing your Inner Dialogue-featured](https://www.createwritenow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg?length=400&name=SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg) ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-abc-of-changing-your-inner-dialogue) Self Matters AND Life Matters Kara McDuffee #### [Self-Awareness: ABC's of Changing your Inner Dialogue Self-Awareness: ABC's of Changing your Inner Dialogue](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-abc-of-changing-your-inner-dialogue) How can your ABCs skyrocket your self-confidence and success? Have you ever beat yourself up over something you said? Or perhaps got extra critical... [Read More Details Click to view blog post ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-abc-of-changing-your-inner-dialogue) [![Self-Awareness: When Is The Scarcity Mindset Pulling You From Happiness?-featured](https://www.createwritenow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg?length=400&name=SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg) ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-when-is-the-scarcity-mindset-pulling-you-from-happiness) Self Matters AND Life Matters Kara McDuffee #### [Self-Awareness: When Is The Scarcity Mindset Pulling You From Happiness? Self-Awareness: When Is The Scarcity Mindset Pulling You From Happiness?](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-when-is-the-scarcity-mindset-pulling-you-from-happiness) Have you ever felt like you’re not enough of something? Or perhaps, that you don’t have enough of something? I’ll answer for you: you have. I know... [Read More Details Click to view blog post ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-when-is-the-scarcity-mindset-pulling-you-from-happiness) [![Self-Awareness: Why does unlearning lead you to happiness?-featured](https://www.createwritenow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg?length=400&name=SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg) ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-why-does-unlearning-lead-you-to-happiness) Self Matters AND Life Matters Kara McDuffee #### [Self-Awareness: Why does unlearning lead you to happiness? Self-Awareness: Why does unlearning lead you to happiness?](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-why-does-unlearning-lead-you-to-happiness) From when we’re born, we’re encouraged to learn things. In the early years, we embrace learning like a sponge; we absorb everything, and anything as... [Read More Details Click to view blog post ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-why-does-unlearning-lead-you-to-happiness) [![Self-Awareness: What Patterns Are Holding You Back?-featured](https://www.createwritenow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg?length=400&name=SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg) ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-what-patterns-are-holding-you-back) Self Matters AND Life Matters Kara McDuffee #### [Self-Awareness: What Patterns Are Holding You Back? Self-Awareness: What Patterns Are Holding You Back?](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-what-patterns-are-holding-you-back) We all have that person in our life who repeats the same mistakes over and over again. Whether it pertains to relationships, work, or everyday life,... [Read More Details Click to view blog post ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-what-patterns-are-holding-you-back) [![Self-Awareness: Are you having trouble starting or sticking with something?-featured](https://www.createwritenow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg?length=400&name=SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg) ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-are-you-having-trouble-starting-or-sticking-with-something) Self Matters AND Life Matters Kara McDuffee #### [Self-Awareness: Are you having trouble starting or sticking with something? Self-Awareness: Are you having trouble starting or sticking with something?](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-are-you-having-trouble-starting-or-sticking-with-something) I know that I’m not alone in my failure to make a change. After all, there’s a reason that most New Year’s Eve resolutions don’t even last until the... [Read More Details Click to view blog post ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-are-you-having-trouble-starting-or-sticking-with-something) [![Self-Awareness: How Our Bodies Affect Our Choices in a Powerful Way (And How We Can Harness This Power)-featured](https://www.createwritenow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg?length=400&name=SelfMattersThurmb-2.jpg) ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-how-our-bodies-affect-our-choices-in-a-powerful-way) Self Matters AND Life Matters Kara McDuffee #### [Self-Awareness: How Our Bodies Affect Our Choices in a Powerful Way (And How We Can Harness This Power) Self-Awareness: How Our Bodies Affect Our Choices in a Powerful Way (And How We Can Harness This Power)](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-how-our-bodies-affect-our-choices-in-a-powerful-way) My friend's lack of awareness around her body's choices almost destroyed our relationship - and her life. At the beginning of the pandemic, my friend... [Read More Details Click to view blog post ](https://www.createwritenow.com/life-matters-blog/self-awareness-how-our-bodies-affect-our-choices-in-a-powerful-way) ## Subscribe to Our Newsletter Stay up-to-date with the latest news, updates, and exclusive content from CreateWriteNow by subscribing to our newsletter. Join our community of journaling enthusiasts and embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. **