Welcome back to the Real Life Moms podcast where moms come for inspiration and tools to create that life that they desire. I'm Lisa Foster, your host. And today I have Allie Mirsevec here with me, and she is the founder of Bliss'd, a self care company that helps moms live a more joyful and fulfilling life using an easy self care practice of journaling.
So thank you so much for coming on the show today. Thank you so much for having me, Lisa. I'm really excited to be here. Me too. Journaling is something I don't do enough of. I do it, um, but I don't know if I do it correctly. So I'm excited about this conversation. I guess there's no correctly, right? Yeah, I was just going to say that.
So you, you are ahead of me on that one. There's definitely no right or wrong when it comes to journaling, but I can definitely relate to that feeling of, of You know, overwhelm or not knowing if I'm doing it right when first starting out. And it can be overwhelming. So [00:01:00] how did you actually start kind of getting into journaling and also what was your inspiration to kind of help others do the same?
So how I started journaling, is connected to my first postpartum experience in 2019. I had my son and I was hit with postpartum depression, which I was not anticipating. I mean, it completely knocked me down, and I was doing all the things I was in therapy, I was on medicine, which I like to be very upfront about, and my therapist suggested journaling is another tool to help, just as a way to kind of process what I was going through between sessions, and then also as a way to remember if there was anything that came up between sessions that I then wanted to talk about.
And honestly, I really like discovered a love for journaling then. That surprised me because I had never totally been a, aside from maybe in high school, like the dear diary, he doesn't like me to type of journaler. I never really been a journaler. Um, so I was really surprised by [00:02:00] this fact and my journaling practice stuck long after I finished the medicine.
And it just became like such an integral part of my self care routine. so , what inspired you to then actually have other people do it? Because you started making journals yourself. Yeah, I think that there's like two parts to that question.
The first part is that I have always had an entrepreneurial drive. So. I've always wanted to have my own business. I just never totally knew what that business would be in. and it's funny because. There's a saying that sometimes like you find your purpose through your most challenging times, and I feel like that was really the case for me during this, it was in my exploratory stage of looking into journals.
I was trying all of the journaling methods out there I was trying a lot of the really popular journals that are on the
market today, and I just felt like there was a gap in the guided journal [00:03:00] market for something that was simple. Thank you. easy to use and flexible. So I started writing in a blank journal, just a really simple format that kind of covered all the bases of like, just getting my thoughts out, writing down my gratitudes and focusing on my, like something I was working towards or manifesting.
And then that kind of, I was like, wow, this is actually, this is the idea. So I think it was kind of two parts. Like I was already wearing that entrepreneurial hat. For so long, like what can I do? I want have my own business and then finding that gap through like identifying it through needing it myself, was what led me to create this company.
What a cool idea. I love when You know, things just kind of happen naturally like that. You fall in love with something and then that becomes your business, right? Like, so great. Yeah, it, it really does feel like I am on the right path and I've been on many, you know, life is [00:04:00] life is a journey. But it really does feel like I've found my purpose and I'm on the right path and I really want to help.
More moms embrace this practice of journaling because it has been such a life changer for me and it, it can be, or should be in my opinion like really simple and easy to do and meant to fit into like your are full lives. Yeah, and I feel like as so I'm a craniosacral therapist and one of the things I recommend all the time actually for my patients after a session is journaling and not necessarily so much about their specific experience or things to remember, but.
It's almost also a practice of getting it out, like we kind of getting it out of their body and now we need to like, almost like write it down, there's something about writing it down that just really cements the getting it out. So I do I love it and I see so many benefits from the clients that I see, but what are some of the benefits that you found about journaling.[00:05:00]
Yeah, I'll share some that I think most moms would likely relate to and that's like sleep, my sleep has improved and that's partially because I do journal at night like it's just part of my nighttime routine before I read I bring out my journal and journal for five minutes and that kind of speaks to what you were just saying just getting all those jumbled thoughts out of my head before I go to sleep so that they're not.
Keeping me up at night, definitely helped with rediscovering myself post motherhood as well. Just my passions, my likes, like keeping promises to myself, like this simple, it takes five minutes. I do it most nights of the week and then another thing that's been huge for me, just personally and in my business is I've really noticed like comparing less. Which has been huge for me because I'm on social media a lot in my business. And I used to get really caught up with on the business side and on the motherhood side, like, Oh my God, they're doing that already or why are they there and I'm [00:06:00] not like really trapped in that comparison game.
And I think by writing down kind of what I'm grateful for most days, it's helped me. just feel more fulfilled in my day to day and care less about what is happening on the other side of Instagram and someone else's like square box. That's so interesting because I was just thinking like, there was a day that I was like sitting in the car when my son was getting a haircut.
And I was like, I am going to take this time and figure out what my purpose is, you know. And what I ended up doing was kind of what you were saying is like writing down Like, everything that lights me up, everything that brings me joy, the stories that really stand out in my life, and then being able to look at it and compare.
And I really walked out of that car, like, being like, okay, this is it. But, I don't think if I didn't, if I didn't write it down, I don't know if I would have seen it. Do you know that, like, There is something about that power, right? Of writing [00:07:00] it down. So I love that you were saying that by journaling, it's almost like you've gotten this inner strength that you don't have to look around and compare because you've already seen what, what it is that fills you.
I completely agree. And on that writing down front. I mean, there is science that shows there's there's the power in writing down because some people be like, Well, can I do it in my phone? Or can I say it out loud? Yes, absolutely. Like that still is something and that's still great. But to take it a step further.
You know, there is that added benefit of writing it down. And then also on the writing down front, like some, some people are like, Oh, I don't know if I want to look back or, or anything. And I like to see that as a tool for growth, both ways. Looking back on past entries as you were just saying like, it's really helped me either.
See how far I've come or help me read like discover things or if I'm staying stagnant in it in a particular area That's also a tool for growth and I can explore like why am I still stagnant in that one [00:08:00] area? Or why hasn't like why haven't I moved forward yet in that area that I thought I was going to Yeah, I can see this being easy for some and really hard for others, because first of all, I think that permanent, it's like almost a permanent ness, right, when you're writing it down.
I think that's part of it too, right? But, and it's almost like a reality, it's almost like writing it down, you have to almost face this reality, right? So I can see that being scary too, so. What, what do you recommend as like your first steps if you want to get into this journaling, maybe you're a little nervous about it.
What do you do first? I mean, first I would find like a journal, not just a journal you like, but the format because I think it's really about like that format of a journal that is going to make you stick with the practice. And I prefer like a simple and easy to use for format just because that's what's going to help me maintain my practice. But I do think it's about finding kind of that pattern in journaling that works for you. And then [00:09:00] if, for example, you're just using a blank notebook, I would just start by writing down like something good that happened that day, something challenging that happened that day, and then three, three or four things that you're feeling grateful for.
And It might be initially kind of challenging, especially maybe on the gratitude side to like expand your thinking beyond some like my home, my family, my health, which are huge things to be grateful for. Yeah. But, as you start to do it more, you'll recognize and start to feel gratitude for, you know, nature.
Um, just a lot of other things will start to come up. It's interesting you say that because I definitely did that, like, I had a gratitude journal. It fades here and there, but if I don't write, like, my family or something big, right, that I'm grateful. If I don't write that, it almost feels selfish, like, so then I have this, like, push pull with myself.[00:10:00]
But I like that almost permission to say, okay, family is a given like we don't have to write that or like health is a given, like, I feel like I have to write those things and then I get stuck right but if you can maybe almost give yourself permission to say these are a given. Let's get past that and let's write what else we're grateful for.
I think that's huge. I agree. And, but I mean also if you're genuinely like that is you know, a lot to be grateful for. So I don't think that there's, if that is what's showing up, maybe the practice would be family, health, home, and then stretch yourself. And that fourth thing, what can you stretch yourself there with?
Like, if you do want to include those, those kind of fundamentals on your list, then maybe add something else where you can go the extra A little bit of stretch to see what comes out of you. Yeah, I love that. So if you were to give like the listeners today, if they wanted to [00:11:00] try something beyond the grateful, you know, that piece, what prompt, what's like your favorite prompt to give somebody that they could just like start writing?
Oh man, I have so many favorite prompts. You can give more than one if you'd like. One of my favorite prompts is like, what is one small action I can take today or tomorrow to help me get to where I want to be?
Just one small action. Yeah. And. Right on that. Um, another prompt, or I don't know if this is really a prompt, but another exercise I like is to write down, you know, pick a time period of six months or a year and write down everything that's happened in that year just as a tool to like, see how far you've come, or again, maybe not how far you've come and where you still want to work on.
Um, I really like a lot of prompts on self discovery. I like prompts around self care. Like what is one action that I can do for myself today? [00:12:00] Because I think writing it down will help you stick with that action.
Um, you know, reflecting back on something. This is actually a prompt I just wrote for a blog post, but reflecting back on a challenge that you recently got through.
What lessons were learned from that challenge and then how can you apply those lessons moving forward in your day to day? And like listening to you, I'm, I'm feeling like the prompts are kind of important because I can see myself either staying really surface or you know, taking those next steps and, and really thinking about it, those prompts make me kind of think a little deeper.
So. When someone is looking for a journal, what, what should they be looking for? Cause I know everyone's going to be different. So is there like specific like things that you should be asking yourself? Like. When picking out a journal, I [00:13:00] mean, I can share kind of my journey with with when I was trying to find the right journal for me.
On the blank notebook and I felt a little overwhelmed just with You know, here's a blank page. What am I supposed to write? Um, and also a little bit of a lack of inspiration. I wanted some of the inspiration that comes with many of the guided notebooks. But on the guided side, I felt a little too restricted by many of the ones I was finding.
In the sense of the prompts were either very specific to morning or evening. Um, some of the journals were like twice daily journals, you know, using once in the morning, once in the evening, and some of the pages just had a lot of what I call fluff, you know, like checking, intaking your water intake and like check boxes for if you exercise that day, just things that I didn't feel like I needed or wanted or would use.
Yes, they might look pretty in the page, but I [00:14:00] might use them for three days and not really keep up with that. , and so I would say, if you're going for a guided notebook, especially if you're a mom, to just See how it's laid out. Do you like how it's laid out? Are the prompts flexible enough to use any time of day?
Because that's what I was finding as a mom. Like now I'm in the routine of mainly journaling in the evening, but that isn't always the case. Like our schedules with our kids are always changing and stuff. And so I would say that the most important things would be like, how flexible is the journal?
Will it fit into your life? Do you like the interior, the layout, does it provide any inspiration or motivation aside from just like the journaling like pages itself? Are there quotes or affirmations? I would say that those are the basics, like ease of using it. Yeah, it's funny because you're [00:15:00] saying like, oh, like, check the box.
I have a planner, which I love, but it's one of those manifesting planners, you know, that I'm very into. But one of the sections in it has, like checking off exercise and exactly water, how much, and when I don't achieve it, I'm like, oh my God. Would you not feel good about myself? I see it because I, when I was like, those were the journals I was also buying. Like they're, they are very attractive and I definitely get the appeal, but yeah, it just, for me was not something that I maintained and I wanted something that I'll like regularly use. Yeah, and I don't want to feel guilty when I don't hit that, like, water level, like, crossing all eight of them off or something.
Yeah, so that might be in my next one that I don't have.
I know that you also include your family So yeah.
start getting the kids involved in journaling. I think that's such an amazing tool [00:16:00] for kids to learn. So you had to do that. Thank you. I, I'm really excited about this journal and customer feedback has been, you know, like, wow, this is really unique. We haven't. I've never seen many family journals on the market.
So that's been really cool. But the story behind that journal is, it was born during COVID. And my husband and I were both in jobs at the time, that were really impacted by COVID. He was in entertainment. And then I was working full time in the travel industry, with Bliss'd very much in, you know, as a side hustle in the back of my mind.
And we just started, in Going, going around the table, it was me and him, me and him and our one year old son, sharing our gratitudes kind of on a nightly basis, just a really simple like, oh, what are you feeling grateful for? What, you know, did anything good happen today? And we involved our son in the practice at the time he was one.
He, you know, wasn't very involved, but he was there listening. And then with time he did start to understand and Come become [00:17:00] involved in our gratitude practice, and it was really cool to see and hear. And it happened a lot earlier than I think people would think. I think he was around two, two ish, when he started participating.
And again, it was very, Luca, what are you grateful for? Dada, mainly Dada. Dada is the usual answer for her, for my son. But, and it was just really cool to see. And then he started, as he started to understand it more, he started to have really cool answers. And I was already, You know, forming this journal in the back of my head and I was like, wow, this could be another really cool idea for a journal, not just as a way to teach and practice gratitude within your family, but also as a cool different memory book.
So that's how. That journal launched. I just launched that one this past spring we use it, a few nights a week in my family. with both my journals, I really like to emphasize, I think people are sometimes surprised since I am the founder of a journal company, but like, I don't journal every night.[00:18:00]
I'm, I journal four nights a week. We use our family journal three ish nights a week. If it's a regular normal week, you know, in our house. And I think that's really cool that you're saying that because I think people feel like it's an all or nothing thing, right? Like if you're not doing it all the time or every day, then it's not working.
But I think remembering to do it when you need it is also important, right? I agree. Yeah. And science, there have been studies that have shown it's like the sweet spot is like four, three, four. Or more so. Oh, wow. That's, that's interesting. Yeah. I love the memory piece of that, that you can look back. We have things that, you know, for, we do like vision boards and stuff in our house for the new year, whenever.
And we also do like, yeah, like goals and things like that. And they'll write, we do a lot of writing now thinking of it, talking to you, but, and I started that very young and I remember my son, like not even be able to write yet. So we would write for him and We would look back at what his [00:19:00] goals were for the year, and it'd be like, I won't bite my sister, which is like reading these back, you know, or like, I'll be, you know, be nice to the dog or something like silly, but it was just so, it wasn't so sweet and so cute.
Now granted, the biting was probably an issue back then, I don't remember. But it's just so sweet and so cool. And that they can actually even verbalize if they're not writing yet. It's such a cool idea. I love it. I love it. Well, the journal that like my journal, I have options to write and to draw just as a way to really involve those, you know, the youngest of kids.
And it has been really cool to see now my daughter is a little over two and just yesterday we were chatting at dinner like oh what's everyone grateful for and she she participated and I was like, how cool is this like she's, you know, and again I think it was mama or dada that was her answer but still it's You see, it's starting to click and what an amazing tool.
Like I didn't talk [00:20:00] about being grateful until I was like 40, 50 years old, right? So to and really be able to appreciate the things as you are going, it's like, so such an amazing gift. I completely agree. Yeah. So tell us about your journals and tell us like where we can find them and where we can find you.
Sure. So I have two journals. I am designing like an entire line of journals, all meant to be easy to use and flexible for mom. But my first journal is my daily five minute journal. And it is a really easy to use format. There's three sections going over your thoughts, your gratitudes and your excitements or manifestations.
Um, and then the sections, Um, the guides are open ended. So if you want to free flow, right, you can, but there are also prompts for each specific section that you can use if you want a more guided experience. And again, that kind of came from when I was using [00:21:00] guided journals and would land on. On a prompt that I didn't want to answer that day.
It was like, Oh, I don't want to do this one that day. Like, do I go to the next page and just skip a page so that that just kind of speaks to the flexibility that I was craving. And then there's an affirmation or a positive quote on every journaling page. And my little tip for using those one of my favorite ways to use those is to pay attention as you're reading the affirmation or the quote to the first thoughts that come in your mind.
Thank and use that as a starting point for that first section of thoughts and feelings, you know, if the affirmation is, I believe in myself and right away as you're reading it, you're like, Oh no, like, why, why is that your first response? If it's like, hell yes, I do. Great. Like that's, you know, just as another little tool to really get in there and get to know yourself.
Um, and then there's a reflection section at the end. Both my journals have reflection sections, just to reflect on what [00:22:00] you've learned from your journaling experience and then my family journal is intended, was designed for Thanks, To use for families. And it has 30 different prompts at the start just to explore all aspects of gratitude.
And then it goes into kind of the daily, gratitude of for alternating prompts. Each page has a opportunity to either write or draw. And again, it's really meant to be flexible and meant to be adaptable to each family who uses it in my family. I do the writing and my son does the drawing. Sometimes my son wants to do it all.
So it, it really is meant to like fit into your family and kind of, how you want to use it. And yeah, those are my journals. Oh, I love the drawing thing because you forget, like kids are so creative and that's like kind of their way to communicate when they're that young. That I just think that's such a great alternative to writing.
Thank you. I thought [00:23:00] so, too. And I, I mean, I designed it with kids in mind. And then I actually just recently had a customer, an adult customer say, like, I'm, I'm a doodler. I love this. Like, they're the ones using the drawing section. So I thought that was really cool, too, because I, you know, flexibility is a big part of my brand.
And I was like, wow, this really speaks to my, What I am trying to build, or even if you can't find the words, right, sometimes you just don't have words for how you feel or whatever, but art is just such another way to express it. So yeah, I love that. Tell us your website though, where can they find these journals?
My website is blist. co. That's B L I S S D dot C O. Great. And we'll put that in the show notes too so people can click on it and explore all those journals. You also have some other things on your website as well that look pretty cool. Ew. Yeah. I have like a couple other like self care products and accessories to go along with your journaling [00:24:00] routine.
Yes, I love that. So what else would you want moms to like kind of walk away with today? I mean, on the journaling end, it doesn't need to be hard or overwhelming, and not to overthink it, if, if you are new to journaling, really, if, if you're sitting down with your blank notebook, if that's the route you decide to go, just start by writing down, like, the first thing that comes into your mind, and then writing down those gratitudes, and like we talked about, if, if the first three gratitudes, you want to make your fundamentals and then stretch yourself with the fourth or fifth, go for it.
And on the mom's side, you're doing an amazing job. Keep going. That's what I tell myself, in mom life and in business life. And, yeah. That's perfect. Because you have a two year old, did you say? I have a two year old and a four year old. Yeah, that two year old phase, that's a hard phase. You're just like, the light is there.
I feel like the light is there, but it's, it's definitely that two year old phase is there, that can be tricky. Four is like, you know, [00:25:00] almost at kindergarten level. It's kind of crazy. It really does is, you know, moms before me have said it really does go fast. And I'm seeing that. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for sharing this journaling with us. And I'm excited to, I don't know, I'm going to do some writing. I'm going to get, I'm going to look at your books and I'm going to get a journal that actually prompts me because I do think I need that.
I like those questions that are going to make me think a little deeper, I think that's important for me. Well thank you again. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for having me. You are welcome.
