Chau Nguyen kept a five-year diary to improve self-esteem, reduce stress, and enhance communication skills. The diary process involved documenting daily events and reflecting on thoughts, feelings, achievements, and lessons. Writing in the diary regularly became a habit, allowing Chau to look back and better understand past experiences. Chau found that the diary helped prioritize problems, engage in self-reflection, and provide constructive criticism, skills that improved communication with others. For example, after sending the wrong file to a colleague, Chau was able to identify distractions, apologize, and work to implement feedback to improve.

1. MY
FIVE-YEAR
DIARY
Presentation by Chau Nguyen 35400
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Communication Skills 1 | University of Finance and Administration VŠFS | November 9, 2020

2. Do you talk to yourself?
Why?
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Chau Nguyen | Communication Skills

3. 03
Chau Nguyen | Communication Skills
I talk to myself
every day.
Improve self-esteem and body image
Reduce stress and anxiety
Improve communication skill
Most people do.
Research has found that positive self-talk
has many benefits:
But, yes, if you practice self-talk out loud
in public, you look crazy.
So what to do?

4. Today's
Presentation
4 Discussion Points
My Five-Year Diary
Process of Communication with Diary
How My Diary Helps me Communicate Better
Conclusion
1.
2.
3.
4.
Chau Nguyen | Communication Skills
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5. My Five-
Year Diary
How to talk to yourself without sounding
like a crazy person
Journal time
I would take my eyes off the
screen and start writing on
paper. It's relaxing and fun.
Reflect time
Document current events,
thoughts and feelings,
achievements and lessons,
hopes and dreams. Reflect on
those of the past.
Chau Nguyen | Communication Skills
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6. Chau Nguyen | Communication Skills
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Less is more
Write what matters.
Because I only have a few lines of text to
summarize the significance of a day, I
must choose the subjects very carefully.
Similarities between
diary rules and
communication rules
Keep it consistent
Small steps make big changes.
I try to write almost every day even when I
don't feel like writing. After a 2.5 years,
writing diary has become a habit of mine.
Document
Record and reflect regularly.
Look back at past events and my reactions
to them make me understand myself more,
how that event has affected me and made
me who I am today.

7. Chau Nguyen | Communication Skills
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Process of
Communication
with Diary
Prioritize problems
I jotted down my problems, fears and
concerns, each in 1-2 words only.
Slowly I will see what the priority is and
set deadlines for each action item.
Reflection
I looked back at other days in the past
where I might have experienced the
same feelings and/or problems. See if
there is a common trigger. Learn ways
to better control it.
Constructive criticism
After writing down all my concerns, I can
identify which are real problems, which
are negative thoughts. I practice positive
self-talk. Remind myself of my strengths
and achievements no matter how small.
Note down little happiness during the day.
After a work day, I feel very tired and
yet unaccomplished. I am overwhelmed
by upcoming deadlines and started to
have negative thoughts about myself.
So I opened my diary and started
writing.

8. How My Diary
Helps Me
Communicate
Better
And motivates me to be better every day
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Chau Nguyen | Communication Skills
Prioritize problems
Reflection
Constructive criticism

9. Chau Nguyen | Communication Skills
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Communication
Prioritize problems
I admit and apologize for my mistake.
We identify the problems that it has
caused. We edited the timeline
accordingly with new deadlines.
Reflection
I looked back at the day that I sent the
wrong file to see what has affected my
judging ability. I looked back at all the
other times I've made small mistakes.
The common theme: I was multitasking
and didn't pay too much attention to
any task at hand.
Constructive criticism
After the project is done, my colleague and I
decided to give each other constructive
feedback. She commented that I should have
another person double check everything I do.
I thanked her for her straightforwardness and
professionalism.
One time, I sent a wrong file to my
colleague for approval. It caused
misunderstanding between us and
slowed down our project timeline. I
communicate this problem with my
colleague similarly to how I
"communicate" with my diary.

10. 09
Chau Nguyen | Communication Skills
“Almost all good writing
begins with terrible first
efforts. You need to start
somewhere.”
Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on
Writing and Life
Final Words

11. Chau Nguyen | Communication Skills
10 Articles
Bibliography
Health Direct Australia
Self-Talk
University of Rochester Medical Center
Journaling for Mental Health
Janet Carr, This Bug's Life
Flying Tiger Five Year Diary