WHY JOURNAL?
Journaling is like cleaning your mental house every day.
And who doesn’t want a clean house!? I journal to calm my self, sort through my monkey mind / fast paced thoughts – to make room for clarity. It is a cleansing of my anxieties and a set up for the day ahead. I prefer to journal in the mornings, typically within the first hour after waking up. I have consistently journaled throughout my life although my techniques have evolved. Now, I journal as a true daily practice and have found so many magnificent benefits from this ritual.
Have you journaled in the past? Are you considering journaling as a daily practice?
Here are the top benefits of journaling:
Journaling clears your head
Taps into your Inner Creativity
Organizes your thoughts
Connects you with your values, emotions, goals
Relieves Stress
Helps you Self Direct
Tracks Your Development
Journaling Clears Your Head.
I don’t know about you, but my brain wakes up waaaay before I get out of bed. My mind begins a game of ping pong long before I have a cappuccino. I need a place to dump those anxious thoughts before I begin my day with a clean slate.
Journaling does that: it clears your mind.
When you write your thoughts, you gain clarity of how you are feeling, what is festering, what whispered to you at night. You begin recognizing thinking patterns and categorizing these emotions. Ultimately, you create mental space by putting these thoughts onto paper.
You naturally tap your inner creativity.
Simply by writing down your thoughts or challenges, your brain gains a deeper understanding of the issue and searches for solutions. Journaling creates a safe zone for brainstorming ideas. In journaling, you can explore “What are the possible solutions to this issue?” “ What is a best/worse case outcome?” or “ How can I get there?” There are many techniques to journaling and you will find the one that works for your style. For Tips on How to Journal (link)
Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, is a leader in messaging Journaling as a way of unlocking creativity. I practice her method of “Morning Pages” in writing 3 pages daily of a continuous “stream of consciousness” to unlock ideas I didn’t know I had. Think of journaling as exploring your inner world and you will be surprised what you find!
Journaling helps you organize your thoughts.
Suddenly a challenge doesn’t seem insurmountable when I can consider all the options in a journal over cappuccino. As you write about a problem, you find clarity in just identifying it. You clarify how you feel about the issue and how it connects to your core. Journaling is a place to connect your daily actions with your purpose. It is a space to ask “What am I doing daily to reach my ultimate goal?” or even to ponder such simple asks such as “Why did that comment he said last night piss me off so much?” By writing your emotions, you begin to clarify what bothers you, what lights you up, and even gain a greater understanding of how to express yourself to others.
Journaling helps you connect with your inner goals, values, emotions.
As you journal, you may find repetitive patterns and recognize on a deeper level what resonates with you. What thought is tugging at you daily? Do you have a goal you are considering? Simply by writing down your goal, you are telling your brain this is important and changing your focus.
I often find I will write in my journal thoughts I didn’t consciously know I had! In the mornings, I just let it rip and see what gems I can find in the rough. Remember, this is your safe zone and you can say anything! A journal is written for you, by you. Don’t anticipate any other audience!
I often review my journals and am pleasantly surprised to find I have made more progress than I recognized! Often I feel stuck in what seems like a never ending problem. Then I review my entries from a month ago and see how far I have come. Although I may still be grappling with an issue now, I see that a month ago I didn’t even realize what the problem was.
In journaling, you can create your compelling future.
Who is the greatest version of you? What does she look like? How would I feel to embody this version of myself? You can brainstorm ideas, sit in the success and then design your blueprint to bring this compelling future to your life.
Journaling relieves stress. By understanding your thoughts on a deeper level, brainstorming solutions, you relax more. That challenge doesn’t look so big when you put it into words and brainstorm ideas! I often find when I have a persistent problem, I can set a timer to brainstorm solutions in my journal and new ideas come to me as if a new voice has entered the conversation.
Journaling regularly tracks your development
Often your life goes at warp speed and it is hard to note your progress. Journaling allows you to see your progress daily. Many people include checklists in their journal to keep them on track of a specific goal. There are many techniques to track your development. For ideas, see Tips on How to Journal (link)
So girl! get to cleaning your mental house! Clear some room for fresh ideas and more white space in your head. Set a date with yourself daily – to learn more about your inner self. Wake up, stretch and go to your comfortable place to explore, cleanse and grow with your journaling practice.
For Tips on How to Journal click here or if you are feeling stuck, try out our Journal Prompts to Get You Going!