Journal for Fun, Clarity, and Successes
Journaling and Introspection
Every one of our courses include some type or style of journaling. Journaling and introspection can help create clarity in many areas of your life.
Putting our thoughts, actions, feelings, and lives on paper can create an effective way to sort through them with a less emotionally attached approach.
When you journal, you can be brutally honest. You can put down anything without fear of judgment, retaliation, etc. The page is yours.
Once you have your day out in front of you in black and white, you may find that you have a whole new perspective on the events that took place as well as your actions.
We are affected by our past. Some call it baggage, some call it experience. The things that have happened to us that we have done to others, feelings we carry every day affect how we see the world, how we interact with others, and many other avenues of our lives.
Does this mean we are doomed to be the culmination of our experiences, our upbringing, and ultimately our pasts?
We are not doomed to be a culmination of our past, but to move past these things that follow us through our lives, it is helpful to identify what is affecting us and how.
How to Journal
- Choose your outlet
- Pen and Paper (a notebook, diary, binder)
- Computer (you will want to keep it private)
- Let go of any expectation
- The main goal is to honestly account for your feelings, thoughts, actions, and the events of your day
- Don’t force it. Allow yourself to flow. If you are blank, something as simple as recounting the events of your day will work, you may be surprised with the emotions and thoughts that emerge as you write
- Focus on feelings, thoughts, and objective facts
- Usually writing the story of your day is the most effective way to reap the benefits of journaling
- If you feel blocked, try writing poetry, letters, or list of events of your day and elaborate
- Do it daily
- When journaling, it is quality over quantity. If you had an uneventful day, still write. It may end up being a short entry or you may uncover something bigger you never realized was there
- Find a time that works for you
- Make journaling a working part of your daily routine. This will help you be consistent with your writing.
Benefits of Journaling
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
–George Satayana
Journaling can help you uncover truths. When your thoughts, feelings, and habits are clarified, you’ll have a better understanding.
You can then address underlying causes and create steps to improve things in the future.
Uncovering the truth allows us to take steps forward.
Just the physical act of writing is therapeutic. The pen to paper or the clicking of computer keys brings your own words to life. It is calming.
Getting problems out of your head and onto paper is one of the easiest ways to effectively problem solve. Journaling creates clarity, objectivity, and direction. Once you can look at something you’ve removed from your emotions, brought from your head onto paper, it is easier to find a way to work through what is causing trouble.
Journaling allows you to approach problems head-on and taps into parts of your brain in a different way than just mulling it over in your mind and will enable you to utilize it in a more solution-oriented way. It can give you the ability to look at something from multiple perspectives. It also helps to slow your mind to put you in a better position to see possible solutions.
Find Time to Journal
Creating a new habit can be difficult. If you are crunched for time, these tips may help you fit journaling in:
1. Try going to bed 20-30 minutes earlier in the evening. Don’t go to sleep right away. Use the quiet time to reflect on your day.
2. Utilize the time you have alone. Sit down and write once everyone else is out of the house.
3. Find a coffee shop or juice stop on your way to or from work, and take 15 minutes out of your day to stop. Sitting alone is like bonus self-time and gives you the time you need to write and enjoy the surroundings.
4. 15 minutes before you start your work routine may be the time for you. You may think it will cause you to stay later at work to get everything accomplished, but writing is like a workout; it is amazing how spending time journaling can buy you more time in your day. Your head will be clearer, and you can do your job and handle people more efficiently and effectively.
Journaling in the evening allows you to clear the cobwebs from your brain and clear out everything that has been weighing on your mind. You’ll notice the effects almost immediately. If you have a hard time falling asleep at night, you may be pleasantly surprised by how much journaling can help. It helps to focus you, and you will find that you do things that you would have skipped over otherwise. Even if it is just a little bit, try to do this every day. You can experiment with different times until you find one that works for you.
One Last Thing – Change Your Perspective
Perspective is Everything!
With all this newfound love for your journal, why not pull it out in the morning too!
People who reflect on what they are grateful for in their lives enjoy a greater sense of satisfaction and have a more positive outlook on life.
Breaking out your journal in the morning is a great way to start the day with a positive perspective. You will soon see how a couple of minutes a day can make a big impact on your mood and attitude.
If there is an area in which you feel you need a little extra appreciation, try devoting part of your gratitude list toward aspects of that area.
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More Resources
References
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I’ve tried journaling. I find it difficult to begin again. Something about committing to all of those blank pages.
But I’ve heard it’s a wonderful way to get our feelings out, and I believe it!
I’ll have to try it again!
God bless!
Laurie