When you think of Journaling it may remind you of keeping a diary when you were younger where all your secrets were kept.
I first saw the real benefits of journaling during the “The Artists Way” course I did over 8 years ago. Julie Cameron who is the author of the book and creator of the process The Artists Way suggests morning pages. This process is when you wake first thing in the morning before you do anything put pen to paper and handwrite for at least 3 pages unstructured of anything that is in your head. The aim is to clear out the well of thoughts that are in our heads to make room for the subconscious and creativity to flow through. I found this excellent and while I discovered life situations that needed my attention that I wouldn’t otherwise have been aware of.
My current journaling practice is not as dedicated as before however on a weekly basis I will write in particular my thoughts and feelings with some self-inquiry to unravel an issue that may play out.
Benefits of Journaling
Many studies have shown that journaling is beneficial for physical and mental health and the University of Rochester Medical Centre has outlined many benefits by managing anxiety, reducing stress, and coping with depression.
Journaling helps to:
- Unearth underlying thought patterns underneath situations.
- Boost your mood and improve your working memory. (Baikie & Wilhelm 2015)
- Enhance mental health and confront previously inhibited emotions that are causing stress.
- Creatively express our feelings and views.
- Gaining access to the unconscious mind.
- We access different information when we write compared to when we speak therefore more ideas can flow when journaling.
- Feel gratitude and change negative thought patterns.
- Reduce anxiety and have a clearer mind.
Journaling Prompts
Write as if no one will ever read it (hopefully someone will not find it!). Allow for messy, spelling mistakes, poor grammar, and outside of the lines writing so that the focus is on the words coming through. Find your own technique and time of day. I recommend placing your hand on your heart and taking some deep breaths before you write.
You can journal without using any questions like the morning pages above and conscious streaming but you may like some prompts like the following:
- Describe a particular situation that comes to your mind or want clarity about, challenge your story after writing with questions such as “Is this true, is it exactly what is happening, is there another way of looking at it?”
- What are your thoughts and feelings about the situation? Where do you feel this in your body? Is that a familiar feeling?
- What is your desired outcome of a situation?
- If you had no fear what would be happening?
- List what you are grateful for and why.
- What went well today and what could have gone better?
- Writing a stream of consciousness for 5 to 10 minutes about current life and whatever flows, does not have to make any sense, if you don’t know how to start the first line could be “ I don’t know how to start this, it feels silly and I am not sure what to write…….”
- Start a dialogue with your inner child by writing with a non-dominant hand.
- Write about goals and dreams and why they are important to you.
Like any self-exploration and growth journaling can unlock some uncomfortable emotions, this can lead to greater freedom and progress to the life you want. And of course, to support yourself and your inner child on this journey you may need professional help.
With Love
Teresa