The Power of Journaling

As I’ve been working with clients over the past year, I’ve noticed that many have benefitted from doing the work of journaling. I say work because journaling isn’t always a joyful experience. It can be joyful, even liberating, but I can also demand that we look inside of ourselves and go deep into the crevices that we tend to avoid peeking in to.

It Takes Courage

At times writing takes courage. It forces us to slow down and ask ourselves questions that we might otherwise avoid. Questions like “What’s really the issue here?”,  “Why does this person or situation trigger me the way that it does?” or “Why do I feel helpless in this situation and how could I change my perspective so I’m back in control?”

It Shines a Light Inward

One client recently expressed to me that she had a huge epiphany. She was in a dark place and when she sat down to journal one weekend, she realized that by asking the right questions, she was able to own her attitude and the things that were falling apart all around her. She realized that the situations were neutral, it was her interpretation of the situation that was causing anxiety. She decided instead to visualize the best possible outcome and focus on how to approach the week in the most positive headspace possible and things magically started going her way.

It Releases Pent Up Stress and Worry

Journaling can be a fantastic way to brain-dump the anxieties that are on your mind. There’s something about getting everything off of your mind and onto paper that allows you to free up space in your mind to be at peace. Clients refer to this as creating a “release” or ridding their minds of the space consumed by fear and worry.

It Promotes Peace and Presence

There’s an increase in presence and consciousness that comes from journaling. When we’re in a mindful place and quiet state, we can ask questions to deepen our understanding.  When we’re in a hectic state, journaling forces us to get into that peaceful state in a physical way. Using a pen forces us to slow down because we physically cannot capture the words as quickly as our spinning mind and so our mind begins to slow as our energy flows to reflection and capturing our insights.
 

How can you embrace journaling as part of your self-care routine? Not enough time on the weekend to tackle a bunch of questions? Why not start with one question a day? “How did I show up today?” “Am I proud of how I showed up?” “If I were to feel empowered, positive and in control tomorrow, what would I do differently?”.

As always, we would love to hear your feedback and ideas. If you have a resource or recommendation for journaling prompts, please share them below!