3 Ways Journaling Can Help You
I often look for ways to be able to work on my thoughts. I don’t know about you but sometimes when I get caught up in my head, I feel like I’m on a Merry-Go-Round of all the things that I am remembering that may not be helpful. (Why is that 6th grade embarrassing moment coming back again?) So, how do I fix it?
And then, it hit me. I remember my diary when I was young. I used to buy purple ones, with a lock of course, that kept all my secrets. I’d write in it daily, sometimes multiple times a day. Just to get my thoughts out or even to remember happy (or sad) instances, record my interactions with my crushes and say how the adults were being.
But as we get older, sometimes we get away from journaling or writing down thoughts. We’re busy with writing many other things - emails, reports, and papers - that we don’t settle and take some time for our thoughts. Lists don’t even quite cut it - to do lists aren’t getting to the bottom of how those thoughts necessarily make you FEEL.
If you need some justification to take some time to pour your thoughts into a kick ass notebook, let me help. Here’s 3 ways journaling can benefit you:
You open your subconscious mind. Writing free flow - no judgment or editing - gives your subconscious mind all the freedom it needs to bring forth beliefs, ideas or values you might not have known were there. Knowing this can help you enhance and take actions on those thoughts such as “I’ve always wanted to be a writer” or understand where you’re operating from “I’ve never felt like I could be a writer”.
It creates a self care habit. When you give yourself the attention, space and care to work out what’s on your mind, you can relax more in mind, body and spirit. It’s on the page now and you can work with it from there. What has been bothering me? What have I been carrying with me? What awesome things do I want to celebrate? All can come out with the time you take for yourself to express your feelings. There is a relaxation in knowing you can talk/write and not be judged or edited.
It enhances intuition. Journaling helps you to communicate with those parts of you that seem hidden or unreachable. If you thought you’d never get to those parts, no more!. Your hands on a pen (or keyboard) connects that subconscious to the conscious (or your day to day reality). You’ve opened a whole new world to you! It may be the thing that breaks those barriers apart and you can move forward. Let your soul speak to you through your writing.
Have fun figuring out your journaling style. Is it old school pen to paper or typing? Is it morning? Evening? Do you free flow or write a question then take it from there? Try out different ways to make your journaling and self care time the best it can be for you. So many insights await!
And if you need a new journal to add to your collection, check out the Haiku Journals in my online shop!