I Am Enough
Journaling
There is nothing new about journaling, there records of the stoic philosophers keeping journals from Epictetus to Marcus Aurelius. Through history people such as 1. Leonardo da Vinci · 2. Frida Kahlo · 3. Marie Curie · 4. Anne Frank · 5. Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) · 6. Charles Darwin 7. Albert Einstein have all kept a journal.
So who is journaling for? it’s for anyone who can write! It is a form of self-expression that can lift and empower people to understand they’re complex feelings and find humor with it. In the past I have created journals for different things as many of you know or may not I published a gratitude journal and I still keep one, combining the two things together is a great way to start a journal, take five minutes in the evening and write down three things that you give gratitude for that day, it can be as simple or complex as you like, from the simple things such as having clean water, a roof over your head to anything that you are grateful for that day.
Each morning I journal as well, I write down how I want to feel that day, one thing I can do to make that happen, one person who I need to show up for that day, that can be your children, spouse, a friend or work colleague to your boss. I note down that I have done my meditation, drank my water.
Whether you’re keeping a journal or writing as a meditation, it’s the same thing. What’s important is you’re having a relationship with your mind.
Natalie Goldberg
You might be wondering how writing in a journal can have a significant impact on your mental health. After all, it’s just putting some words on a page—how much can that really do for you?
It turns out that this simple practice can do a lot, especially for those struggling with mental illness or striving towards more positive mental health.
Journaling requires the application of the analytical, rational left side of the brain; while your left hemisphere is occupied, your right hemisphere (the creative, touchy-feely side) is given the freedom to wander and play (Grothaus, 2015)! Allowing your creativity to flourish and expand can be cathartic and make a big difference in your daily well-being.
Overall, journaling/expressive writing has been found to:
In particular, journaling can be especially helpful for those with PTSD or a history of trauma.
A good set of guidelines on effective journaling can be found on the Center for Journal Therapy website. When you journal, remember the simple acronym: WRITE!
For me, writing is a way of thinking. I write in a journal a lot. I’m a very impatient person, so writing and meditation allow me to slow down and watch my mind; they are containers that keep me in place, hold me still.
Ruth Ozeki
There’s simply no better way to learn about your thought processes than to write them down.
Barbara Markway,
She notes that to address our problematic thought patterns, we first have to actually know what they are! Journaling is instrumental in helping us identify our negative automatic self-talk and get to the root of our anxiety.
Writing in a journal can positively impact your anxiety through:
Through mechanisms like those listed above, journaling has been shown to:
Your journal is for you and you alone, and keeping this in mind can make you feel impossibly free to pour your authentic self onto the page. Give a try! All you have to lose is a few minutes of your time, and you already know all you could gain.