"Fill your paper with the breathings
of your heart" William Wadsworth
I
really enjoy journaling, I've been doing it for twenty years. The main thing,
the best thing, for me, is that journaling takes the world off of my shoulders,
mind, and heart
and puts it on the page. This really lightens my load, slows or stops
compulsive thinking, and improves my attitude and performance. For me it is intimate conscious
contact with my Higher Power, inner child, and loving inner parent, my
three best friends!
It is so good to keep in touch. I write to them and they
write back. It's part of my recovery
program work and my self care. I write in spurts and stretches
here and there. There is no set schedule except to take time in the evenings
and on days off. It is vitally important to me now. I get so much peace and satisfaction,
I will never stop!
Now writing has become one of my
favorite things. I really enjoy
researching and writing about interesting things like Sacred Geometry,
personality archetypes, developmental stages, and lots of other topics. You can be as simple or creative as you want. You might use pencils, pens, crayons, and markers
for big, bold, bright words and images. These are your stories, your
thoughts and feelings, your life, so
have some fun and get wild and crazy sometimes! Believe it or not, it is a work
of art. Keep on writing and you will see!
Tips, tricks, and benefits from Judy Willis and Becky Kane
Body and brain: The practice of
writing can enhance the brain’s intake, processing, retaining, and retrieving
of information… it promotes the brain’s attentive focus… boosts long-term
memory, illuminates patterns, gives the brain time for reflection, and stimulates
the brain’s highest cognition. Research also finds journaling helps people
better cope with stressful events, relieve anxiety, and boost immunity.
Achieving
Goals: Journaling about your goals helps you clarify what you want and
encourages you to consider the why
and how, not just the what. Reflecting on goals reminds
you to take the next action step necessary to achieve them. They serve as a
tool for identifying what you should prioritize on a daily basis, and what you
should let go. Lastly, journals give you a record of progress to keep you
motivated.
According to many sources, pen and paper is still the key to the
psychological and productive benefits of journaling; writing things out by hand
improves memory, encourages deeper thinking, and reflection.
Make it a habit: But how? You
need a consistent trigger that signals to your brain it’s time to write, such
as incorporating journaling into your morning and evening routines, or when
free time is available.
Embrace slowness: Take the time
to sit down with your thoughts as journaling can feel self-indulgent or a waste
of time. Resist rushing through it to get to the next thing, especially when
life is at its busiest. In fact that is probably the time you need it most, as
journaling can be both prayer and meditation.
Perfectionism: Don’t try to make
it sound good. Self-consciousness is the enemy of writing. It doesn’t have
to be good reading for you or anyone — just get your thoughts on paper. Don't
try to create a masterpiece.
What
you write, you learn: The
key to learning is to stop passively consuming information and actively engage
with the ideas we encounter. Think of writing down what someone says verbatim,
versus summarizing the information in your own words and connecting it back to
what you have learned.
Make it useful for you. You don’t have to follow the same approach
every day, but giving yourself structure makes it easier to stick with it and not be
overwhelmed with possibilities. Find what works for you.
"Writing has been an
important exercise to clarify what I believe, what I see, what I care about, and
what my deepest values are. The process of converting a jumble of thoughts into
coherent sentences makes you ask tougher questions". President Obama