Journalling has become quite mainstream beyond the holistic field. It is spoken about in mindfulness exercises, law of attraction and there are also health benefits.
Clearing and releasing emotions, improving sleep patterns, giving clarity, reducing stress, problem solving, feel more relaxed, improve communication and also physical benefits to regular writing habits.
It doesn’t have to be a diary or what you did or how you felt (think Bridget Jones, Adrian Mole). Its not for prosperity it is for creating positive space in this moment that we are in right now. Nowadays it is more of a positive release of emotions, desires and expression.
Make your journal what you want it to be – there are no rules, just suggestions!
Firstly what is Journalling?
Journalling is simply writing. It usually writing in a specific book dedicated to your thoughts and scribing. You can of course use any writing materials you like, but having a lovely notebook or a specific book will help develop the habit and added pleasure (I love stationery!).
Two of the key elements are:
- Regular, daily writing. Doing some journalling everyday will help create a habit and allow you space to process. Doing this everyday can be therapeutic to the mind. See the “ideas” section for some ways to use your journal
- Have an uninterupted flow of writing. Ideally you want to write for 20 minutes, allowing your pen to simply write – don’t correct punctuation or spelling or analyse the writing. The key is to simply allow the writing and thoughts to flow onto your journal. No judgement or analysing of what is coming out. There are no rules to journalling, just allow yourself the freedom of space and the ink to flow.
When we write we use the left side of our brain (analytical and rational), this allow the right hand side of the brain to be creative, emotional and use intuition. So writing can clear blocks being held in the left hand side of the brain, allowing the creative freedom and flow that the right hand side of the brain brings to flow.
So if you have a lovely notebook and an interest in writing and journalling, let me share some of the benefits:
Benefits of Journalling
- Build your inner connection – regular writing can allow you to gain clarity on your thoughts, desires and dreams. It allows you to capture a moment in time. So whether you are going through some deep emotions, or having a great day or wanting to share your gratitude for the day or affirmations you are using and how they make you feel – writing in your the journal will help you open up gain space to explore your deepest thoughts and ideas.
- Gain clarity – we often have a miriad of thoughts swooshing through our brains. It can give us a sense of overwhelm or exhaustion. A regular writing practise can allow a “brain dump”. Write down all your thoughts and emotions that are taking up brain space but don’t analyse them when you write. Allow the flow to happen. After you’ve finished writing you can review, but don’t alter as this was your original conscious flow.
- Express yourself in a safe space – in a world where social media and “wonderful lives” are over shared (although much is fake!), we can feel unworthy or have emotions from anxiety to depression. Journalling can be a safe space for you to outlet your thoughts and emotions, where you won’t be judged. Often once you’ve written them down, reviewed it can bring perspective and also allow a release to happen. Find a space where your journal can live safely, so you know the content stays confidential. Mine is actually on a bookcase amongst other business notebooks 🙂
- Emotional Intelligence & Releasing Emotions – Although I’ve mentioned this a little above, I feel it deserves it’s own bullet point. Writing about our emotions can help reduce the impact they have on us on a physical level. Letting it out of the mind can be very therapeutic. The intensity of the emotion can be reduced, allowing calmer sensations and thought processing to occur. Also by acknowledging our emotions this helps us grow our emotional intelligence.
- Reworking Situations – Writing about arguments or disagreements can again help to release the impact they are having on your mind, body and emotions. Allow yourself to write to the past you (who was doing the best they could in the circumstances), to the future you, another person. You don’t have to do this in your lovely journal. Writing on A4 paper and then binning it can be just as therapeutic and you are then releasing the energy around it too.
- Stress Relief – Scientific research has found that regular writing practice can reduce stress levels.
- Immune Boosting – It can strengthen immune system as well by stimulating T-lymphocytes
- Problem Solving – by writing using the left hand side of the brain, the right hand side can work creatively on issues or problems
- Mindfulness – When you are writing it is an activity you have to be fully engaged in! You can’t do the washing up and write at the same time. It also allows us to focus on how we are feeling at that moment, ideas flowing through our minds. Capturing things to be grateful for or glad about that happened that day. Focusing your thoughts on the current moment of writing
- Achieving Goals – When we write our goals down, a part of our brain the RAS (reticular activating system) is activated and identifies it as “important”. Then on an subconscious level when opportunities come along that can support your goals, you will consciously be aware of them. Think of the writing as forming your blueprint for your desires!
- Healing – Releasing emotions, mental thoughts, swirling thoughts and past events can help reduce their ferocity of impact on your daily life. Allowing you to release and stop the tangle of emotions that whirl around our heads.
Ideas for Journalling
Don’t like writing then there are alternatives lists, doodling and mindmaps can all give you results too!
- Capture your emotions of the day
- Write about key events from the day
- 3 things your grateful for or glad about
- Your daily affirmations
- Angel card readings (daily, weekly, monthly or a 12 month)
- “Stream of consciousness” is how the morning pages outlined by Julia Cameron works – each morning start by writing everything going on in your mind, allowing yourself to clear your mind at the start f the day
- Share your desires and goals
Want to know more about journalling – or actually making a mark in the notebook – this £15 minicourse will get you journalling!
REDUCED TO £7
Ready to buy –
Also check out this blog:
http://spaceforspirit.co.uk/2018/08/17/do-you-have-a-beautiful-notebook-and-think-about-journalling/