How To Fall In Love With Journaling (Part 2)
In part one of ‘How to fall in love with journaling’, we discussed some of the things you may want to write about. Maybe you want to tell your own story to refer back to in order to write your own autobiography one day! Or, perhaps you have some emotional ‘stuff’ you want to acknowledge and overcome. Once you have thought about what, and why, you want to journal, there are a few handy tips I have for you to help you do it successfully.
Firstly, remember that there is no right or wrong way to do it. You don’t need to write pages and pages. You don’t need to worry about spelling or grammar or the type of pen and paper you are using. Don’t get caught up in thinking you must do things a certain way in order to do them at all. You can write in paragraphs, dot point, draw, scribble, whatever works! Some days you may find you have a short novel to write, and others you might not feel like writing anything. And that is okay! If that happens, I would encourage you to grab your journal and write ‘I cannot write today’ or however it is you are feeling.
Tip number two is to be consistent! Decide how frequently you want to journal (I recommend daily in some capacity) and make the commitment to yourself to mindfully follow through with that for at least 30 days. By this time you will have fallen in love with the therapeutic nature of journaling, and it will probably be habit! As I mentioned, even if it is one sentence – write it down! You may also like to choose a time of the day that is most convenient to you and ensure you make journaling during this period a priority!
My third and final tip is to give yourself privacy so you can emotionally connect to what you are writing. That may seem like a given but as busy working Mama I know all too well how easy it is to do something on autopilot, and usually while trying to do 3 other things at once! Give yourself the time and space to journal in privacy more often than not. Where possible, find somewhere comfortable with a nice vibe to sit and release. This may at a table outside in your garden in the sunshine or it could be curled up in your bed with a beautiful scented candle burning. The reality is that it could also be standing at the kitchen bench while dinner is on the stove – work with it if that’s the case! You will find what works for you and may notice different writing styles or trains of thought that emerge dependent on your surroundings.
I also suggest keeping your actual writing private – at least parts of it! Sometimes it is great to share our experiences and thoughts with others, and in this day and age we more frequently see people using blogs and the like as a journal. However, when we remove the prospect of criticism and judgement, or other people’s feelings being effected, we give ourselves permission to journal freely. Let it be your safe place. Your freedom. Your opportunity to connect with your authentic self and pen what you need to in the moment.
Pick up a pen, find a nice journal or notebook, and give it a go! Let yourself relax and see what comes to the surface. You have nothing lose but so much to gain, and you may just find yourself falling in love with journaling after all!
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