Back in the day if someone would have told me to start journaling I would have thought they were crazy. The funny thing is, I have been doing it for years since being a little girl. I remember as early as seven years old having diary after diary filled with doodles, scribbles, pictures, my thoughts, my secrets, and my biggest dreams, but of course, I never thought of it as “journaling”. The word just felt too formal and at that age, was not part of my vocabulary.

Somewhere between my seven year old self and my current self, I shifted from “keeping a diary” to “journaling”. And guess what I have realized? They’re the same damn thing.

So call it what you will, writing down your thoughts, your experiences, your dreams, and even your scribbles and doodles is powerful stuff.

According to Positive Psychology.com, when we engage in journaling, we activate the left side of our brain which is the rational and analytical side. This allows the creative, “feeling”, right side of our brains the chance to wander off, play, and have some fun. When we allow this to happen, when we let our creativity flow, it has been shown to positively impact and enhance our well being day to day. Additionally, journaling has been shown to help individuals gain awareness and acceptance of their emotions, positively shift their mindset, increase their optimism, make progress toward their goals, reduce anxiety, and serve as a means of stress relief.

If that’s not enough, the New York Times reports that “…writing in a journal can lead to better sleep, a stronger immune system, more self-confidence, and even a higher IQ.”

Wow!

Sign. Me. Up.

There are so many awesome benefits to putting pen (or pencil…or marker…or crayon…you name it!) to paper, getting our thoughts out of our own heads, and beginning to make sense of things. But how do you get started?

Well, simply put, get yourself a notebook, diary, piece of paper, whatever you fancy, and start writing.

Tips to Get Started

• Start with journaling for 5 minutes each day. Set a timer if it’s helpful.

• Journal when it feels right, perhaps first thing in the morning, mid-day, just before bed, or any time in between. Do it when it feels right for YOU!

• Try using “I AM” statements. “I AM” statements are powerful. What follows “I AM” is the beginning of a creation. For example, I am strong. I am growing. I am learning. I am confident. I am getting healthier every day. I am beautiful. Whatever YOU are, write that down. One rule…it MUST be positive.

• Focus on gratitude. As Oprah Winfrey said, “What we focus on expands.” So focus on the things that you are grateful for. When you do so, your brain actually begins to change itself by forming new, POSITIVE neural connections and pathways. When we practice gratitude, we are actually flexing our brain “muscle” and strengthening our minds! Try starting with “I am grateful for…” and listing 3-5 things each day. You will begin to notice that by kicking off your day with gratitude, the rest of the day suddenly becomes filled with other things that you feel grateful for.

Need a formula to get started? Thankfully, the Center for Journal Therapy offers the following “W.R.I.T.E.” formula.

• W – What do you want to write about? What’s going on? How do you feel? What are you thinking about? What do you want? Name it.

• R – Review or reflect on it. Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths. Focus. You can start with “I feel…” or “I want…” or “I think…” or “Today….” or “Right now…” or “In this moment…”

• I –  Investigate your thoughts and feelings. Start writing and keep writing. Follow the pen/keyboard. If you get stuck or run out of juice, close your eyes and re-center yourself. Re-read what you’ve already written and continue writing.

• T – Time yourself. Write for 5-15 minutes. Write the start time and the projected end time at the top of the page. If you have an alarm/timer on your PDA or cell phone, set it.

• E – Exit smart by re-reading what you’ve written and reflecting on it in a sentence or two: “As I read this, I notice—” or “I’m aware of—” or “I feel—”. Note any action steps to take.

If all else fails and you’re just plain stuck, try writing prompts. Prompts are one of my favorite things to use when I’m feeling stuck, out of sorts, or if I just don’t feel like writing. A good prompt always gets my mind going and before I know it, I’m off to the (journaling) races! Check out this article from Daring to Live Fully for some great prompts from Marelisa Fabrega.

Things to Remember

• Your journal is YOUR journal. It does not have to be shared with anyone else…ever. It is a safe space to be honest with yourself, to open up and share your emotions, and to allow yourself to let go of all judgement and just write. Don’t edit yourself. Be honest. Be raw. Be real. Be YOU.

• Journal in a quiet space without distractions. Leave your phone off or in a different room all together if possible. Play some quiet music to quiet your mind and set the tone. The last thing you want to have happen is be smack dab in the middle of an A-HA moment and then have your phone buzz and POOF….it’s gone. Nooooo!!!

• The more you practice, the easier and more natural it will become. Like with anything new, when we start, it can feel hard. But the more we practice, persist, and flex that muscle, the easier it becomes. New, positive habits are formed and before you know it, you will be journaling as part of your normal, daily routine.

• Don’t give up. If you miss a day, or a week for that matter, it’s OK! You’re a human and these things happen right? Just pick back up where you left off and begin again. That’s the beauty of journaling. There are no rules!

• There is no one way or right way to journal. Write how YOU want to write. Journal how YOU want to journal. If that means picking up a fancy new journal at the store to motivate you, go for it. If it means checking out Pinterest for all the best ways to organize your journal, do it. If it means grabbing an old notebook or pad of paper and jotting down thoughts as they come, have at it. If it means drawing pictures or writing poems instead of paragraphs, by all means, DO IT! This is YOUR journal. Do it YOUR way.

Your journal is a gift to yourself because it allows you to look back at your life experiences, your thoughts, your emotions, challenges you have overcome, wins you have achieved, blocks that you have worked through, things that you have manifested into your life, and so much more!

So go grab your pen and paper and begin your very first journal or perhaps begin again if it’s been a while since you have written down your thoughts. Remember that there are no rules, your journal is YOUR journal, and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

xo-

Heather

PS-

Ready to take another step to level up?

Check out my brand new DIY Vision Board Workshop HERE or click the image below!

Coupling your journaling practice with the power of visualization can give you a huge boost when it comes to manifesting and achieving your goals. The power of visualization is real y’all!