On Journaling
“Write hard and clear about what hurts.”
- Ernest Hemingway
Journaling is something I’ve always taken to when I‘ve needed to calm my thoughts or let go of something that is making me feel anything but happy/neutral.
Sometimes I’ll write to the point of mental exhaustion; I will literally be unable to even think about what was upsetting me because I’ve either talked myself out of it, into it or through it while writing about it - AKA I'm done thinking about it for the rest of the night (mission accomplished).
Journaling will be different for everyone and there is certainly no ‘right’ way of going about it. Just write. Your entries can be a page(s), a paragraph or even just a few words about gratitude, day-to-day recaps or they can be like mine which are honestly all over the place 😅. Sometimes I'll write pages of things I’m grateful for, other times there are even more pages of things that are weighing heavy on my heart: familial, professional and intimate relationships, etc...
When you slow down, you surrender and it allows you to tap into the actual source of what is bothering you. Writing your thoughts and feelings is one of the quickest ways to develop a deeper sense of self-awareness and intuition. There have been countless times where I have vented about something to my nonjudgemental pages and a solution or the answer to my question has suddenly dawned on me.
The beautiful thing about journaling is that it is entirely on your terms. You can write routinely or like me, whenever you need to vent. For me, its a release and a space where I can drop the vail and be vulnerable. Writing my thoughts and feelings out has time and time again walked me back to sanity when I've felt anxiety, sadness, guilt, anger, regret, confusion and any other feeling that I find unwelcoming.
Another really great thing about journaling is the ability to look back and see your own growth (mental, emotional and spiritual). I'll look back on entries from years ago and laugh and sometimes cry (a weird nostalgic yet happy cry, lol). Either way, my words on these pages serve as a reminder that no matter what you're going through, you're going to be okay, you always have been and you always will be.
It ain't just bubble baths and yoga, #JOURNALING is one of my biggest self-care essentials.
Try it :).
With love,