5 Journaling Tips
Unlocking Creativity and Personal Growth
Welcome!
I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to share with you my evolving journaling practice.
Journaling is a valuable practice for everyone, but particularly for creative souls. It serves as a space to give shape to our thoughts, explore our emotions, delve into ideas, and navigate interpersonal relationships. My intial experience with journaling began with a book I highly recommend to you -Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way." Cameron offers numerous insights and practices, but the practice that has stayed with me is known as the "Morning Pages." I hope it resonates with you!
The goal is simple: write three pages every morning, capturing whatever is on your mind—struggles, victories, and even the seemingly trivial thoughts bouncing around within you. The best way to move on this practice to write quickly. The challenge lies not in the act of writing itself but in recognizing your own worthiness to do this practice. For those of you with Type A personalities, this is not the time to focus on spelling and grammar corrections. Embrace the moment and stay the course!
As you develop this practice, allow it to shift and adapt it to your specific needs. The following tips emerged from my personal adaptation of the practice, and I hope they prove helpful for you.
To get started, find a quiet space in the early morning, armed with your favorite cup of tea or coffee, a pen, and a notebook.
Number Tasks - underline key words and sequentially number these duties in the margin.
As you begin writing, you'll likely experience a litany of tasks you need to complete for the day or days to come—returning phone calls, ordering supplies, picking up items for the soccer team, refueling your car, paying bills, doing laundry, and so on. These responsibilities are important, so acknowledge them in your journaling by writing them down. You will be returning to theses after you finish your three morning pages.
2. Circle subjects where you are stalled in going forward, have hope for and/or dreams.
With daily journaling, you'll encounter personal issues that demand attention. Issues like regrett, hurts, …. Many of these issues will find resolutions through the natural journaling process. However, some may raise broader questions about how to move forward. As you are writing identify these significant issues by circling them.
Dreams and hopes are also worthy of noting and questioning how to move forward. Expand them into a vision by entertaining what they might look like, feel like, sound like,…I think you get the point. Invite these to be a part of your journaling practice and circle them as well.
3. Read journal entry aloud
Having taken your time to write, honor it by reading aloud what you've written. There is a remarkable power in hearing your own words, thoughts, and emotions. It may seem disjointed because you were writing without concern for spelling or grammar. Try it out. See if you find value in it.
4. Create your “to-do list.” Review the margin for the sequential numbers
Review the margin of your pages. Transfer numbered items from the margin to your calendar or to-do list. This practice ensures that you can freely express whatever is on your mind and know that the task is scheduled.
5. Intention Setting - Frame intention in a positive light by using present tense phrases.
Look for your circled words or topics and craft positive intentions. It may require some creativity, but you are capable of this!
Work to reframe these negatives - “I don’t have time for this writing.” “I have too much to do!”
Reframe them into a positive by using present tense phrases - “I have a daily schedule for journaling" or "I honor myself every morning with journaling."
Once formulated write them down in your calendar or to-do list as reminders.
Dreams and hopes may also be used in the manner. However, the more detailed you are in your journalling, the better.
“The perfect job for me is…. “ “I am open to opportunities ….”
Yoga, walking, cooking, driving…are great opportunities to review intentions.
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