Journaling is an amazing way to be more in tune with your emotions, goals and actions. Regardless of how you do it – whether it is a diary, notebook or phone app – you will find it holds many benefits. It clarifies, prioritises and sometimes presents great ideas and solutions kind of out of the blue!
Technically, it is not so out of the blue!
What I love with journaling is that it helps you send a clear message to your subonscious about what is important to you, what are your issues, and hence which solutions you are looking for. When your subconscious knows what you are trying to achieve, it will start working for you on those topics and present to you solutions you did not think you had, but which in fact you do. That’s what is amazing with how our brains work, and journaling allows you to harness some of the power of your subconscious.
A few tips for finding time to journal
It can be very difficult to make time for journaling every morning.
- Try getting up just a half hour or 20 minutes earlier. This gives you 20-30 minutes of quiet time before the house fully comes alive.
- You might find a few minutes after everyone else is out of the house as well.
- You may find 15 minutes in a coffee shop or juice stop on your way to work gives you the time you need to write, and, will add to the pleasure.
- Perhaps you might find that journaling when you are on the train on your way to work works better for you.
- 15 minutes before you start your work routine may be the time for you. You may think it will cause you to stay later at work to get everything accomplished. Writing is like your morning workout, it is amazing how spending the time can buy you more time through the day. Your head is clearer and you can do your job and handle people more efficiently and effectively.
- You might find that journaling at mid-day, before going for lunch, allows you to clear your head out for the afternoon.
You have many options of when to journal. That said, journaling in the morning allows you to clear the cobwebs in your brain. You’ll notice it will help you be and stay focused during your day. You will find that you do things that you would have skipped over otherwise.
Try to journal every day. Even a few sentences will work, but really try to keep doing this daily. The more time and intent you have, the better your subconscious will be working for you!
What to journal about?
You can journal about how you feel, what you eat, what your desires are. Journal about what is holding you back from achieving your goals.
It does not matter so much what you write about as the action itself of writing. Writing allows your mind and body to know that you are ready to explore how you feel. Start with any topic that comes to mind, and you will see that as days go by, you will know what you want to get out of your head and on paper!
Journaling is very therapeutic. I used to have a one when I was a teanager and it helped me a lot when I was going through my first hormonal changes. Since I started already with pain on my first periods (due to my endometriosis), finding a way to express how I was feeling when I had no clue what was happening to me was extremely important.
Commit!
Commit to journaling for 6 months!
There are many statistics about how long you should commit to something before it becomes a habit: from 21 days to a few months. Really, it just depends on you. Some habits you will find easier to stick to, because they resonate more with you. I do hope this one will be one of those for you!
From that prospective, 6 months is a good time. It will prove you that even just a few minutes a day you can find time for yourself, to reconnect with yourself, your emotions, your desires, etc.
So, commit to journaling for 6 months! Then, tell me what has happened! I’d love to know!
Have you been journaling for a while now? Please comment below and share with me what your routine is! I’d love to know! 🙂