Journaling has been around for a long time and surprisingly it is something that successful people tend to do on a daily basis. Oprah raised awareness on journaling some years ago when she explained how she focused on her daily gratitude.

Benefits of Journaling

• Helps clear negative self-talk. Observing how you talk to yourself in writing, gives you the opportunity to reframe those words and be more kind and loving to yourself.
• Increases Gratitude. Spending mindful time focussing on all that you are have to be truly grateful for is a reminder that life is pretty good.
• Highlights Shadows (you need to embrace your dark and light). So many people hide or have shame for their dark side. Everything is in balance you have to love your dark side as much as your light. Being aware allows you to learn and grow.
• Getting it out, eliminating bottled emotions. Some people find it difficult to express things to others, writing them down helps get them out. Bottling things has never served anyone.
• Improves communication and emotional intelligence. Being aware of your emotions naturally increases you emotional intelligence, searching for words to express yourself, and actually putting pen to paper (almost a lost art), will help you improve your communication in all areas of life.

How to Start

All you need is a notebook, something to write with and some dedicated time. When selecting your notebook consider:

• Will you travel with your journal (a good idea)?
• Do you need something small and compact?
• A plain or fancy cover
• Lined or unlined?
• Do you want to use a particular type of pen, or even colour?
• Maybe you want to use a different colour for different emotions, or even highlighters.
• If you sketch maybe drawings will also form part of your journal.
• If you are struggling with where to start maybe pick one of the benefits of journaling, and go from there.
• Routine in nature? Then schedule time in your diary. Start with 5 minutes. If you make it too onerous you may stop before you get comfortable with the concept.
• Spontaneous in nature? Then carry your journal with you and write whenever inspired.

You have many choices, ultimately you are only limited by your imagination.

Remember a journal is something that you will go back and revisit, why? Well it helps you to see how far you have come, what progress you have made in certain areas. When down or feeling vulnerable; reading about happy moments can help change your mindset.

So if journaling is something you have thought about, but not started, maybe now is the time to make a commitment to yourself?

Happy writing.

Deb