Journey Into Journaling – Take 1

Intro to Journaling: Who Has Time for That?

“I don’t journal.” “Who has time for that?” Sound familiar? I remember saying these words several years ago. I just didn’t understand why people did it. It wasn’t until I participated in a 200-hour yoga teacher training program that I began curious to even think about starting to write in a journal.

I can say that the practice has opened my eyes to its benefits, and I hope as you start down this journey to journaling that you will realize benefits for yourself as well.

Hit the Road Running

One of the most helpful skills that I learned in my yoga training was the practice of mindfulness meditation. We were encouraged to start a meditation practice at home and journal about the experience after each session. And so I did.

Now years later, I can tell you that some days it may not be easy to journal, however every time I journal I get something out of it.

Journaling is a practice. Much like yoga is a practice, journaling also requires practice, patience, and dedication.

There is no right or wrong way to journal: there is only YOUR way. I hope over the next six months as you follow along in this journaling blog here, that you will be able to find nuggets of information to help you along your journey.

I hope to share a little about my practice as a way to support your practice – whether you’ve never just started, have been journaling for a while, or have never journaled a day in your life.

How should you get started?

Find a notebook you enjoy or utilize our free online journal tool through the Beebe Women’s Health microsite: www.beebehealthcare.org/be-there. By creating a new profile, you will receive the journal space. Some enjoy the digital and some enjoy the analog – do what feels right to you.

Grab your keyboard or pen and open that first entry. It can help to start by introducing yourself to yourself. Who are you right now? What interests do you possess? Why did you decide to start this journal today? What hopes and dreams do you have? What is your goal for the journaling practice?

Any one of these questions can be a good way to start your journaling practice. Start today and continue to journal once a day for 30 days. Studies show that if you create a new habit and keep it going for 30 days, it will be cemented and you will be more likely to carry on with it.

After today, here are some questions you can focus on in your journaling practice:

• What is my mood today and why do I feel that way?
• What happened that my mind can’t let go of – was there a fight that happened that I want to find closure with or a person who said something hurtful that I want to try to understand?
• Is there a goal that I have that I am not sure how to achieve? What steps can I work on to achieve that goal?
• What was good today? Every day the news can highlight negativity, but what positive aspects are you seeing in your daily life? What positive energy are you bringing to the world?

Still not sure where to begin?  I would like to offer a suggestion, and as you continue to write, you will be able to discern what is best for you.

Since the holidays are approaching, you can start by writing down what you are grateful for each day. I encourage you to play with it:  Maybe one day you simply list things you are grateful for, maybe another day you pick one thing and write down all the reasons you are grateful for that particular thing, person, or being. On another day you might continue to expand these feelings of gratitude towards yourself – what are you grateful for about yourself?

Are you new to journaling? Have you journaled in the past? Share with us in the comments!