What Is Journaling and How to Do It
Journaling, aka freewriting, is my favorite self-discovery tool.
I teach a specific approach to journaling called freewriting. It’s a therapeutic form of writing that helps my clients gain a deeper sense of self-understanding through exploring their inner emotional landscape.
Oftentimes with chronic overwhelm, it’s hard to pinpoint a singular cause. That’s because it’s usually an accumulation of things, both big and small, that build up over time (it's like that phrase death by a thousand paper cuts). Sometimes we’re even holding onto things we don’t realize are still affecting us.
Journaling with the freewriting technique helps peel back the layers of the overwhelm onion.
Understanding what your emotions, thoughts, habits and reactions are rooted in is the key to getting out from under the weight of being overwhelmed.
This helps because as you become aware of the underlying causes, you get more choices.
You can choose to do the same thing, now with a better understanding of it. Or you can choose to do something different, that helps lift the weight and brings more peace and ease to your life.
What Is Journaling Good For
Journaling is good for many things, but five of the top benefits are:
Reduces stress and anxiety by expressing your emotions in a safe space
Deepens self-understanding by exploring your inner emotional landscape
Strengthens the mind + body connection through the physical act of writing
Gives intuitive answers to questions you’ve been asking
Boosts creativity by using writing as a blank canvas to play and explore your thoughts
How Do I Journal My Thoughts
Before you start journaling, pick a space where you feel comfortable and won’t be interrupted. Being in the flow of your writing is very important and minimizing distractions is key (so silence that phone!).
I like to treat my writing as a special time for myself. So I’ll make a cup of coffee or tea, clear my space with some sage and give myself a few moments to breathe deeply and bring my full attention into the room before I start writing.
When you’re ready, follow these steps:
Pick a topic – choose something you want more insight or clarity about; or use a writing prompt
I have prompt ideas saved in my Instagram highlights if you need somewhere to start
With my clients, I create customized intuitive prompting to help them dig deeper into the things they want to explore and work on
Stream of consciousness – don’t worry about grammar, spelling, how pretty your handwriting is, or really anything; just let it flow and try not to judge what comes up
If you’re worried about the outcome it’s going to block the effectiveness of this technique, so try your best to just let go and be in the moment (this can take some practice, so be patient with yourself)
Pages or timed – choose to write for a certain number of pages or amount of time
I recommend starting with 3 pages, or setting your timer for 10 minutes
If you’re new to this type of writing, start small and work your way up to more
Radical honesty - be completely, brutally honest and don’t hold back
This type of writing works best when you’re able to be fully honestly
If it’s something you’d never want anyone else to see, plan to shred the papers after so you feel comfortable expressing how you’re really feeling (this writing space is just for you)
What Should I Write About
I always recommend making a list of topics you can use in your writing. Especially when you’re first starting your freewriting practice, you can get hit with a sort of writer’s block.
Having this list of topics will help you be consistent in your practice, even on days you feel foggy about what to focus on.
Use these thought starters to make your list:
Pain points in your life you’d like more clarity around
Personal growth areas you want to focus on
Creative ideas you want to explore
Pull a card (oracle, tarot, motivational quotes, etc.) and let the message lead you to what you write
Use a favorite quote or song lyric that deeply resonates with you as inspiration
Really anything that stirs your emotions or inspires you will work
Now that you know what journaling is and how to do it, block off some time on your calendar every week to start your freewriting practice. As with all self-discovery tools and resources, they only work if you use them.