What is a Journal and what are the benefits?
A journal is a place where you can write your thoughts, draw your pictures, record your insights, ask any questions and receive answers. It is completely private and has no audience participation! Journalling can help you to sort through the events of your life, their meaning to you and what impact those events might have had.
What happens to us is not as important as the meaning we assign to it.
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Process past events and their meaning to you.
Writing down memories of events can help you to process their meaning, and analyse your reactions. Some events seem to have a repetition in our lives and by writing about these events you can gain some very important insights about your responses to them and how those responses may have become well worn pathways in the neural response networks of your mind. By gaining these insights you can start to activate the amazing plasticity of your brain. During a safe examination of upsetting events you can even start to rewrite neural response networks, so that next time the event occurs (if it even does) your response is less automatic and more mindful. This can help to ‘de-trigger’ the event so that it becomes a part of your autobiographical history, rather than a haunting, ongoing hurt.
Untangle emotions
Journaling, when done correctly, can significantly decrease harmful thought patterns.
Emotions can be tricky, amorphous and dominating. They can often feel all encompassing and overwhelming. However, when you can translate emotions into words they become much more manageable, and easier to understand. Emotions are incredibly subjective, whereas words are objective. Labelling an emotion can influence the emotional experience itself, reducing hurt and trauma. By weaving emotions into words you can stem the flood of emotions in the mind and create a more peaceful mind space.
Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (121 – 180 AD) was many things. He was one of the most enlightened emperors that ever graced the Roman Empire, a strong general and arguably the most important and influential of the Stoic philosophers. While on campaign between 170 and 180 (AD) he wrote his philosophical book Meditations, which consisted of his daily meditations on how to find and preserve peace of mind while living in the midst of conflict. His journal, basically.
“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.”
– Marcus Aurelius
Looked at in modern day psychotherapy terms, the Stoic Philosophers were a mixture of psychodynamic and humanistic, aligning most closely with positive psychology.
The great thing about truly realising the limits of our control over our world, is that it automatically reduces what we tend to worry about, and our anxieties. It’s about letting go of our concerns for those things we cannot control.
“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.”
-Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius quotes are even more significant and poignant when you reflect that he was writing to himself, rather than for an audience.
How to keep a Journal
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Keeping a journal is not about the pretty notebook or the scrawled out angst. It is about a mindful, purposeful spring cleaning of the mind and emotions.
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Be honest. Be brave. Be an explorer. Write down your messy stuff with the goal of working towards a solutions to problems, not circling endlessly on negative events or thoughts.
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Keep it private – this is your examination of your life, your way. Write for your own benefit.
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Writing is wonderful as a supplement to professional help for serious issues, but should not be considered a substitute.
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After you have been processing your thoughts and life events it is wise to share your new insights with someone you trust. Journaling is meant to free you, not to be a tool to bottle everything up inside.
Your Journal
You can use paper and pen, or keyboard and pixels. The medium doesn’t matter so much as the content and your intentions. There are some great free blog sites where you can keep your blog utterly private – like WordPress and Blogspot. I’m sure there are many others you can find.
The most important thing is to begin today.
Later I will talk about different styles of Journaling – such as free association, writing letters to yourself and many more – to help you explore the wilds of your mind. It’s a beautiful journey!
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At Penrith Counselling women are supported and nurtured by strengths based holistic counselling and Reiki energy healing. Click here for more information. You’re worth it ❤
Alison Howarth is a member of the Australian Counselling Association.