“The starting point of discovering who you are, your gifts, your talents, your dreams, is being comfortable with yourself. Spend time alone. Write in a journal.” Robin Sharma

This article is to invite you to start journaling or to deepen your practice.  It covers

• My experience
• Challenges
• Inspirations
• Benefits of Journaling

I love journaling. It is one of the most powerful tools for transformation.

My experience

I first wrote a journal entry when I was 12. We had just moved from Tanzania to Switzerland and writing helped me. I was a quiet  and shy child and writing on paper was a way for me to express my thoughts and feelings.  For some reason I stopped but picked up journal writing again when I was 15 and continued with it throughout the years. I still have my first journal. I kept my journal entries then positive and joyful. The only stress I expressed in them was around school exams time. Even if I was challenged with something, I would write how I wanted things to turn out. I stuck pictures in my journal of the things I loved and the places I dreamed of visiting. Today I can see the seeds of who I have become  in my journal from way back when. As the years went by, I married, had my children, worked in different companies, trained in different wellness modalities, started my own business and moved countries several times, I continued to find ways to use my journal to support me. At that time I used to call it a diary. At various times I also kept several journals for different areas. My favourite is my gratitude journal and those early journals that were filled with a young girl’s inspirations.

Definition

Oxford dictionary defines diary and journal  as follows

• diary – a book in which one keeps a daily record of events and experiences
• journal – a daily record of news and events of a personal nature; a diary.

I find that in Europe people call it diary and in North America journal.

I use journaling practices at all my VIP experiences and workshops and  recommend journaling to every client.

Challenges

Many find it a challenge for a variety of reasons:

• They don’t want anyone to see their journals
• They don’t know what to write
• They don’t understand its value
• They lack consistency

If you fit this category consider

• The 5 minute Journal  is a journal with a done-for-you template that you fill out every morning and night and will take 5 minutes at a time. Here is how the company describes it: The Five Minute Journal condenses hundreds of positive psychology articles, books, and research into a structured process of 5 daily questions that focus your attention on gratitude, setting direction for making your day great, and reflecting on good things that happen throughout your day.
• The 52 Lists Project is a journal of weekly lists that will help nurture self-expression and self-development written by Moorea Seal. Each seasonal section includes list prompts, with plenty of space to write your own lists,
• A Gratitude Jounral – Simply write down 5 things you are grateful for everyday
• Online journaling apps mentioned below

Without a doubt, the clients who journal are the ones who experience more transformation.

Where to start

Choose any of the below to get started.

• Loose paper put into a file or folder.
• A simple notebook
• A pretty store bought diary or journal. They range from simple and affordable to expensive and luxurious.
• A journaling app like Day One (iPhone) or Journey (all platforms)

The only other thing you need is your pen or device and you are ready for magical moments.

Inspirations 

The most famous diary/journal in the world is The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. It is often said to be the most widely read book in the world outside of the Bible. Anne  was a Jewish girl who lived in hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She wrote about her life in hiding in a diary, which she had been given for her birthday. She named the diary Kitty, and wrote in it as though she were writing to a friend. Anne and her family went into hiding when she was 13 and she wrote her diary for  2 years (1942-1944) before her family was discovered and taken into concentration camp where she died. I had read her diary when I was 13 years old myself. This is how Anne described writing in her diary: “I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”

Another book that has inspired many to journal is The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Julia talks about Morning Pages. This is what she says: Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages.  They are not high art. They are not even “writing.” They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind – and they are for your eyes only. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not overthink Morning Pages. Just put three pages of anything on the page…and then do three more pages tomorrow.

Benefits of Journaling

Journaling provides a space to

• Express
• Reflect
• Process
• Explore ideas
• Count your blessings
• Make lists
• Practice Self-care
• Heal
• Organize your thoughts
• Be creative
• Get clarity on your  priorities
• Be mindful
• Have present moment awareness
• Document the details of your everyday life
• Keep track
• Celebrate your wins
• Be more thoughtful
• Set intentions (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly)
• Think abundantly
• Ask questions
• Do coaching exercises
• Focus
• Deeply experience your journey

You can write anything, anywhere,  anytime.

Do you journal? Let me know in the comments.

Journal writing, when it becomes a ritual for transformation, is not only “ life-changing but life-expanding.” Jen Williamson