Why I Journal Everyday...

Every morning for six week I've been writing in my notebook for 3 pages.   It's not a fancy notebook, just a basic notebook I got in Tesco.   If anyone read what I wrote, it probably wouldn't make send to them.   They would probably think it was funny or mad, or maybe a mix of both!

I've been journaling for two decades...not that I knew it was called journaling until 8 years ago.  Writing out the thoughts in my head helped me find peace of mind.  As a teenager and in my twenties, I wasn't comfortable opening up to people.   As the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved, so I shared my problems in my notebook.

Over the last 8 years, I've started reading books on journaling, to learn how to get the most out of my practice.   IN the last 6 weeks, I've started following a journaling program called The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.  I love it!   Every morning I write 3 pages of an A5 notebook.   Every morning, when I wake at 6:30am.   In the past, I would journal when I needed to get something out of my head, to declutter my mind.

So why do I do it?   I do it so I can have a clear head.  With this new structured approach to journaling that I'm trying, I am dealing with things as they come up, not letting them fester and gaining clarity and insight into myself quicker.   Writing or journaling was always a way for me to declutter my mind.   When I've gone through hell, writing it all out helped me through.   Whatever was happening, writing it out took the pressure off an overwhelmed brain.

Journaling is sometimes called brain-dumping....I dump all my thoughts on paper so I can then start to make sense of it, to understand what was important and what wasn't.   Among the many many benefits I've experienced from journaling, clarity is the first one, clearing my head of fear and anxiety so I can get on with my day.

So what is the best way to journal?   Take a pen and a paper, find somewhere where you can be alone for even 5 minutes, and start writing down the first thought that comes into your head, even if it's writing "I don't know what to write", you're giving your brain a prompt to start writing...give it a go...you've nothing to lose, and so much to gain!