I’ve tended to be a bit sceptical about journalling up until now, mainly because I tended to see it as a something else I’d need to find time for during the day.
I decided to give it a go when a colleague mentioned she had been doing it for a few months and was feeling more energised as a result, and less impacted by that female familiar, self-doubt.
Pineapples
I went to Kmart and bought myself an unlined A5 jotter which would fit into my bag easily. I chose one with a pineapple cover as I have a bit of a thing about pineapples.
It’s different to a diary as there are no dates, so it feels a bit less confined.
In my first entry, I wrote about a big workplace debrief I needed to deliver the next day. I was a bit worried about it as I am not a natural public speaker and I needed to get a point across, while being mindful of potentially triggering audience members.
I noticed the next day that I felt a bit lighter and also a bit less self critical.
The journalling habit
For the last few weeks, I have continued to journal every few days. I don’t get around to it every day, and this feels natural for me. I tend to write for about 5-10 minutes and I try to keep it quite spontaneous, as opposed to trying to come up with things to say.
As I am inclined to be somewhat of a night time processor, I have noticed this has eased, which I’m hoping is from the action of the thoughts being put to pen and paper.
It’s like they have somewhere to go, rather than swirling around my head at inconvenient times.
My tips:
- Try to note positives as well, so your brain gets a chance to relive these
- Don’t restrict yourself; if the entry is short or even one word, that’s fine
- Using your phone is an option too
- Privacy is key, your journal is for your eyes only
Other common benefits of journalling:
- It is a good stress management tool
- Looking back on your entries can remind you how far you have come regarding particular situations
- Re-reading positive entries releases feel good hormones in our bodies
- Journalling helps us to know ourselves better, and our triggers
Go on, give it a go!
