Enter the Journal

I have often suggested the use of meditation as a preferred way to enjoy a day of peace and tranquility to friends and family. Yet, there is another way to achieve the same goal if you are not into sitting meditation.

Journal writing has been around for a very long time. If memory serves me correctly, before we started writing in journals, we were writing in diaries, which are two sides of the same coin as far as I'm concerned. The only difference is most journal entries do not start off with 'Dear Diary.'

Writing is in its own way a form of meditation. It allows you the opportunity to focus your thoughts, replenish your energy, and get back on the right track after a hectic day or challenging situation. When you write your thoughts down in a truthful way you are releasing the possible stress that goes along with them.

I've read somewhere that most people have negative thoughts 75% of the time. If there is any truth to this theory at all, then writing would be a perfect way to combat that issue. It doesn't take much to start journal writing. All you need is a notebook or a journal and a pen. Some people even use the computer to keep a journal as they find it helps them to get more thoughts down when they type it out.

As an excellent starter exercise, you should write in your journal for five minutes straight about anything and everything that comes into your mind in that moment. Even if you're writing about not having anything to say on paper, you should try to write something down.

The amazing thing is when you go back and read your own thoughts. You learn so much about yourself - the way you feel about yourself and others, the way you interact with others, and so much more.

From time to time, there may be things we need to work on like good communication skills, controlling anger, etc. Journal writing helps with being able to see yourself. Perhaps, you will see yourself in a way you've never been aware of until it's on paper. It's worth a try. These two exercises are taken from my workshop that I'm now facilitating called Write Your Journey Creative Workshop. Enjoy!

Here are two journal entry ideas to help get you started:

-5-minute Journal Entry. You can use this one every single day if you'd like, it's perfect for getting out whatever you're feeling at any given time you have a need to release emotions that are overwhelming you. As I mentioned in the article, do not worry about spelling, grammar, or punctuation just write for five minutes straight. And be honest with your feelings as you write, after all, no one will read your journal but you.

-Making Lists. I've found it very helpful to write different types of lists in my journal. Whether it's about career goals, personal issues, or things I'd like to do within the coming year, writing lists helps to put things into perspective on any topic. It's good to sort things out, especially if you have a host of things on your mind all at once. If you can write it down as a list, you can look at it from a different view and get a better handle on the situation.