Will Journaling Help ME?
There is this idea out there that journaling has to be beautiful, or profound, or polished. Believe me when I (loudly) say – NOPE! That is not the case at all. Life is messy. Our journals, if we’re doing it right, should reflect our lives.
Messy things that can happen when we journal:
- Bad handwriting
- Poor grammar
- Misspelled words
- Crossed out paragraphs
- Torn pages
- Tear-stained pages
- Nasty words
- Childish opinions
- Pettiness
Hell, one of my very first journal entries was me writing, “F_____ YOU!!!!!” over and over until I’d filled up a whole page. It wasn’t pretty at all. It was messy as hell. And it felt AMAZING. The magic of journaling is in the process, and that process is available for everyone.
So, if you’re someone who is saying, “C’mon. I get that you like it, but how will journaling help ME?” I get it. I really do. And I want you to know, that no matter what your writing experience, your artistic abilities, or your high school English grades, YES, journaling will undoubtedly help you.
Feel scattered and disorganized? Writing down your “stuff” will help you categorize your thoughts. It will define feelings and help you get clear on next steps.
Feel lost and uncertain? Journaling helps you tap into your inner wisdom. There is a very smart Self in you that always knows what to do next. She loves to speak through pen and paper. One of my favorite things to do is ask my journal a question and just see what comes out of my pen.
Feeling sad or angry or anxious? We’ve written exactly how to journal with these emotions in all our love letters this month. (Sign up here to get those e-mails FREE, every single week.)
Feeling overjoyed and grateful? Write that down too! It will compound and even preserve those good feelings so that you can look back and remember all the wonderful life has brought you.
So dive right in. Journaling is available to everyone. Let it be an anchor for you. Let it be messy. Let it be imperfect and petty and misspelled. There is beauty and wisdom in the unpolished process of creating. ❤️