Why Journal?
Peace Disrupters happen….
Emotions are temporary….
Ruminate and release…..
Let’s begin there. no one is absolved of tough times, and tough thoughts. We’re all in this together so let’s chat. Grab a warm drink, a piece of paper, pen and fall 🍂 in 😉.
Most people know I am an avid Journaler… my love for writing in books, diaries, planners all of the above started as a young girl. I use to beg my Mom to take me to Frank’s craft store (holla if you remember Frank’s) and get two things: string for bracelets and Lisa Frank stickers!!! Oh the joy on the occasion she would take me in for one purchase. It was as if I won the lottery! Inside these notebooks, I’d share my deepest thoughts, dreams and secrets. In one fond writing session I remember laying out my Babysitters Club plan. I’d read every book (even the Karen series) and knew it would be a success 🫣. What I didn’t realize back then was the process of writing it down gave that dream a bit of levity it couldn’t achieve just in my head.
“Dreams on paper give them wings….”
Define Journaling?
So I like to use the term and definition Bibliotherapy when referencing my journaling practice.
Bibliotherapy is defined as a therapeutic practice that uses reading, writing, and discussion to help people grow and develop. It can be used to treat mental health disorders, cope with difficult situations, or work through grief.
In the article “Bibliotherapy as a Non-pharmaceutical Intervention to Enhance Mental Health” several definitions have been created to conceptualize bibliotherapy, they all focus on three essential elements:
- Reading material inside or outside of a professional session
- Personal Development
- Therapeutic and achievable goal
Essentially, journaling is a practice and a ritual in the context for this post.
Let’s Dig into the Various Methods of Journaling
1. Functional
Functional journaling is typically utilized for productivity or performance. Productivity examples for this type of journaling are:
- Goal setting
- Note taking
- Setting your schedule
- Task management
There are many forms of structured ways to start journaling for productivity.
- Bullet journaling
- Goal journaling
- Time blocking
J’s Recs:
If you are interested in starting a new system, try The Bullet Journal Method. According to the Ryder Carroll, Founder of the Bullet Journal Method; it is a mindfulness practice disguised as productivity system. Emotional wellness is supported using daily reflections to identify what’s meaningful by stripping away what’s meaningless.
MäksēLife is more than a goal-setting system. It’s a guide for purposeful living. They offer a ton of free resources to help you reflect on your current journey, and position yourself for next steps. Of all the companies reviewed, I was really impressed at the amount of free resources.
2. Reflection
Reflection based journaling is typically associated with using guided prompts to process events, relationships, or even your environment. Gratitude journaling is popular in this category. There are many health benefits to Gratitude Journaling:
As referenced on WebMD; Women with breast cancer who wrote positively or expressively about their experience with the disease had fewer physical symptoms and fewer cancer-related medical appointments. But researchers also noted that writing about negative emotions may increase anxiety and depression levels.
The American Psychological Association references research from University of California that more gratitude in their patients was associated with better mood, better sleep, less fatigue and lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers related to cardiac health,”. The study was published in the journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice®.
J’s Recs:
The 5 minute Journal . Although I have not specifically utilized this model, I’ve heard good things about the ease of use and quick pick up ability.
Personally, I prefer to keep all my items in one book, so I use stickers placed inside my Agenda (on a blank page) to reflect routinely with guided prompt kits. The prompts in the picture below ask very minimal questions that allow me to think through the months reflections. These kits are available at Let’s Get Planned.
3. Category Based
I won’t go too much in depth on this one because there are so many options out there. This form of journaling is helpful when you seek to hone in on a specific area of your life. That could be food intake, sleep, exercise, faith, memory keeping, reading journal ect… This is typically the form of journaling people reference, but it is not the only way. I personally have a hard time processing so much on just one topic I rarely utilize this type of journaling. I do enjoy a good devotional and meal planning. For more on food based journaling, check out an entire post I did on this topic Health and Meal Planning.
J’s Recs:
Regardless of your faith or religious beliefs, I do agree with research the spirit is the most neglected. I would recommend considering a tool that allows you to dig into your purpose and beliefs. If you do lean toward christian, Alaina from the Organized Money will build an entire faith-based book on your behalf, for a pretty reasonable amount ($28.00).
If you don’t, no sweat there are tons of resources on google that will allow you to process your purpose separate from religion. If you would like to go deeper in understanding the faith portion of the Whispers 7 dimensions of health, check out the blog post below.
4. Process on Paper
One way to process the day on paper is to evaluate a commitment you may have made to Yourself. Perhaps it’s not a tangible habit you are trying to difine, but rather a value you would like to re-engage. Perhaps this is building courage, saying yes more, or even forgivness this type of journaling can really help you go deeper into your sense of self. This is my favorite way to journal as I believe it is healing and therapeutic.
J’s Recs:
Enter one of the best Book-Journal combination Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. In this book, Shonda gives us an intimate view of her trials and tribulations with severe introvertedness. The book chronicles her life after her Year of Yes had begun—when Shonda forced herself out of the house and onto the stage; when she learned to explore, empower, applaud, and love her truest self.
The Forgiveness journal by Iyanla Vanzant. Ok, those that know me knew one of her books would make an appearance, but hear me out! This book is less about the author, and more about using a tool to process comprehensively any forgiveness pushed down and not address. She takes you through a series of exercises across pretty much every relationship in your life. Super easy to follow and you can tackle a page or two a day.
5. Know thy Self
Asking light or deep questions of your self to better connect to your desires and wishes. I’ve grown to like this form of journaling more and more through listening to Gretchen Rubin’s podcast. She does a really nice job giving you a “know thyself” prompt each episode. She’s also very regular on her show, which makes it all the more easy to follow. I love routines! She has an entire area of her webpage dedicated to self-knowledge.
“I have a deep belief when you have greater knowledge of yourself, you will seek out others opinions and advice less.”
J’s Rec: If you have an IPhone, look no further than the very free Apple Journal! Since using this free App, I really love the prompts, and interface with photos and video. Currently I’ve challenged Myself to write a bit about “a day in the life of my Agenda“. It tickles me how fascinated people are by my schedule and “how I do it all”. I think it will make a fun post and Apple Journal is right there to capture it all!!
6. Creative Sketching or Collaging
This is an area of journaling I am not an expert in, so this will be short. However, I’ve watched drawing become such a healing form for my Son I could not write this post without mentioning it.
If you are interested in learning more about sketch journaling Here are a few resources to learn:
- Archer and Olive has courses on using this therapeutic tool Their owner Bonnie Kuhl discovered mental wellness through journaling and creativity after a diagnosis of bipolar. Since then she has made it her mission to share this love around the wolrd through her company Archer and Olive.
- They also have a free YouTube channel in which creative journaling ideas are shared.
7. Combination: Whispers Wellness Journal Release Nov 23rd!!!
As I closed the computer screen earlier this year, and reflected upon my submission I felt a very different feeling than previous writing projects. Turning in research, white papers, dissertations brought a sense of relief and accomplishment. I finished the job, executed the goal.
“This time, my initial reaction was freedom.”
Similar to so many other women I’ve been the ONLY thing standing in my own way. For 5 years I litigated my own self-limitating beliefs:
- I don’t have time to create a journal
- No one will buy it
- People will think I’m full of Myself
- No one uses paper anymore
- You will take time away from more important matters (family, mission, work ect…)
- It…will…fail…
The last one hits hardest. Fear of failure is why so many of us never even try. So one day, while speaking with a colleague and her telling me “your posts have truly impacted me” I knew the fear of failure is minimal compared to the gift of helping someone with my story. If that wasn’t enough, reading Michele Obama’s quote:
“Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own. failure is a feeling long before it’s an actual result. ” -Michele Obama
Rewind to 2020, I’m sitting in the basement, pondering the pandemic and all too disappointed by the available journal options meeting my desires. In that moment I wrote (in a blank notebook by the way) “one day I will make time and create my own”.
I turned in 48,000 words to my Editor. We’ve been working diligently ever since to bring this book to the finish line.
Self-publishing, version 1 won’t be perfect, fancy, or come with all the bells and whistles of a high -powered marketing team. But it will be from… my … heart.
November 23rd…. here we come! Click here to subscribe and stay up to date on each step until Release!
Deep bow to all of you.
J
