I have lived on this planet for 51.5 years. You can say I am “full” of experiences, stories, and emotions. I am bursting like a mango in summer, slightly going bad if I don’t get eaten first. There is just so much going on. Kai, my son, is becoming his own person, financial planning has become very important, and my body continues to change.

How can I “digest” it all?

Introducing Journaling.

I have resisted journaling my whole 11 years of coaching. I am more of a vision board girl, but as a part of my Menopause Yoga training, I needed to spend 4 weeks journaling consistently – What a horror! I am the queen of inconsistency.

I have a love/hate relationship with journaling.

I know in my mind, that journaling can be a great practice during a transition e.g. changing jobs, when a relationship gets rocky, or moving countries. Journaling can increase self-awareness, help in managing emotions, and give you insights towards personal growth.

But for me to sit down and give myself space – nope, I’d rather do yoga.

I want to share my journaling experience with you.

Because it helped. It really helped.

In this blog, I will cover:

1. My 4-week experience.

2. The benefits of journaling and what I find helpful about it.

3. Different ways of journaling – as one size does not fit all!

1. My 4-Week Journaling Experience:

My first reaction to journaling was that I don’t have time, and I resisted sitting down and even spending 5 minutes writing. Sitting still seemed daunting as I was always picking up around the house.

Finally, I sat down, and I found that my thoughts were going faster than I could write. So instead of doing what I thought was expected in a journal, I found it helpful to do mind-maps or quick one-word scribbles on a page to get all the thoughts out onto the paper. After a several times of one-word brain dumps, I was able to write bullet point thoughts and ideas, really letting whatever was on my mind come out.

And then the magic started to happen. I noticed how/when my rage was showing up and got to understand my feelings around what was happening between me, my son, my ex and my husband. I started sleeping better, because I became more aware of what I needed to do to feel calm. Sleep is paramount to my health.

2. The Benefits of Journaling:

Understanding the benefits of journaling can be the motivation to stick with it.

Create New Thought Patterns: First journal to notice your patterns, then piecing out why those patterns may have helped you, but possibly aren’t supporting you any longer. Patterns can include what we eat and drink to with whom we spend our time with. Even our thought can create helpful or unhelpful patterns.
Emotional Expression: Journaling provides a safe space to express and process emotions as long as no one else can get to read it. I often didn’t feel able to express my anger at my husband for fear of hurting him, but with journaling I was able to manage my emotions and get clarity on which part of the situation was truly the problem for me. I could then better address it with him.
Self-Reflection: As you write, the hand/eye/mind connection allows you to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to what you feel in your body.
Stress Relief: Journaling allows you to unload your worries onto paper, making them feel more manageable and allows you to stop “carrying it all” in your head and heart.
Self-Care: Many people roll their eyes when I talk about self-care, because they think about massages or getting their nails done. Journaling can be a form of self-care, offering a few moments of solitude and self-connection in a busy world to discover what you really need in that moment to feel well.
Reconnect with your inner voice: We as women often look to the outside for cues on what to do, how to take care of our family best, and how to contribute to our community, however, we often forget about ourselves and our own unique way of approaching life. Journaling can let us tap into our own inner knowing, as well us start to see our true wishes, dreams, and desires, so that we can put words to describe our needs and start to actually get our needs met.
Dreaming: It is amazing to really allow your brain to let go of the limitation that surround us every day and start dreaming freely about what we truly desire in our life. It is a type of freedom.

3. The Best Way to Journal - Different Journaling Techniques:

Don’t do what you “should” do… be curious and choose which one feels interesting to you.
Maybe you find something new.

Types of Journaling Techniques

From my training with Petra Coveney’s, Menopause Yoga:

**Free Writing:**

Simply start writing whatever comes to mind, without worrying about structure or grammar. Let your thoughts flow naturally. It could be a mind-map or brainstorm on paper.

**Reflective Journaling:**

Starting by looking at your every day and aspects of your life and asking reflective questions like, where am I now? Is this what I want for myself? What is working and what can I let go of?

**Affirmations:**

An affirmation is a positive statement or thought is consciously repeated with the intention to influence our beliefs, attitude, and actions. It starts with I am… and inserts positive words in the present tense. Examples: I am confident. I am calm. I am enough.

**Dream Journaling:**

In the morning, as soon as you wake up, write down your dreams as you remember them. It shows you what you’ve been processing as you sleep.

**Intentions:**

Usually phrased as a question and done in the morning, it helps set the tone and focus for your day. Some questions could be: What do I need to have balance today? What would help me to feel alive?

**Gratitude Journaling:**

Write down 3 things you're grateful for each day. This practice can boost your mood and turn off the comparison engine.
**FREE** **Click here to download a 5-Minute Gratitude Journal PDF.**

**Scripting:**

Used as a manifestation technique, you describe a day or moment in the future written in the present tense. You describe in great detail the scene of this moment with emotions, outcomes, and using all of your beliefs, desires, and imagination to set the scene of your story. It helps to clarify your goals and what you truly want to see and feel in your future.

These are techniques I’ve learned from coaching.

Morning Pages: Our mind is in a special place when we wake up. Jot down your thoughts as soon as you wake up. This helps set a positive tone for the day.
Emotion Journaling: Explore and describe your emotions in detail. I found this challenging as I didn’t have the words to express how I was feeling. So, I used things that described how I was feeling using words for colors, temperature, and sensations in my body. (e.g., hot, yellow/orange, choked up feeling in my throat.) This approach can help you understand and digest the emotions better.
Creative Journaling: Why use only words?! Use color, paint, collages, doodles, or creative poetic writing in your journal. It's a fun way to express yourself and tap into your creativity, especially when it’s not clear how you are really feeling. Let your visual mind lead the way.
Mindfulness Journaling: Use your journal to practice mindfulness. Pay attention to the present moment, describe your surroundings, and reflect on your sensations and feelings.
Self-Compassion Journaling: Most of the day, I am beating myself up about what I haven’t done, what mistake I made or what I haven’t figured out yet. Being kind to myself is something new. Try it for yourself, be kind to yourself in your writing. Practice self-compassion by writing encouraging messages to yourself. Maybe even write yourself a love note.

Remember, you are UNIQUE.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to journaling.

Experiment with different techniques to find what resonates with you the most. Consistency is key, so practice making journaling a regular part of your routine. Over time, you may discover that it's a great tool for self-discovery, personal growth, and emotional well-being.

How can journaling help me?