#JournalingTherapy

[elainem01]

Did You Know?

Writing Can Reduce Stress: Writing about stressful events, even in a journal, has been shown to lower anxiety levels, reduce emotional distress, and help with trauma recovery.

[meanitwithlove]

The truth about people "using" you is that it can happen to anyone, at any point in life, and it often stems from an imbalance in a relationship where one person takes more than they give, often with little regard for your feelings or needs. While not always malicious, it can leave you feeling drained, undervalued, and emotionally manipulated.

[loveaffection2]

Navigating heartbreak can be challenging, but journaling can be a powerful tool for healing. Explore these 7 techniques to guide you through journaling and heal your soul. From expressing your emotions freely to practicing gratitude and self-reflection, these methods will help you process your feelings and find inner peace. Start your healing journey today by putting pen to paper and reclaiming your strength and resilience.

[thebreakdownisthebecoming]

just a place to put things.

Once upon a time I had two accounts here. One, a photography blog that was accidently deleted. The other, a yoga blog, intentionally deleted. The yoga blog was called, “the enlightenment of an aspiring yogi,” and for a while, I actually wrote some pretty beautiful posts. And that’s the problem... “for a while.” Everything about my journaling and blogging is just “for a while.” Consistency is my biggest problem. Which is kind of crazy because I like writing (handwriting and typing) and I love reading. And I am introspective to a fault. Literally, introspection to the point of an anxiety disorder, moderate depression, body dysmorphia, and increasingly more social isolation (which I can no longer conveniently blame on COVID and social distancing, etc.)

So what is the problem with journaling (or blogging as I guess this electronic version is technically called)? Well, several:

1. I always think that I need to have a great introduction. Something that states my intentions and in case it ever is read by a wide audience (because who knows who’s scouring the internet) is captivating and charming and vulnerable and leads to a book deal...

2. I get so lost in my thoughts and analyzing my feelings that my ONE thing I was going to write about suddenly turns into 10 tangents and a never ending entry/post that really justifies 10 separate posts yet is just endless rambling.

3. My brain is ACTUALLY hardwired to not start processing anything about myself until it hits the pillow, then suddenly it’s imperative that I get to the core of every thought and feeling I’ve experienced not only in that day, but my entire lifetime.

4. I actually do a lot better making connections or “assessing the damage” or “realizing my triggers and traumas” or whatever you want to label it, when I am talking- usually out loud to myself in the car.

This last point is actually the most important I think. Even though I know I’m not, I feel like I am the only person that out of the blue will start talking to myself as if another person is in the room with me, telling them about something that hurt or bothered me, today or ten years ago. Just pick up middle of an ongoing conversation I didn’t even know I was having with my subconscious and suddenly have it RIGHT NOW. And it has to be that unplanned element that is the magic of it; when my brain starts putting things together and it all comes pouring out of... my head? my heart? my mouth. Because the minute I tell myself, “no we’re going to think about/work though/handle this situation or feeling” or “we’re going to write about this later...” no more magic. It’s suddenly a thing we have to do.

I also get frustrated because I feel like I’m not explaining it well. If anyone were ever to read this, people today are NOT interested in reading long anythings. We want headlines, quotes, 30 second videos, “stories,” captions... Which means that the space and words you do get, you better make sure you are picking the absolute right ones to get your point across. And that’s a lot of pressure. I know we’ve all heard that when we feel alone in our thoughts/feelings it simply isn’t true because so many can relate... which is hard, because our pain and our stories are just that, OURS, but the bigger sentiment is that we’ve all felt pain and we all want that to be recognized. And to do that, we want to find the words that are uniquely ours. 

The things is, I think there’s a lot of value to journaling (whether others read it or not.) I think I’m programmed to write for an audience, like this post is talking to you not me. Realistically, I know I will be the only one who ever knows of it’s existence and that’s ok. The value is not in how many people read and respond (which is hard to remember in our world of likes and follows) but in creating a space for myself. A place to tackle a thought, leave fresh ones, maybe eventually look back and see a bigger picture, or growth, or healing.

I’ve collected some prompts for myself which I think might be the best way to tackle this (although free form is also “allowed.) And I like the idea of typing because faster and no hand cramps, hello Millennial. 

Here now is also the pressure for the perfect closing- the end to this post but the beginning of a new habit or journey or something... (still doubtful of my consistency.) But here’s the thing, this is just space, and it’s going to treated as such. Space to lay down any words, any thoughts... and to see what’s there when you step back, also what’s there when you get up close and start sifting through. Just a place to put things for now...

[bluehummingbirdhandcrafted]

I want to see 2023. I want to see 2023. I want to see 2023. #journalingtherapy #journaltherapy #copingmechanism Journaling using only leftover scraps and used notepad pages (at Kansas City, Missouri) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmMZEhzr6t2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=