Why Journaling Promotes Healing

 

 

 

Hi, my name is Kallie and I am a journaling junkie.

 

It’s been said that “the written word is power” and through my journey I have come to believe this as a TRUTH!   I have been known to have a journal or two or ten. It’s my thing. It’s one of the few, who really knows me and sees my whole broken self. It’s my place to let the real, raw me be seen, my journal is one of the only places my walls come down and the all masks disappear. My journal encompasses all of me- the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, it’s all there in the pages. Nothing has healed my broken heart like writing has and today I want to share with you WHY journaling promotes healing from my point of view.

 

Journaling Creates Clarity & Perspective

 

When you sit down and write out the things in your head and on your heart it clears out the unnecessary so the necessary can speak. By that I mean when you word vomit (isn’t that what it really is?) in your journal you get it all out there, from there you can sift and sort what is truth and what is not. You can get to the real issue, let the unnecessary go, and make a game plan from there. I always say that awareness creates change  and here is why;  the only way to fix problems is to be aware of what caused said problem in the first place. When we have clarity on what the issue is it puts the power back in our hands because we can manage our thoughts properly. Journaling will help you redirect your negative thoughts into more positive, truthful ones and that my friends is POWER.  I cannot tell you how many times I have sat down, started writing and by the end, what I thought was the problem is far from what the real problem was.  So save yourself some heartache, worry, stress and just WRITE IT OUT!

 

Journaling allows Authenticity without the Fear of Judgement

 

To me being vulnerable is like being thrown onto a stage, naked and exposed to a room full of strangers. It’s uncomfortable and embarrassing so we scramble to cover up the parts of us we don’t like and most certainly don’t want others to see. We do this in our own lives when it comes to what we share with others, we pick and choose the best parts of us or limit the visibility because of  FEAR. We take that vulnerability and stuff it in the darkest, cobb webbed filled closet corner out of fear. Fear of letting others down; fear of not being able to measure up; Fear of being hurt; Fear of not being lovable; fear of the judgment others can inflict upon us when we are naked and exposed to them. We want the world to only see the BEST parts of us because it feels safe, comfortable, and lovable to only let people see the parts we want them to. I want you to think about that though. If others only see the best parts of us, do they really SEE us? Can they really LOVE us? Do we really SEE us when we hide the not so perfect parts of us? How can we live a happy life if we hide parts of ourselves? How can we really LOVE people when we don’t see ALL of them? Your journal is the place to be YOU with no strings attached. It is your safe place to let that vulnerability bubble up and be seen. It is your place to let it all out without fear of judgment or of not being enough. You can be your authentic self with no one looking over your shoulder telling you to be someone else. My experience has been the more you let that authenticity out, the more you allow yourself to show up and be seen, the easier it becomes to embrace you whole self; imperfections, short comings, flaws and all.

 

Journaling Keeps You Honest

 

The whole point of journaling is to write with abandon about whatever is on your mind in that moment. My best work is done when it is unedited, with an open mind and an honest heart, being totally candid with myself.  If we keep it full of honesty it allows for unlimited growth and healing.  When we take the masks off, get really honest with ourselves it reveals our true nature, who we are when we are not playing the role of mom, wife, co-worker, boss, etc. It is so important to really know ourselves and treat our divine self with honesty and integrity. Journaling will help  you see your true self.

 

Journaling  keeps us in the Present

 

I look at journaling like my daily mediation. Writing connects my physical body, my mental state and my soul to each other. Writing is my way to stay balanced and connected to the things that matter most.  It reminds me of who I am, where I am going and how I am going to get there. The power of my words bring me down out of the clouds and create clarity for what my mission is. It keeps ME in perspective and allows me to live in the moment without regrets. It let’s me BE STILL and see myself the way God sees me. When I see myself the way God does it makes it easier for me to not compare myself to what everyone else is doing because what I am called to do in my heart is what I am called to do in the hearts of others. It keeps my vision and path bright before me and allows me to focus on the talents and things that make me…ME! What is more healing than knowing your purpose?

 

Journaling  is Evidence

 

There in black and white lies evidence of the battles you have fought and won. Your words are proof of just how far you have come and the things you have conquered. At a glance you can be reminded of who you are. You just have to pick it up and open the pages to see your progress. The key to staying motivated is to see and recognize the triumphs and a journal allows you to do just that. We all need encouragement when we are making life changes and trying to meet goals. Journaling is a great tool  for the instant gratification junkie in all of us.

 

For me my journals were key in my self discovery.  They are some of my dearest treasures and a great reminder of the journey I have been on and how I became the person I am today. I challenge all of you to start a journal (or ten) and see for yourself the impact it can have on your soul and how you feel about yourself. Some of my very favorite personal journals are:    

 

Body LOVE Journal-  Each day I write one thing that I am thankful for when it comes to my body. Our bodies do amazing things and this helps me focus on all that is does do and not what it looks like.

 

Self LOVE  Journal- Each day I take the time to write down something that I like about myself. I write down my strengths along with my talents. I write down an accomplishment or a goal that I’ve reached. We do AMAZING things all the time but often times we forget how awesome we are because we become consumed in what we fall short at. When I take the time to truly see all the things I can do, I can then appreciate it and cherish. I suggest physically writing it down because on bad days you can go back and read it and be reminded of all the reason you are amazing.

 

Why I LOVE me Spouse Journal: You can read more about this one HERE. This one has been fantastic in my marriage.

 

Unedited Journal: This is my journal that NO ONE WILL EVER READ. EVER!!! It is where I go when I am frustrated, angry, sad and I just need a place to unload and get to the bottom of my feelings. A lot of times these journal entries would make no sense to anyone else but me. This is my journal to let go of that unnecessary we talked about so that the necessary can speak.

 

Is there a journal you going to start? I would love to hear your stories about journaling and how it has helped you.

 

xoxo Kallie

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