JOURNALING.

JOURNALING.

Writing things down on paper has always been very cathartic to me. I love finding  how my pen flows and starts writing words I couldn’t have expressed out loud or even typed. There is something calming and ritualistic about putting  pen to paper, and I’ve relied on in many ways for years…

I’ve always had a diary, although I don’t write in it as much as I used to. Maybe I’ve gotten better at talking to people out loud? Or years of therapy paid off to get those thoughts and words out of me. When I do write in it I like to update my life there – imagining my future self or younger generations reading it.  I remember finding my grandma’s diary just before we said goodbye and it was such a special gift to understand who she had been when she was younger.

I also have a small booklet by my bed and each day I write down my favourite moment of the  day. My mother got me doing this years ago and it’s a favourite practice of mine. It doesn’t have to be something I did but rather a moment – something as fleeting as ‘the smell of wood smoke on my walk’. The moment that made me smile, kept me present. When I read these back to myself  – even from years ago – it’s incredible how that one moment can make me remember the whole day and mood I felt.

I’ve also always kept a paper calendar diary alongside my digital version, this has helped me plan my work, shoots, weeks and things I want to achieve in the next 7 days. I’m very visual so being able to write it down and seeing the whole week ahead of me (I have calendar synesthesia so that might be why I like the visual too)  helps me position myself and set my energy up for what I need to achieve in the week, as well as keep on track for things I like to do like pilates,  reading and meditation.

The newest writing practice I have is Journaling. 
I think for me this stemmed from a few things. Having dive deep into Human Design over the past year or so I know how high vibe the energy we give off is when I practice gratitude. And during Lockdown I also found it helpful to write a little list of what I wanted to do the next day to help my days feel more structured. As I don’t work a 9-5  job I can sometimes feel like with how best to use my time. If I have something to tick off, that helps keep me on track.

In terms of journaling I like to do this in the mornings, to set myself up for the day. I don’t do it everyday but when I have had periods of doing so it has been really helpful. However I don’t force myself to do it as I don’t want it to be something  I do begrudgingly.

I write down, how I would like to feel today, what I would like to focus on, where I’d like to use my energy – or if I need to rest if I have none! I think so often we think we know the answers to the questions but taking the time to think about them and write them down helps solidify how we feel and how we’d like to act on them.

If you’d like to try this out for yourself, below is a little guide. It can take a long or not as you like. Make it fit for you.

SET INTENTIONS FOR THE DAY
for this I think of things that aren’t just my to-do list. This is more ‘feel present’ or ‘take time to rest’ or ‘be in nature’. It helps me feel present in my body and really sound out how it feels – which changes everyday! What do you need from today? What is your body or mood telling you? If I’m particularly high vibe I might add in ‘help others out’ or if I feel drained it might be ‘take time for me’. You’re allowed to be your own priority and not give energy away all the time. Just as when you’re full of energy and love you might be excited to share that feeling.

GRATITUDE
I like to say these out loud, too. That links to my defined throat in Human Design, but it’s also nice to hear ourselves say something out loud that is just for us! Thoughts in our mind can make little sense and saying a sentence out loud that we have written is a great practice to unjumble those thoughts. For this I like to focus on little things as simple as ‘my cup of tea’ or ‘my home’ or ‘the sunlight today’. Taking the time to appreciate things – and to truly see them while doing so – always makes me feel better. Even more so in the current situation as we can see the days merging together. Taking the time to really look and see and appreciate wakes our minds up to the present and how wonderful it is.

SURRENDER
this is a key word for me, especially at the moment. I found I was trying to fix everything or plan for every eventuality… which is impossible at the best of times. But in a Pandemic? Forget it. This word came to me when I was in the ocean floating around with my head underwater and thinking about why I love the ocean so much. And it’s just that: I can fully surrender. My body floats and moves around. I don’t even have to hold myself up: I can surrender. I can listen to the sound the waves are making on the sand below. I can be fully in my body. I don’t have to think of what I’m up to or should be doing or haven’t done. It is magical. And so since then I’ve used this word to remind myself in daily life, too: surrender. Give in. Just be.

Yes, sometimes I can do things that help the outcome of something, but I don’t need to expend all my energy on those things I cannot alter. I can’t think of every outcome of something to be ready for everything. Sadly it’s not possible. So surrender. Even saying the word just makes my shoulders drop. And this is the state I like to be in when I journal. Acceptance. Surrendering to the present moment. What can I do today? Not try plan out the next 12 months.

 

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And if you’d like to take a mental trip to the ocean with me, watch my latest vlog here.