The Power of the Pen
If you have not put pen to paper and poured our your feelings, your thoughts, your hopes and dreams…what makes you sad, what makes you angry, your deep-down secrets … it’s time to write! There is no better way to find what makes you tick than allowing yourself quiet time for uncensored writing. Detoxification is not just about the crap we are cleaning out of our bodies and our pantries; it’s about the old beliefs in our heads, the things we are afraid to say out loud and that run us from the shadows. It is about courageously shining a light on what scares us most.
Effective Journaling for Health & Well-Being
There are a few rules about effective journaling: do it with a pen, not any electronic device. Give yourself at least 20 minutes, without any distractions. First thing in the morning is great, but so many of us have to jump up and get kids to school, pack lunches, feed the dog. Once in a while, do try journaling when you wake up, because that’s a very special time for the unconscious to speak.
Journal to Vent Anger and Clear Stress
I don’t journal every day, though I do find that when I’m in a crisis, I journal for hours. (I often wonder, if I journaled every day, would that crisis have been avoided? Would I have found the words to speak up, instead of waiting for the you-know-what to hit the fan?) And often, I find that the moment my pen finds that white space, I can’t shut up. The part of me that has not been asked her opinion — because I must not have wanted to disrupt the status quo — is just dying to talk. Isn’t that a fascinating part of our language, “Dying” to do, well, whatever? None of us want to die over our un-felt feelings or our un-said words. And yet we know the effects our minds have on our bodies — our subconscious is a very powerful, invisible force in our lives. Our “dirty” little secrets can do us more harm than fast food and sugary sodas. And you know how I feel about those!
Journal Your Way to Health and Well-Being
Wondering what to do next? Buy a beautiful journal, if that will commit you to using it, or put together a binder of lined paper. Or grab a stack of computer paper. Shut the door, and let everyone know you are doing an important assignment. Ask yourself the question: How do I feel today? And answer it with a physical description about your body: “I feel a knot in my stomach…” and then, let yourself explore what that knot might be about. You don’t have to fix anything. You don’t have to find a solution. No one will ever see this piece of writing. It’s yours. It is a key to freedom. And freedom is a key to health.
