May 23, 2023

Even if you hate writing or think journaling doesn't work.

  • Your memory sucks. Most of us are trying to keep track of so many ideas. And there are so many things going on in one day that you will never be able to keep track of all the millions of things going on. Keeping a journal will help you keep track of ideas and all of the things that are going on in your life.
  • You're hard-wired to focus on the negative. And if you've journaled before you probably have pages of evidence to prove how bad you are at lots of things. This is one of the only places where your memory is actually good. Many people's journals are filled with pages of negative thoughts about themselves and all the things that they're doing. But you can learn to use your journal to also spot your strengths. And once you do that, it becomes a superpower.
  • You have no idea how brilliant you are. Your journal can reveal your deepest desires and even tell you how to accomplish them. Itā€™s pretty magical in that way.
  • You don't know what ā€œdoneā€ looks like. Your current wish list will be replaced by something else and you won't even realize how far you've come already. In the process of moving towards the next achievement, your journal is the record keeper that helps you keep track of all the things that you have done.
  • Youā€™re gonna want to be able to tell people this story. Later on as you begin checking things off your list and doing amazing things, you're going to have a record of how you achieved your goals, the struggles and challenges you faced along the way and how you worked out resolving those problems.

So if you're not sure how to start a journal, these are the basics.
ā— You don't have to write every day
ā— You don't have to write for a long time.
ā— No one else needs to read what you have written.
ā— Your journal can be whatever you want it to be. A notebook, a computer file, a sketchbook, some scratch papers, doesn't matter.

JOURNAL TIP: Put the date at the top of every entry, so that as you look back over these entries over time, you'll be able to track what was happening at different points of time in your life.

And finally, keep an open mind. Start by looking for a journal that looks good or feels nice in your hand. There's no pressure to actually write in it yet.

Let me teach you how to take what feels impossible and turn it into reality through the power of expressive writing and journaling.

About the Author

Jen Taylor, LCSW-C, RPT-S is an EMDR Approved Consultant and Certified Journal to the Self Instructor.  She is a therapist specializing in complex trauma, an international play therapy teacher and a published writer of multiple play therapy chapters.  Jen is the creator of the original 2017 Play Therapy Summit and many other innovative programs for mental health professionals.  Jen uses writing therapy, play therapy and expressive arts for her clients and for other mental health professionals so they can lead more joyful and meaningful lives.  Jen encourages people to try new things and create daily habits that allow for incremental progress towards previously unimaginable results.   Jen is a travel enthusiast, an avid reader, and a girl who lifts weights and runs for fun.  

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
>