Hello my sweet Journalers! Today has been one of those days where I’ve taken out my journal at least 3 times, and I felt the need to share. Sometimes all you need to do is write it out. Journaling really helped me gain some clarity today. In my experience, when I am going through a period of overwhelm or anxiousness, I find my anxiety attaches to one thing and then the next- even if those specific subjects aren't directly related to what I’m feeling anxious about. To give an example, I have a long trip coming up next week, and my travel anxiety is sometimes huge. To name a few things my anxiety has decided to cling to this week: fear of summer ending, worrying about jobs, discomfort surrounding friendships. On the surface, I thought I was simply anxious about each and every one of these things. But, as I got out my journal, and sat with the heaviness of my own thoughts, the clouds separated and some beacons of clarity peaked through. I am feeling out of control and my anxious thoughts had me believing the worst case scenarios about everything surrounding my upcoming trip. I sat with this realization, wondering how I would go about talking myself off this metaphorical ledge. Here’s a tactic that came to mind: challenge your thoughts.
Those of you in therapy may have heard of this magical technique. But if you haven’t, pay close attention to the next few lines, because I’m about to spill some serious anxiety-TEA. When our anxious, ego brains are feeling stressed or out of control, they often try to make up scenarios in our heads to prepare us for the worst- in hopes that we will feel somewhat in control. If we have an idea in mind of the absolute worst case scenario, then we will be much better prepared for our inevitable, horrible fate, right? WRONG ego-brain, try again! This does the opposite, actually. Other than the obvious truth that none of these thoughts are even remotely helpful, we are actually sabotaging our current, happy moments of our present. We are stressing about and cooking up these wild ideas and they are oftentimes not based on any truth or the ‘big picture’ of the situation! They get us all riled up and stressed, accomplishing quite the opposite of what miss ego brain was going for. Have you witnessed your own brain do this in some form or another? I know I’m not the only one- I can’t be! But, you may be wondering… what are we supposed to do about these thoughts? We’re not having these irrational scenarios play out on purpose, that would be ridiculous! Of course you aren’t, and neither am I. So, to combat some of these worries, I have come up with a short list of Journal Prompts that we can use to ‘challenge’ these controlling, out-of-control thoughts. *Please take out your journals now :)* First things first, choose one of the negative/anxious thoughts that have been entering your mind lately. Choose just one (for now). Next, write down this thought before answering the following questions:
Now that you have answered these questions, read over your answers. As you read over your answers, I’m almost certain that you will notice these thoughts are not accurately representing your current reality. You may even notice that your original thought actually seems unlikely or ‘out of left field’. This is good! You are calling out your ego, worried subconscious. Your ego is just trying to protect you from imminent hurt and heartbreak, but sometimes our ego brain doesn’t think in the most sensical ways. We need to remind our conscious brains that we don’t need to bet against ourselves all the time… it's quite exhausting. How could we always get it SO wrong, in every situation we are picturing? That doesn't seem very likely! It's time to change the narrative. Imagine if everything went right instead. How great would that feel? Let your mind and soul become excited for how the future could unfold, rather than feeling absolutely terrified. It’s okay to let yourself feel happy or hopeful; we don’t have to be preparing ourselves for the worst-case scenario! If at some point we face disappointment, it won’t matter how much we prepared for it or not- we will still be disappointed, and that is okay too. Our emotions ebb and flow- it’s all part of the experience and there’s no hiding from it no matter how hard our ego brains try. We will never escape pain from constantly preparing ourselves for disappointment. Read that again. Why ruin the moment? Enjoy the now. Be grateful for the present, and what has gone right instead of what might go wrong. If you found journaling helpful for these anxious thoughts, try them again with another thought that you’re tired of giving energy to! You can use these journal prompts time and again, whenever needed. Remember to be gentle with yourself. We are allowed to make mistakes. We are allowed to feel discouraged or unsure about our futures. But, as we continue to send love and compassion inwards, we will start to believe in ourselves again and our positive outlooks will begin to surface. I’m so glad you joined me for today’s journaling session and I hope it brought you some peace. Thank you for being here! Your Journality is waiting…
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Welcome back- I’m happy you’re here! If you’re new to the Journality community, this is THE space for inspiration, healing and lots of journaling. So, grab your favorite journal and pen/pencil, and journal along if you’d like!
Today, we’re going to do a deep dive into the empowering practice of Setting Boundaries. *Insert applause*. As you may or may not know, boundaries are essential for maintaining healthy relationships, supporting personal growth, and protecting our emotional well-being. Since we’re big journalers here, journals can be a powerful tool for us to use as we process and create boundaries in our lives. We can explore, establish, and maintain boundaries in various areas, fostering a deep connection with our true selves and healing past traumas along the way! But wait, what is a boundary? Boundaries are like invisible fences that define the limits of our physical, emotional, and mental space. They serve as a protective shield, ensuring that we preserve our authenticity, values, and personal space. Boundaries also distinguish our responsibilities and differentiate between our needs and others', making for healthier relationships. They are essential for our own sanity, and for the sanity of those around us! We can also benefit from setting boundaries with ourselves! Are you working too hard, not practicing self-care, falling into negative habits? Becoming conscious of your patterns can be the first step in learning how to set healthy boundaries for yourself as well. ***STOP, Journal Time!!*** Take this opportunity to reflect on your past experiences, situations or interactions where you felt overwhelmed, hurt or compromised. Note down the emotions and thoughts you experienced during these moments. This may offer some insight into the relationships where you feel boundaries may have been crossed or the areas in your life in which your boundaries are in need of some reshaping. Ex: I felt uncomfortable when my friend showed up at my house unannounced expecting me to be available. Establishing Boundaries Now that we’ve observed some past situations where our boundaries have been crossed, we will work towards defining the behaviors that we think are acceptable and the behaviors that cross our line. Consider your values, emotional comfort, and personal priorities as you establish these boundaries. Remember, these will look different for everyone. We are creating these boundaries for our mental and emotional well-being so its important to stay honest with ourselves. Ask yourself what you are truly comfortable engaging in. Write down your new-found boundaries in your journal, making them tangible and concrete. Ex: I would like to share with my friend that I would appreciate a ‘check-in’ before showing up. Note: you do not need to explain or justify your boundaries :) Maintenance is key! Remember to be consistent with the boundaries you have set. You (and others) will not take your boundaries seriously if you are continuing to make compromises. Come back to today’s journal entry, or save it somewhere so that you can journal about your progress, challenges, and successes as you enforce your boundaries in different situations. Reflect on instances where you successfully enforced your boundaries and those where you may have waned. Be gentle with yourself- this will NOT come easy to many of us. We have years of learned behavior where we’ve catered to those around us. Celebrate your victories. Small wins are big wins and each day brings an opportunity to grow. Remember, setting and maintaining boundaries is a learning process, and it's okay to take it one step at a time! I’m proud of you. 'Healing Trauma through Boundaries’ Journaling: Journaling can be a significant tool for healing past traumas related to boundary violations. As you write about these experiences, you give yourself permission to process and release suppressed emotions- unlock memories you may not even realize you had! For many of us, these boundaries were broken when we were children. Acknowledge that it was not your fault, and you have the power to rewrite your narrative now- our stories do not define us. As you work through your emotions, visualize yourself establishing new boundaries that protect your emotional well-being and allow for genuine healing to take place. Therefore... Through journaling, introspection and self-expression, we can identify and establish boundaries in various aspects of our life, leading to personal growth and emotional well-being. Remember, it is OKAY to set boundaries, and it is crucial to honor them. You owe it to yourself to respect the boundaries you have set. I’m proud of you for staying until the end of this post and I wish you loads more journaling to come! Remember, your Journality is waiting. Hello Journality community! I hope you have taken some time out of this beautiful day to enjoy the fresh air, sunshine or your beautiful surroundings. For today’s journal session, I want to focus on gratitude. As we know, showing appreciation for who and what we have in our lives keeps us grounded and present in any given moment. When we live strictly for the future, we often attach unreasonable expectations onto our happiness. For example, some of us may be familiar with hearing ourselves say, ‘I can wear that outfit when I finally lose 5 pounds’. Instead, what if we said, ‘I am grateful for my body and all that it does for me. I will dress in whichever outfits make me feel comfortable and confident.’. This sentiment allows us to feel liberated and available in the current moment, rather than waiting on a future outcome that may or may not come to fruition. Showing gratitude towards ourselves is one of the hardest aspects of gratitude for many of us, yet our bodies are one of the most important things that we should be giving thanks to! Our bodies do great things for us every single day. They are the vehicle we are driving around in 24/7 to get from A to B. They are the capsules in which we reside in during each of our many life experiences. They are not to be taken for granted. When I write in my journal about my body, I try to think of all the things my body can do rather than my body’s limitations or shortcomings. My body dysmorphia challenges this sometimes. I am aware that I will never be 5 inches taller and exist in an adolescent-like frame, so why would I punish my body for this reality? Instead, I should thank my body for its capabilities and for its hard work in pushing me through each day, the good ones and bad. We have been through so much together and for that, I am eternally thankful. If you’d like to try a gratitude-based journaling activity today, keep reading! Or, save this post for a time when you’re ready to journal.
**Please get out your journal and writing utensil of your choice!** When considering gratitude, there are many things to be grateful for outside of ourselves and our bodies. For your journaling session today, see if you can begin by listing 5 things that you are grateful for (note: leave a space under each item on your list). No need to overcomplicate it by thinking too much- the first 5 things that pop into your mind are perfect! These things could be family members, life experiences, pets, friends, partners, favorite activities- whatever it may be that brings you joy and makes you feel thankful. Now that you have your list of 5 things, I’d like you to read them over in your head. As you read, consider the following questions and jot down your answers under each item:
Now, I would like you to choose one of the items on your list. With this item, I would like you to write down every single detail surrounding this item that brings you gratitude. Every detail that you can think of. You may consider including details like the emotions you feel, experiences you’ve had, memories- anything that pops into your mind regarding this person/place/thing. Remember, journaling is an opportunity for our subconscious mind to speak, try not to overthink with your conscious mind. After you are finished, take a few moments to re-read your journal entry. Notice your emotions surrounding these items on your list. Truly feel into your body and how it is reacting when bringing this gratitude to the surface. Give yourself a chance to visualize what you’ve written about and how thankful you truly are. To finish your journal entry, see if you can write down 3 things about yourself that you are grateful for. Could be character traits or external features. Something to do with your mind or your body. Ending with an internal prompt like this brings our gratitude back inward and reminds us to show gratitude towards every aspect of our lives. Take some deep belly breaths as you show some appreciation for your mind, heart, soul and body! You are doing your best and you are doing it beautifully. If you enjoyed this step-by-step guide, follow along for lots more! Your Journality is waiting. ![]() Hello, fellow Journality journalers! By now, you probably know that journaling is much more than just putting pen to paper—it's an incredible journey of self-discovery, growth, and healing. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just beginning to explore the world of journaling, one thing is for sure: journal prompts are like magical keys that unlock the depths of our thoughts and emotions. In this blog post, I'm thrilled to share my personal, top six journal prompts that have become cherished companions on my journaling journey! These prompts have guided me through moments of clarity, sparked inspiration, and acted as an outlet for my most authentic self. Whether you're seeking solace after a challenging day, craving moments of gratitude amidst life's chaos, or yearning for creative sparks to ignite your imagination, these journal prompts will accompany you on your voyage of self-discovery and, you can use them again and again! So, grab your favorite journal and pen, and let's embark on a transformative adventure together! ***As we venture through each prompt, remember that there's no right or wrong way to journal. Embrace the freedom to express yourself authentically and without judgment. Allow your thoughts to flow like a river, and grant yourself the compassion to explore your inner landscape with an open mind and heart ***
Keep these six prompts close to you like treasured gems; they hold the power to guide you through your journey time and time again. Embrace the joy of returning to these questions, knowing that each time you revisit them, you'll unearth fresh insights and perspectives. Happy journaling, and may your words continue to paint a beautiful tapestry of your unique story! Your Journality is waiting! |
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AuthorGrateful to share my love for journaling with the world and the Journality community. |