The Powers of Journaling
As part of our ‘Uplift’ campaign, we decided to take inspiration from the conversations shared between our online community. And use them to celebrate the power of communication. Through releasing our
limited-edition journal, we encourage you to ask yourself the question, just as all those Uplift stories began- ‘how are you
really doing?’...
Journaling can be a little like marmite. Some effortlessly stream their innermost thoughts into a bountiful book of blank pages with satisfaction and glee. Whilst others are stunted and can’t seem to jump across the vast chasm they perceive to be between their inner Self and the paper that lies before them. This post is not a bid to convert the non-journallers. It is an exploration of the powers of journaling. How they can be used as a daily practice to compliment any therapy or track your body and its natural rhythms.
Probably one of the most ground-breaking pieces of advice we’ve heard in the past decade goes along the lines of…
“If you can’t love yourself, how can you love somebody else?”
...and the same goes for understanding your needs - if you don’t know how your body/ mind works, how are you going to know what's best for you? This is where we arrive at power point number one:
Mapping out the internal Self
Writing in your journal is a proven method of navigating your way through negative thought patterns that block your path and prevent self-development. By letting yourself spill out onto the page, you’re able to physically separate yourself from rhyme and reason. Now you’re able to work out what is YOU and what are the polluting thoughts of self-doubt (not you). Tracking thought patterns educates us on the subject of, well, our
true Self. This way we can block out the noise of false advertising and devious marketing ploys and ask ourselves what it is we
really want!
Okay, so we have ourselves laid out, and we’re beginning to make connections- now what?
Perspective
Now we have physically separated ourselves from the chaos. We can begin to address what the real reason behind our feelings of self-doubt, lack of self-worth, etc, could be! Just like looking at a map, we can see which roads lead to certain destinations. For example, you may see a pattern of anxiety surrounding social gatherings, this may be documented after almost every memory of that one time you were left out at school.
All of a sudden, from childhood, you've taken the A62 to adulthood now find yourself at a party with a completely different set of people. But holding onto that same feeling of abandonment and rejection. Watching the journey your mind has taken. You start to make sense of how a past trauma can be triggered by a seemingly unrelated event. So, when you're asked to a gathering and you immediately feel your heart drop and your throat tighten. You can perhaps reassure yourself that your feelings are valid. BUT they are just that-feelings (not reality).
Right, so we’ve realised that we are NOT our feelings...
Catharsis
Being at peace with the prospect of purging your emotions is one of the most powerful (and difficult) steps you can take to rebalance your internal Self. Letting go, even when the only thing that can fall is words onto a fresh page, is HARD. Through the practice of journaling, you’ll find yourself naturally exercising a muscle deep down within you. This muscle strengthens your ability to release any blockages or emotions you may be holding.
So, go on, why not give journaling a go. You may surprise yourself - and with our brand-new
Papier x
Urban Veda Journals having just launched, now is the perfect time to start.
