“Journaling is like whispering to one’s self and listening at the same time.” - Mina Murray
In times of uncertainty journaling anchors us and makes us resilient. ~Kristin Donovan
Journaling can be intimidating. I've learned a simple way to help shift my beliefs and open up to the experience of writing my way to resilience...the handy JOURNAL acronym from Coach Federation:
J – Judgement-free Encourage yourself to write whatever's in your heart, it's personal, private, and a safe space to express thoughts and feelings.
O – Observation Journaling is an excellent opportunity step into an observer role. Write down things that happen and spend some time thinking about how you interpret them. Is there another interpretation?
U – Understanding What we observe can help us understand ourselves. How we perceive what happens to us is more important than what actually happens to us. Observing how we think can help us understand our own thought patterns, which can lead to effective management of our thoughts and behaviors.
R – Revelation Journaling can help us get in touch with our core selves, and can often lead to revelations about our desires, dreams, goals, and aspirations.
N – Needs Assessment Journaling makes it easier to notice problems and potential solutions. Writing something down can make it seem simpler and clearer. Often journaling will release some pressure.
A – Awareness Self-awareness of life experiences is the first step towards making the necessary changes and appreciating what you have.
L – Life Journaling is known to be an effective way to de-stress and decrease anxiety. Writing for a few minutes a day can build resilience and have a major impact on health and happiness.
Ready to get started, but not sure how?
Journal prompts on letting go: https://www.bonnyboice.com/post/letting-go
More on resilience: https://www.bonnyboice.com/post/self-care-to-be-a-resilient-leader
Exercise for the courage to start again: https://www.bonnyboice.com/post/courage-to-start-again
Google "JOURNAL PROMPTS" and pick a link to try.
I'd love to hear about which source you tried and how it helped. Contact me.