Keeping a Journal

Alright, last week we left off with a little homework assignment:

Grab a notebook and a pen and take 30 minutes for yourself…find a calm, quiet place and get comfy. Now take a deep breath and just think about what makes you happy or what would make you happy and let your mind wander.  Let yourself dream and imagine all sorts of things. Don’t limit your thoughts or criticize or judge them. Anything goes here-just let them exist and evolve. Now start paying attention to what makes you tingle. What gives you butterflies in your stomach? What makes you feel excited and alive? Write these things down in your notebook, along with how they make you feel. Excited, nervous, apprehensive, happy? Jot it all down...

 I hope this was fun! I hope this got you thinking about the things in life that make you smile. I hope this got you to slow down a little, take a break from the crazy business of life and allow you to dream new dreams and remember old ones, too. I hope this gave you a little 'Me Time', which we all need to make sure we're taking on a regular basis-Guy/Girl, Young/Old-everyone needs it. So, what did you come up with? Are you getting those butterflies again right now, thinking about it? Or maybe you had a hard time with this little assignment...that's ok, too. 

Either way, this is a great first step in keeping a journal. Journals can be amazingly therapeutic...I keep two. One is for all of my incredibly feel-good, positive, lovey, upbeat, cute, funny and awesome quotes, pictures, sketches, doodles, ideas, thoughts and feelings. I love, love, love this journal-every now and then I'll flip through my past entries and just bask in the memories and fantastic feelings I had going on while writing in it. I love when I come across an inspiring quote that jazzed me up when I wrote it, because it usually jazzes me up again when I re-read it!

My second journal is for when I'm feeling  pissy or annoyed and I don't want to/can't vent to anyone around me-maybe they're having a rough day or I can't reach any of my equally busy friends or family members. I have a hard time allowing myself to voluntarily add to the toxicity of life, too-I try super hard to remain as positive and upbeat as I can and to be uplifting to others, so having this second journal is really helpful in allowing me to release all of my negative stuff, too.

Now, you don't need to have two journals like I do, this is just what works best for me. I really enjoy my journal time and I often give journals as gifts because I truly believe they can help you take productive steps toward what your definition of Wellness is for you. And remember, your journey to Wellness is a personal thing. What matters most is what will make you feel happy and healthy-emotionally and physically. Don't get wrapped up in what others want/think is best for you. Appreciate their intentions and then make the best decision for yourself. 

Here are a couple of links that you may find interesting and helpful. 

http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2009/08/04/keeping-a-journal/

http://www.squidoo.com/journalwritingprompts

Now for this week's homework: Look over your journaling from last week and pick one of those things that got you all excited, something that makes you happy or would make you happy. Now, write about it some more. If 30 minutes was a little daunting for you...go for 10 minutes. The more you write, you may realize that you actually want some more time! Just don't put any pressure on it, this is supposed to be fun, therapeutic and eye-opening. If you didn't start a journal last week or if you had a hard time coming up with a happiness-inducing list, go to the second link above, read over some of the journal prompts and let yourself be inspired. Until next week, have fun and be well!