Is your unconscious thoughts calling the shots from the shadows?

Is your unconscious thoughts calling the shots from the shadows?

Do you journal or have you journaled? Today I want to give some tips and tricks for beginners, that might also be helpful if you're a seasoned journaler. Some quick tips if you are a beginner...Find a Journal (this is my favorite part, finding the journal and pen that will be fun to use), make it accessible, and create a routine. 

For me this looks like having my journal on the ottoman in my family room. It see it every morning when I'm having my coffee and I can grab it easily and journal while I'm drinking my coffee. I don't do it every day, but it's there on the days I choose to do it. 

Journaling can become an Art, so don't put pressure on yourself to do it. Let it be an exercise you do at your leisure. You can have short or long entries, there is no right or wrong. Just allow whatever comes up. A tip if you feel like your mind is blank...this happens to me often. I'll just start with something simple like "Today is Tuesday..." or "I am writing in my journal...". Just listing some simple facts or truths and you might find that opens the flood gates for ideas. And those ideas might just be tasks you need to complete, chores that need to be done, appointments you need to attend. Whatever comes up is totally fine. The process is just an exercise in awareness and connection with yourself. There is no right or wrong way to do it. 

Some styles of Journaling include Gratitude Journaling, Goal Setting, Prompt Based, or Stream of Consciousness/Thought Download/Brain Dump. You can experiment with some of these or mix and match. I often will talk about my goals when I journal and many times chores or tasks will come to mind that I write down. 

If this topic prompted a question like "What do I write in a journal?", the answer is Whatever You Want! It can be a daily life and Reflection Style or Personal Growth and Development. I have a couple of cheat sheets posted in the Facebook Group (link to join below) that explain some ideas in each of these areas, along with some prompts to get you started. 

When I was pulling together the info for this week's topic, I discovered a statement that I found alarming. Ignoring unconscious doesn't make it go away, it just means it keeps calling the shots from the shadows. What?! I don't think any of us want our unconscious or subconscious to be calling any shots. If we are not connected with these thoughts, we likely won't be connected with the outcome of the actions that are prompted from these thoughts. When we show up with intention and connection, that will reflect in our feeling of purposeful, meaningful, and connected life. 

If you're still thinking you're not sure if journaling is for you, I encourage you to give it a try. Just know that you should have patience and kindness through the process. It can bring up emotions you've been avoiding. Be prepared to face some discomfort and know that you are always in control. You can sit with it for just a few minutes the first time, and notice how each time it improves. The discomfort we feel from hiding our thoughts and emotions is stifling and stagnating. When we are open to everything we have inside of ourselves, it builds awareness and connection with ourselves that outweighs any other connection in our life. We build this first and then everyone around us benefits.  

Always be kind and compassionate with yourself, knowing that you are building a muscle with these exercises that will continue to offer you benefits over time.

Until Next Week...Grab your Journal!