As I was struggling about what next to write about on the blog, I turned to my tried and tested method of sorting through my thinking – which is journaling. Putting pen to paper – the old fashioned way – real pen on a moleskine notebook gives me the the clarity of thought I crave for. Everytime I do end up journaling – I chastise myself for not doing it so often despite the fact that the feeling is so therapeutic. There is something absolute pure and unfiltered about getting all the chatter in your head down on a peace of paper. I cant really call it meditation – but I guess that’s what the experience feels like.
So in a nutshell – what I suggest today for folks who just cant seem to get out of their head and feel increasing bouts of anxiety – get it all out in a journal.
Not an original idea – but It works -so you have to try it yourself. A lot of creative folks try to get stuck in this whole paradigm of having something original to say. But repeating and doing what the wordly wise have done for ages to come and passing on that worldly wisdom to perhaps 1 tender soul who’s never heard it before is worth it in my view. If you have heard it before, consider this a reaffirmation of its benefits.
So what does journaling do for me. Yes- I don’t know what it may do for you and all folks are unique. You will really have to do it yourself to find out the unique benefits for you – some of which may surely overlap with what I share here.
- Writing is a Mindfulness practice: Its killing two birds with one stone. When you start writing, you suddenly stop being anxious about the 27 items running around in your head and are focused on writing down one thing at a time. The process of writing by itself (irrespective of what you write) makes your mind calmer.
- Journaling can help you see problems/solutions clearly: Many a times I have found solutions to things that have been bugging me only because I was able to write down the various aspects of the problem worrying me at the time and being able to see clearly what my next course of action should be. Maybe it’s the way I’m wired- but I can’t hold multiple arguments in my head. When I put these down on paper, I am able to work out the end game of each argument so clearly. A few ticks and crosses and I am able to work my way into a decision in a matter of minutes on something I was carrying in my head for weeks. Journaling is my goto place for problem solving.
- Journaling makes me happy: This is perhaps a cheesy line and I am still trying to figure out why – but 9 times out of 10 – I am a much calmer and happier person after a session of journaling.
I’ll probably may do a part-2 version of this as I distill few more benefits but the above 3 reasons are currently my primary reasons for Journaling.
Due credit to one of my earliest mentors – Robin Sharma – for getting me started on this habit. In my initial years I did most of my journaling on a laptop, however once I heard Jim Rohn’s classic audiobook – How to use a journal – I completely switched to writing on paper. My favourite to date is a softcover A5 Moleskine ruled notebook. I just love how this notebook makes me feel. So when are you getting your own Journal and discover your own path from Anxious to Awesome.
