Discover Your Inner World: Journaling for Meaningful Growth and Engagement
To live a life is to embark on a quest. This quest involves exploring the intricacies of what makes life meaningful, and what enables us to grow, evolve, and transform as individuals. Ultimately, this quest is a journey of the self. Writing is a transformative tool that enables us to have a meaningful dialogue with our inner selves and explore our thoughts and emotions in a profound way.
Exploring our inner selves can help us reconnect with parts of ourselves that we may have lost touch with or ignored. Together, we will discover how the art of journaling can pave the way to a clearer, more centered existence, cultivating a profound connection with our inner selves and a newfound appreciation for the boundless potential of the written word. So, let us embark on this quest to unlock the hidden recesses of our minds, one page at a time.
“A personal journal is an ideal environment in which to ‘become.’ It is a perfect place for you to think, feel, discover, expand, remember, and dream.” — Brad Wilcox, Professor, Brigham Young University
The Brain & The Mind
From a psychological perspective, it’s crucial to acknowledge that the brain and the mind are distinct entities that coexist within our physical beings.
The Brain: Serves as the central command center for coordinating and regulating all of the body's physiological processes, making it an incredible organ.
The Mind: The essence of a person lies within the intricate workings of their mind, comprising their thoughts, emotions, and consciousness. These elements come together to shape a unique individual with a fascinating story to tell.
The mind is energy, and it generates energy through thinking, feeling, and choosing. It is our aliveness, without which, the physical brain and body would be useless. That means we are our mind, and mind-in-action is how we generate energy in the brain. — Caroline Leaf, Ph.D., BSc, Communication Pathologist, and Neuroscientist
The brain and the mind are commonly perceived as distinct entities, but they function in harmony, similar to a tango dance. Each time one of them initiates an action, the other responds correspondingly, and they have a reciprocal impact on each other.
Thought Patterns: Exploring the Mind’s Tapestry
The brain is a complex organ that constantly communicates with itself and other parts of the body. It sends electrical impulses to different areas, conveying messages at a rapid pace.
In today's fast-paced society, it is common to feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of thoughts, feelings, and emotions flooding our minds. Managing daily routines can be challenging when our minds are constantly bombarded. The idea of “think positively” is everywhere, and yes that is important, but our thoughts are much more complex than just positive or negative.
Our minds are like tapestries, with different patterns interweaving to create a complete picture. Similarly, the various lines of thought we have in our minds interconnect to shape our perception and view of life. When we go through difficult or challenging situations, what happens inside our minds?
Think of a situation that really brought you to an edge, one that posed challenges and difficulties. What was the state of your mind at the time?
More often than not, it would feel like your mind is going into overdrive, almost like you are not able to control the scenarios and destructive thoughts that are passing through rapidly. It might even seem like a mammoth task to keep up with the constant stream of negative thoughts and scenarios.
Have you ever noticed how your understanding of something can affect the way you think about it?
Core Beliefs:
Throughout our childhoods, we develop fundamental beliefs that we hold true, or have an innate trust in. These beliefs shape our perception of ourselves and the world around us.
They are influenced by our experiences, interactions with others, cultural traditions, and observations made during our formative years. These factors combine to form our understanding of ourselves and our perception of the world.
Assumptions:
These refer to misconceptions that are negative in nature that we believe to be true or factual about ourselves. These start developing during the earlier stages of our lives and continue to be reinforced as we grow.
These dysfunctional beliefs may lead to unhealthy rules we create for ourselves like “I shouldn’t do anything to make my partner angry”.
Automatic Negative Thoughts:
These refer to the destructive thoughts that come into our minds effortlessly due to our dysfunctional and core beliefs.
They are rapid and involuntary thoughts that seem into our stream of consciousness when we are in a state of fear, anxiety, worry, or anger in a difficult situation.
Overdrive, What’s That Exactly?
Now that we have explored the difference between the mind and the brain and understood to a certain extent, the kind of thoughts that could possibly plague our mind when experiencing life. Let’s dive into what it’s like when our mind is in overdrive, or confused.
A lot of thoughts would be running through our minds at the same time.
Different scenarios might play out.
We may exaggerate a reaction to something that we may be thinking of in our minds.
We may replay the situation that caused us discomfort in the first place.
We would probably be jumping from thought to thought.
We may “cringe” or have a physical response to something we are thinking of, like shivers or sudden jolts.
We might remember instances from the past that gave rise to similar feelings.
Lack of concentration
Feeling sleepy or wanting to nap
Have you ever experienced a jumble of emotions and sensations that left you feeling lost and overwhelmed?
It’s not uncommon to feel discomfort, numbness, confusion, or even humiliation when faced with multiple stressors at once. During these challenging times, it is important to seek ways to ease these thoughts and relieve any discomfort — journaling is an effective way in which to do so.
Think It, Ink It & Unleash It
Journaling is an art form that offers a universal method for introspection, self-expression, and emotional release. It provides a safe haven to untangle the web of thoughts, sort through feelings, and find nuggets of wisdom hidden within the depths of consciousness.
Sometimes, our thoughts can become jumbled and difficult to sort through, leaving us feeling overwhelmed. However, putting pen to paper and jotting down these thoughts can help physically clear our minds and make room for more positive thinking. One may be surprised at how many thoughts disappear simply by writing them down.
Often, our thoughts wander aimlessly in our minds. We tend to jump from one thought to another without completing them, much like pesky fleas that cause discomfort and irritation.
It can be a daunting task to start writing in a journal, however, I have good news! Here are a few activities to get you started, in case you need some inspiration.
Journaling Activity 1 — Free Hand
This is quite a simple technique of journaling. Create a safe space for yourself, where you feel comfortable letting your thoughts run wild. Take your journal and a pen and start writing whatever comes to your mind. No filter is required, it doesn’t have to make sense either.
For this to work, all you need to do is write whatever it is you are thinking, for however long you need to, without judging yourself.
Purpose:
When we feel overwhelmed or have many thoughts crowding our minds, it’s like having a cup filled to the brim with water. To make room for more, we must empty it out.
Similarly, when we’re overworked or stressed, it’s crucial to slow down and let go of what’s clouding our minds. This is a simple and effective method of clearing our thoughts and creating more mental space for clarity.
Journaling Activity 2 — Thought Dump
Create a safe and comfortable space to spend time with yourself. This activity is similar to free hand. When we are in overdrive, more often than not, we are jumping from one thought to another. We may not even realize how many thoughts are left unfinished. This leads to a lot of loose ends in the mind and is the perfect recipe for confusion and overwhelm. The Thought Dump is a way to filter out those thoughts and see them through.
Like free hand, you have to write what is coming to your mind, for however long you feel like writing for. There are two rules or guidelines that need to be followed to make this an effective thought dump.
Write down the exact words that are currently on your mind. It’s okay if you’re feeling blank or unsure of what to say — simply write “I am feeling blank” or “I have no thoughts” if that’s the case. Whatever thoughts are coming to your mind, express them exactly as you would say them to yourself.
You have to finish the thought you were thinking about completely before you move on to the next one.
Purpose
This activity works to help you tie up loose ends, and identify exactly how you are talking to yourself. More often than not, the way the thought starts are finishes are completely different.
It is difficult to get to that point in our minds because there is so much happening. The idea is to channel it and recognize what we are saying to ourselves. try this out, you might surprise yourself!
Journaling Activity 3 — The “Why” Quest
Create a comfortable and safe space for yourself before you get into this activity, because this one is slightly more intense. Get a cup of coffee or tea, along with some candles if that is something you enjoy, or switch on some relaxing instrumental music. In your journal, pen down a thought. Ask yourself why you feel or think this way and answer it. Every time you pen an answer down, ask yourself why, and write down the answer each time until you feel like you cannot go any deeper.
Purpose
This technique is particularly useful when you want to understand why a certain thought is bothering you or when you are dealing with a specific situation. Asking yourself “why” is a great way to dig deeper.
If you can’t come up with an answer after four or five rounds of questioning, you have likely reached the root of the issue. However, if you can’t answer the first few “whys,” it’s important to focus more attention on the issue at hand.
It takes effort, but once you reach the core of the issue, you’ll likely feel a sense of relief or an “aha” moment.
Journaling Activity 4 — Serendipity Scribbles
This is a fun one, sometimes it’s tough to get started, a good way to do it is to go online and search for reflective questions about certain feelings or situations. This is subject to change based on what you are feeling at that moment.
For example: go online and search for reflection questions or introspective questions on feelings of loneliness.
Find three questions around that area and ones that cover different aspects of the feeling or issue and write your answers.
Purpose
Exploring your emotions and situations more deeply can be beneficial. Seeking guidance can help channel your thoughts in a productive and useful manner. Utilizing available resources is important for achieving clarity and understanding.
Journal Activity 5 — Emo-Venture Journal
A lot of times, emotions can really take us on an adventure. Journaling can be a powerful tool to help us understand and manage our emotions effectively.
Whenever you are feeling a strong emotion, grab your journal and a pen, close your eyes for a couple of minutes, observe yourself, and answer these questions.
What are the physical sensations I am experiencing in my body right now and where are they happening?
What are the thoughts running through my head at the moment?
Based on the sensations and thoughts running through my head, what emotions am I feeling?
Is there anything I can do to reduce some of these sensations and thoughts right now?
Are there any thoughts or ideas I want to throw out of my system? If so, what are they?
Purpose
When we experience strong emotions, it’s essential to start by acknowledging their impact on our mental and physical well-being. Once we have this self-awareness, we can work towards effectively managing our emotions.
Additionally, we should take the time to consider the possible solutions that are available to us at the present moment. Remember, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed, but with patience and positivity, we can overcome any challenge.
Journaling is a transformative tool that allows us to explore our thoughts and emotions deeply. By engaging in activities like “Free Hand,” “Thought Dump,” “The ‘Why’ Quest,” or “Serendipity Scribbles,” we can untangle the complexities of our minds and find clarity.
Through the Emo-Venture Journal, we acknowledge and manage our emotions effectively. Each stroke of the pen connects our thoughts to our hearts, revealing the true power of journaling in clearing our minds and enriching our lives.
So, let’s embrace the magic of journaling, unleashing its potential one page at a time. Discover the profound connection between the written word and our transformative journey within. Journaling is our gateway to self-discovery and growth.
