JOURNAL IN 3-D
writing as an act of inscribing with emotion has a haptic dimension that connect us to our bodies and roots us in texture and time. it also reiterates our agency as human beings.
the endless scroll of our devices on the other hand, erase our thoughts almost as rapidly as we can construct them, all the while distracting us with tangential information. while having the world at our fingertips has practical benefits, its effect on our wellbeing is less understood.
when we write our thoughts down on paper, we have the opportunity to re-examine them with greater immediacy. this can also lead to a higher likelihood of follow through and constructive action.
set yourself for journaling
assign a quiet spot for yourself for journalling
keep your journal and writing materials close by so you can retreat to this special spot for registering and reflection.
keep away distracting technology for the moment
work and digital distraction will have its time but this moment is a quiet one. keep your devices away so you can focus uninterrupted.
manage your expectations
your journal does not have to resemble any one else's. it is a private place to lay out your thoughts and fears without judging them. it is not a piece of art even though it can be artistic. write or draw your thoughts out in whatever way seems right to you at the time.
make your journal personal
your journal should also allow you to connect with your senses. a pencil with a yielding lead or smooth pen will add to this connection. color helps as well. it can clarity your emotions and be soothing or descriptive of anger or hurt. circle crucial words or breakthroughs you might have. add momentos or press flowers. be expressive and open and bring out the creative person you may have put away.
cultivate honesty and dont self-edit
this journal is your private diary. it is a space where you manifest your deepest desires and fears so you can face them and make sense of them. in the act of writing itself the fear is diminished and things appear more as they are rather than as you feared they might be. feel lighter and less anxious just in the act of releasing your thoughts on paper.
walk away
don't overthink or attach too much weight to your musings. let them incubate and revisit them later.
revisit and review
go back to your previous entries in the light of a new day and see your entries for what they really were....sometimes prescient and at other times overblown anxieties and fears that came to nothing. find perspective and breathe...and be grateful.
add a gratefulness section
take time to acknowledge all the good that has happened that day. so days when things are not going as well this will bring your comfort.
SUBTLE GRACE
gratitude practice is a special kind of journaling. it is the practice of recording not just momentous strokes of good fortune but small wins and subtle graces. thich nhat hanh the great zen master calls this: gratefulness for the non-toothache.
the practice invites us to paying attention to the richness of small moments, and find joy in a dandelion along our path or a stranger's smile. it encourages us to pause and be thankful, for what we already have over always striving for more. it allows us the space to acknowledge all those who have helped make our lives better while encouraging our compassion and sharing with those less fortunate than us.
a gratitude practice provides perspective and wisdom and is a vital component to our wellbeing.
a gratefulness practice
be specific
rather than saying thank you in a perfunctory manner and moving along to your next thought, spend time and articulate your reasons for giving thanks. naming the why allows your to attach more powerful and positive feeling towards the object or person.
acknowledge the bad with the good
gratefulness should not mean we have forgotten the unpleasant. by naming it we can be grateful for a better day or a better interaction when it arrives.
thank others for their help
our bootstrapping narrative of self-reliance often fails to account for the help we received along our journey. by registering this truth we can be more compassionate towards ourselves, ask for help when we need it, and offer our help to others.
