What You Are Doing Wrong if you Hate Journalling

Journaling as a brain dumping ground

Years ago when I first started to journal it was daunting. I was recently reminded of that when a friend of mine told me that someone suggested that she journal. She went through a litany excuses about why she would not and could not do it. She really had a negative reaction to the thought of it.

It reminded me of those many years ago when I first started to journal. At first I thought I should have a nice notebook, and worse, that I needed to write something profound in beautiful language. Something that might be worth publishing years in the future when my grandchildren found it. It made me think of the many authors of old whose diaries were revered many years later.

It was daunting. I judged and censored my every word. I don’t remember what finally broke my need for perfection, but one day I started just dumping words that made almost no sense on the paper. I was going through divorce and it may have been on a particularly bad day. Or maybe someone told me just to use my journaling time as a brain dumping ground.

Whatever it was, it felt totally freeing! I just scribbled illegibly and got it all out. I was very diligently journaling every day for about 15-20 minutes. And it started to feel good. I had moments during the barrage of verbiage when some moment of clarity appeared.

I had written poetry during high school and college, but had stopped as my life became more complicated. One day as I was scribbling a complete poem came to me. I wrote every word, sentence, and verse as it came to me. And when I reread it, it was GOOD. I didn’t change a word.

I had that happen several times. It was as if some spirit was channeling through me. It was easy. When I “wrote” poetry I struggled with every word and phrase. But during these journaling sessions it flowed. Like magic.

I also had times when answers magically appeared on the paper, solving thorny problems I had been wrestling with. I shared this with my friend. She liked the idea of this kind of journaling. Perhaps she will find clarity with the problems she is working through.

Give it a try! You may find you like it. Let me know.

Betsy Smith, Certified Happy For No Reason Trainer and coach

betsyrsmith@mac.com

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