My Journey with Journaling
It all started in cute local coffee shop in Spain. I was studying abroad and a friend of mine mentioned how helpful keeping a journal had been for her during this time. I figured I’d give it a try, so after picking out the journal that felt most inspiring to me, I sat down to write with a café con leche in hand.
Little did I know that this simple act of putting pen to paper would set the stage for a profound journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
I wish I could say it all just flowed beautifully from there but my first couple of journals were a quirky hodgepodge of recounting experiences and lessons.
Reading them back, there are some profound realizations, inspirational messages, and cherished memories. BUT there was also a lot of ramblings as I was working through the oddities of your early twenties.
These first journals served as a place for me to get it all out, for me to start to make sense of the chapter of my life of gaining independence and figuring out my path.
Looking through them now, it is so special as I can see when I was realizing that a 9-5 wasn’t for me, I can re-read the passage I wrote after I quit my job and see all of the anticipation and hope I had in that moment.
However, it wasn’t until my mid-twenties that I truly started using journaling as a tool for growth. Instead of using the journal to work through current conundrums, I decided to start dreaming and building.
I started to use the paper in front of me as a tool to manifest my desires, and to ask the uncomfortable questions of what was really holding me back.
I began to use journaling as a tool for introspection and self-reflection. I delved deeper into my thoughts and emotions, exploring the lessons hidden within life's myriad twists and turns.
Through journaling, I unearthed deeply ingrained mindset blocks and limiting beliefs that had been holding me back. With each journal entry, I challenged these beliefs, rewriting my inner narrative to one of empowerment and possibility.
Today, my journal is more than just a record of my thoughts and experiences – it's a sacred space where I co-create my reality.
When things are good I go to my journal to really tune into the gratitude for what is happening and to imagine an incredible future. When things are tough, I turn to my journal to work through what is really happening under the surface. Putting pen to paper and getting the thoughts out of my head has been an incredible practice for me to gain clarity and move through hardships with more ease.
Looking back on my journaling journey, I'm filled with gratitude for the wisdom and clarity it has brought into my life. What started as a simple practice has blossomed into a powerful tool for personal transformation.
If you are looking to start your journey with journaling, here are some of my favorite prompts to begin!