Journaling - The Tools

It is essential to journal at least once a day, and preferably when you feel a need to. Get yourself a letter size, spiral bound notebook with two or three hundred pages in it. Then find a pen you are happy with. Be picky with the pen, indulge yourself and shop around until you find what you like. You will be doing a lot of writing.

Remember, this is about you going on a journey of self-honor and self-acceptance, so start as you mean to go on. Find a place comfortable to sit, wear clothing you are comfortable in. Do everything you need to in order to create a place of comfort, safety and peace for yourself. Get the cooperation of other family members if you have to.

Avoid writing when you are hungry or just after a meal. And especially avoid alcohol or other recreational drugs when you journal. By all means write when you are angry, scared or confused. Experiment with the timing. I like to do it when I first get up. Commit to writing at least one full page a day. You do not need do it all at once, come back to it as often as you need to. If it makes you feel safer to lock or hide your journal away when not writing in it, then do so.

You are journaling your inner process. This is not a dear diary session. Your inner process may feel distant for you. It may be that going inward like this is a new experience for you. If so, simply persevere until the transformation starts, and it will. Do your best not to have too many expectations or judgments about this new addition to your daily life. You are learning to do the opposite of what we are taught our whole lives through. This is to look outside the self for answers to our problems. You are looking in the right place finally, within yourself.

Inside you is every answer you will ever need. Since you came into the world as a complete going concern, no bits or pieces have to be invented or added before you are able to function in life. Everything you need came along with you. All you need do is "awaken" from your sleepy, dormant state. I am speaking about your awareness-of-self. It is like the prince waking up Sleeping Beauty by kissing her. Or the princess waking up the handsome prince, depending on your gender or preferences. Of course, you are waking up to yourself.

When you feel ready, put your pen to paper. Start with the date and time. Then let the pen write. Let your fingers move as they need to. Persevere. Let whatever comes out, come out. If you feel awkward, as I mentioned, then write about feeling awkward, or whatever you are feeling. You are slowly getting in touch with your feelings. This is a most potent way of doing it. The pen is mightier than the sword. Even if you have to sit like a statue, persevere. Before you know it, this will become a regular and looked forward to part of your daily routine.

If a good friend needs to tell you their heart-felt story, you listen without judgment, you offer no advice, you let your friend pour out their feelings. In the expression and venting of the concern, your friend comes to a closure and has gotten something heavy off their chest. This is what friends are for. Your journal is your friend, you are talking to it through the pen.

As you write without judgment and expectation, as you learn to let out whatever comes out, a miracle begins to happen. You begin to heal and grow. I suggest that you do not go back and read it when your are done. Let it be. What came out is what came out. And you can trust your body to take up next time from where it left off. It is amazing what you can trust yourself to do.

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