Join me in my 4 week journaling challenge!
Journaling

Journaling Challenge: Week Three

Heather Abbe
November 8, 2019
151 comments
5 min read

I hope you’ve been following along with our 30 day journaling challenge. Dianne wrote a great piece on how journaling is beneficial and helpful to achieving your goals. You should check that out before reading this post. It really touches on some of the reasons journaling is good for your mental health and well being. What I’m seeing is that journaling helps to resolve my “what-ifs”.

Now that I’ve been journaling for a hot minute, I’m really starting to see some patterns in my behavior. I realized that I spend a lot of time afraid of what will happen. Building whole scenarios in my head of what I can do if x, y, or z occurs. If you spend a lot of time in your head, journaling can be your way out. I find it’s really helping me to escape the what-if trap in my brain. Like Dianne talked about in this week’s podcast, not only are my “what-ifs” usually unlikely, but no matter what, I can still just handle it.

Thinking Aloud

The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.

Coco Chanel

If you’re like me, the most scary thing about being stuck in your head is that there isn’t any outside person to defuse your crazy ideas. My brain spirals into despair and worry because there isn’t anyone to say, “Hey, the likelihood of that happening is next to nothing!” I find that I waste a lot of time and energy just trying to anticipate every eventuality of every situation. And boy, am I tired!

What I’ve found about journaling is that it really takes the power out of my crazy thought processes. When I’m putting pen to paper and pouring out my fears, I see them for what they really are: usually unfounded and unlikely situations that I probably won’t have to deal with. I feel less pressure to be prepared for Armageddon at any moment. Let me tell you what, that’s really a relief! In a sense, I’m bouncing the ideas off of myself more objectively, just by writing them down.

By “thinking aloud”, or journaling about your fears, you externalize those thoughts and expose them to the air, where they are sure to die a quick death. After I write down things that are plaguing me, I read back through them as objectively as I can. I’m surprised at the sheer flimsiness of my fears and then I’m able to put them behind me.

Worth it

Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it.”

C. JoyBell C.

At the time I’m writing these disjointed thoughts down on paper, I’m totally convinced that they are real and valid situations. Many times, it seems to me that it would be easier not to try and push past these fears and worries to the prize. But I’m here to tell you, a lot of times just getting it down on paper and seeing it in a more rational light lets me keep my eyes on my goals. Even though I’m scared of the process sometimes.

I’ve realized that often I’m worried because the things I’m trying to achieve are hard. The thing is, they are worth the effort. I really begin to shine when I’m finally outside my comfort zone. Goals are achieved, progress is made, and I feel good about myself. When I started journaling every day, I noticed that I didn’t want to journal on the days I really felt at odds. “I’m too tired…, I’m too upset…, I don’t feel like it.” Those are the days I really needed to journal! By pushing through, I was no longer a slave to my thoughts. I started making my brain work for me, not against me.

It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone. It’s easy to maintain status quo and just go with the flow. But I promise you, nothing truly great is ever accomplished there. Journaling has been giving me courage to stand up to my brain and demand better. It is helping me resolve all my “what ifs”.

Getting Stronger…

I’m going to leave you with one last quote this week.

Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing.

August Wilson

By journaling, we are really bringing our darknesses to the light. We expose them for the frail and fragile things that they really are. I’m so glad that I started this journey. Even more, I’m excited to see where it will bring me in the future! I’m also happy to say that I’m a convert, and I’ll be keeping a journal from now on. Please, share your experience, strengths, and hopes with me about your journaling journey. Until next time!

Heather Abbe

I'm Heather, and I started helping out Coffee, Grit, and Inspiration to share my experiences and foster growth in the world around me. I'm a wife, step mother and blogger. I hope this journey provides help to you on yours!

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Heather Abbe

I'm Heather, and I started helping out Coffee, Grit, and Inspiration to share my experiences and foster growth in the world around me. I'm a wife, step mother and blogger. I hope this journey provides help to you on yours!

View all posts

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