How I stopped judging my journaling

What comes to mind when you think of journaling?

For me it’s, what do people write about?

Then, I picture a journal with lengthy, well-written entries in it.

So, why am I sharing this today?

When you are stressed out the idea of adding journaling to your list of tasks can seem overwhelming. But, journaling can be an effective way to reduce stress and gain clarity.  Now more during COVID-19, we can use tools to reduce stress and gain insight.

This is why I used an image of my journal in the post so you can see there is no “right” journal or type of journaling.

When you’re having trouble beginning ask yourself this question. Am I having trouble with the purpose of journaling or the tactics of journaling?

I used to get caught in the tactics of journaling, which prevented me from starting to journal.

Then, I realized there is no bad journaling experience. Taking time to slow down, reflect, and be present always has benefits.

Most of the time my journal looks like the one you see at the beginning of the post. It’s a collection of illegible thoughts, torn out pages jammed back in, and misplaced post-its. Then, when I’ve filled the pages or torn most of them out I throw them away. This tactic works for me and the purpose will work for you.