Dear Diary...The Health Benefits of Journaling

Journaling is the best part of my morning routine. After the yoga mat is rolled up, the cats are fed, and I’ve whisked up some frothy matcha in my chawan, I settle into my favorite chair on the back porch with my journal.

Some mornings I reflect on the latest chapter in the book I’m reading or a dream I had the night before. A topic I return to repeatedly involves ensuring alignment between my actions and my purpose because it is so easy to get distracted by busyness. 

Writing slows our monkey mind enough for us to access our inner wisdom. It helps me process my thoughts and emotions. If something is bothering me, I try to unpack why before closing with self-forgiveness for my perfectly imperfect self.

For me, journaling is about the process, not the product. Although I keep my filled journals, I don’t reread them. Whatever I needed to work through in the past is history. I’ve moved on…but only because I made the time to write it down. “Better out than in,” as Shrek says.

In her book, The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron introduces the practice of morning pages—three pages of stream-of-consciousness handwriting. Cameron says that moving our hand across the page opens a pathway to our heart. I wonder if she knew that the heart meridian travels across the outer edge of our hand ending at the tip of the little finger? Writing by hand stimulates heart energy in a way that typing on a keyboard never could.

Journaling is like holding up a mirror to our mind, promoting psychological insight. In my book, Eight Intentions for Self-Healing, I describe how I conquered my perfectionism. The realization that since childhood I relied on perfection to insulate me from criticism came through journaling. That insight allowed me to release my fear of mistakes. 

Humans have the unique ability to think about our thinking. Recording thoughts on paper creates distance between a thought and the associated emotions allowing us to see the thought more objectively. The self-awareness that arises punctures the balloon of pent-up emotions, thereby releasing stress that can lead to dis-ease. 

When my mug is empty and my mind is clear, it’s time to get on with the day. I end every entry with a heart to express gratitude to my journal. Like a trusted friend, it listens without judgment and gently reflects my own wisdom back to me.

If you are new to journaling and unsure what to write, I recommend the Radiant Energy Journal  by my friend and fellow healer Stacy Noel. Stacy’s journal offers daily prompts to help you get started. 

If a blank lined journal is more your speed, I offer several designs.

Two of my journals, Peace is a Practice and Yoga Poses, featuring my original artwork on the cover.