UNITED STATES—I have recently started to do something that I used to do years ago, but stopped because I made the excuse I just didn’t have time. I have started to journal again. However, I want to make this very clear my form of journaling may not align with everyone else, and that’s the point. When some people journal they are chronicling the day or things that transpired. My journal entries do not follow that route. It is more an opportunity for me to jot down ideas, to manifest into reality things that I want to accomplish, but also a large focus to keep myself more organized than I have been in the past.
A lot of people do not like to write things down anymore. It is all about keeping things stored in the brain. Yeah, good luck with that one because the brain tends to have so many things floating be honest how can you keep it all organized in a timely fashion. The truth of the matter is you can’t. The phone is a distraction in itself. You start to place way too much energy on a device that simply controls your life more than it should be. A text message, a phone call, social media apps, emails, the list goes on and on, how can you really keep all your emotions and thoughts in order? You cannot.
Now look, let me be clear I am not necessarily journaling each day, but I journal whenever something important pops into my head or it is something so important to me that I feel the need to jot it down. In a given week I might journal every single day because the ideas or whatever I am feeling is exploding in my head and I want to place it on paper. Some weeks things could be slightly slow people. It doesn’t matter how much you journal the key I want to point out is the fact that you journal at all because it allows you to place something that you cannot touch or actual see and have it on a physical piece of paper.
Are you one of those people who gives what you wrote a second look? Maybe you do, maybe you don’t. I have started to do so, which means I can reflect on my thoughts. Why did I feel this way? What happened that day? What can I do to better manage my emotions or feelings? It is good to think about those things because it will help you react without reacting so quickly. This is not to say don’t express your emotions because I think it is important that every single American does this. If you’re sad and you need a good cry, dammit cry. If you’re happy and joyful about something that has unfolded that is a game changer for your life, shout it to the heavens. Then you might be angry about something. Scream, shout, punch a pillow, scream into a pillow, let that rage you have come out in a healthy fashion, but be careful to not allow it to linger.
I’m putting these things out there because it is crucial for people to understand if you’re experiencing emotions that concern you on a consistent basis it might be time to figure out exactly why that is. Are you worried about finances? Are you struggling with family issues? Is work stressing you out more than you imagined? Are you not accomplishing life goals quicker than you expected in your life? Journaling gives you the opportunity to think and manifest things that are going on in your life and how you can change it.
You can reflect on things that you wrote and they could possibly generate more ideas for you and get those creative juices cooking even more. Keep your journal in a place that is secure if you don’t want others reading and viewing your private thoughts. Yes, a journal is a private entity and no one should have access to what you are thinking, how you’re feeling and what you do to navigate life. If you choose to share it with others, so be it, but if you choose not to share it, that is also a decision that is solely yours. Rather you choose to journal or not is up to you, all I can say it’s a helpful tip that has given me a lot more perspective on life that I never expected.
Written By Jason Jones
