One of my favourite quotes on journaling is from the entrepreneur, speaker and writer, Tim Ferris:
“I don’t journal to ‘be productive’. I don’t do it to find great ideas or to put down prose I can later publish. The pages aren’t intended for anyone else but me”
Except this is EXACTLY why so many people find it hard to get a journal habit going. Journaling is about reflection, not productivity Yet how often are we encouraged to reflect; in our families, at school, at work? We hear questions like: "What do you do?" or "What have you done?" How often do we ask (or get asked): "What kind of thinking have you been doing?" or "How much time have you set aside for reflection?" Perhaps you got called a "day dreamer" when you were younger (and it wasn't said as if it were a good thing). Or perhaps you've got used to wearing your busy-ness as a badge of honour, or at least an unavoidable necessity. Which brings us to another reason journaling is hard. Journaling is just for you If you value the fact that you're a kind, caring person, you might struggle with this idea of putting yourself first. You might hear a voice in your head that suggests you're indulgent, or selfish. Perhaps you've got used to filling everyone else's cup before you sit down and fill yours. And finally, you might struggle to trust the idea that no one else will see your words. Perhaps you were like me and had a mother who didn't respect your privacy and went through your things. Or perhaps (also like me) your family valued compliance and "being good" over listening and acknowledging your thoughts and feelings? This will make it hard for you to trust that your journal is a safe space to write un-edited and unfiltered. You might fear other people finding your writing and you might also fear what you will find in your writing. I get it. I've thought all of these things. The members of my journal writing classes frequently share that they think these things too. It’s why I structured Journal Safari in the way I did, including a sixteen minute guided visualisation and intention setting exercise to get you started.
Did you know setting a strong intention, increases the likelihood of sticking at something? Journal Safari encourages you to set a powerful, emotional intention that can tap into your true motivations and dreams, because Tim Ferris is right; journaling is the most cost effective form of therapy there is!
