#16 Journaling_A Practice to Help Process your Thoughts.

One of the more difficult challenges I’ve found when tough times come is the battle I face on the inside. Most people see stuff taking place on the outside, but for me that’s not nearly as tough as this other stuff. Inside my head, hidden from sight, words and thoughts crash into each other. They can do all sorts of damage inside me and often leave me feeling really flat and confused.

Finding Peace Through Journaling

Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever been overwhelmed by thoughts that create chaos in your head when you could really use some inner peace? For some people this happens in the middle of a storm they’re facing.

For others, it’s a daily battle that they just can’t seem to get on top of. It can make you feel a bit lost and unsure how to process all the thoughts that keep zipping around in your head. Some of you may even be looking for ways to connect more deeply with God but those uncontrolled and troubling thoughts stop you finding peace and making the connection you desperately want.

If any of this rings true, then I have a suggestion that might be worth considering. I want to share about a practice that I’ve found really helpful: journaling. Now, I know it may not be for everyone and even the mention of it here might turn you off reading any further, but can I encourage you to indulge me for a moment longer? You see, not everyone understands it. Some people probably can’t think of anything worse than sitting and processing uncomfortable and confusing thoughts and emotions. I get that, but it might also be that it’s simply a foreign concept that needs a little interpretation. If that’s the case, let me try to break it down a little and explain it a little more.

In some ways, I admit this may be easy for me. You see, I love words. I always have. They help me express how I’m feeling about the world around me.

They come easily to me and when I combine them together, they can form ideas, create beautiful pictures, spark powerful emotions and provide inspiration and hope. I use a lot of words (just ask my friends), but I don’t always share them with others.

A Safe Space for Unfiltered Thoughts

When my first wife was first diagnosed with cancer, I remember going out to purchase a blank journal because I suddenly felt drawn to write down on the outside what I was feeling on the inside. Something in me felt an urge to process my thoughts and transfer them from the crowded, unfiltered and completely unstructured playground in my head to something a bit more concrete and manageable. I’m not sure what was behind this.

I’d head outside at night after everyone had gone to bed, and start to take the private thoughts that had been occupying my mind all day and share them with my newfound silent companion. I wasn’t sure why I did this, but it started to feel helpful. It was a safe space to share my deepest concerns. It helped me to unravel the mess that was starting to take up residence in my mind and, just for a short time, it helped remove the power of those thoughts by putting them down in front of me. It felt like I was somehow slowing them down by doing this. In some ways, I felt like the dishevelled and exhausted parent does when they finally got the crying baby to sleep. They know it won’t be long before the baby wakes again and starts to cry but for those quiet moments there’s a measure of peace and even sanity again.

No one else saw what I wrote in my journal, so it felt safe. I could share about my fears, my anxiety, my confusion, my sadness and so much more. Nothing was out of bounds, nothing was too shocking, nothing had to be hidden. There was no guilt, no judgement and no motivational speech telling me that this would all pass, that it was all going to work out and that in the end I’d see why this had happened.

I suddenly found myself looking forward to opening the pages of my little companion who never once challenged me to think differently or was shocked by my attitude. On the contrary, it always allowed me to be me without judgement or critique. I carried it with me to coffee shops or on bike rides and when it felt right, I’d open it up and share some more thoughts.

Connecting with God Through Words

Over time, things changed. It moved from being simply a place to process my thoughts to a place where I could also talk to God. I could even question him or share my fears or disappointments that he hadn’t stepped in or, God forbid, wouldn’t step in. Sometimes I’d reflect on a verse I’d read in the Bible, or an idea or even a question I had about him.

What I started doing was writing a prayer at the end of each entry where I handed all my fears, my pain, my ideas, my delights etc to him. I could have prayed it out loud but writing it down felt different and, once I started, I kept doing it every time. It wasn’t always pretty, it wasn’t often long and occasionally all it said was, “Father, please help. I need you. Amen”

Creative Expression in Journaling

There was so much freedom in my journaling. I would sometimes draw something.

I’m not good at drawing so it was mostly a doodle or a mind map or something. Sometimes I’d write out a verse and circle a specific word or phrase. At other times, often when I was in a lot of pain, I would try to arrest my spiralling thoughts by thinking of just one small thing I was grateful for, and I would write that down and say thanks. Occasionally, that would lead to two things and sometimes that helped shift my mood and lift my spirits. 

Sometimes, I’d write a question that had not yet found an answer and I’d let it sit there waiting for me to come back and work on it again. Some of those questions are still sitting there.  Journaling has become a practice that’s helped me get through the darkest of times, but it’s also been helpful even when the light has come out.

Journaling as a Tool for Reflection and Action

When I began blogging, I added a section I called ‘From Reflection to Action’ with a series of recommendations. I noticed I almost always suggested that a person write things in their journal. I knew not everyone processed words like me or would find a journal a natural or helpful thing.  Perhaps, because it had become so important to me, I found myself recommending it as a practice to others to help them cope.

Practical Tips for Starting Your Own Journaling Practice

I’ve asked other people why they journal. This has led me to start putting some of these ideas into a video resource to help people understand, learn, and then maybe even explore it for themselves.

Everyone is different, and there have been a number of great ideas. Some people see the purpose of journaling differently from me. There are a variety of ways it’s expressed as a practice, and there are a number of suggestions as to how to approach it. But, what’s common is its value in helping people unravel their thoughts or face the things that are occupying their minds and their hearts.

I’m learning a lot from others and the way they practice journaling. Some examples include people who:

• share deep thoughts and process them in the privacy of their own sacred space.

• reflect on a Bible verse or passage and then identify a key point to focus on throughout their day.

• use it as a way to record memories, lessons, and ideas.

• use it to ‘talk to God’ and then shape their entry into a prayer.

This variety of practices will be expanded upon in the video resource I mentioned, where you can tap into the wisdom, practices, and suggestions of others. For now, see the "From Reflection to Action" section below for some immediate suggestions on how you might start your own journaling practice or at least give it a go.

If you'd like to stay informed about our upcoming resources on journaling (and other materials), consider signing up to our Resilient Souls Community at resilientsouls.com.au

Question/s to reflect on:

1. What thoughts or emotions have been overwhelming you lately, and how might journaling help you process them?

2. How do you currently connect with God or find inner peace? Could journaling be an additional way to enhance this connection?

3. Have you ever tried journaling before? If so, what was your experience like? If not, what has held you back?

From Reflection to Action:

1. Go out and purchase a journal – it could be a blank one or a guided one with suggestions. Whether it is guided or blank, has lined pages or empty ones—it’s up to you. Find one that suits your personality and will feel special to you.

2. Find a place to go to meet with your new companion. It doesn’t need to be the same place every time. For some of you, it might be a room in your house, a corner of your room, a table out the back, a local coffee shop, or a park. There’s no one right place or time of the day or length of entry. For some people, developing a ritual around the place and time will work best. For others, keeping it loose and relaxed and changing it up will feel better.

3. If faith is part of your values, then ask God to meet with you. If not, take a deep breath and relax. There’s great value in simply putting down your thoughts whether you speak to God or not.

4. Start small. You don’t need to write a book. Start with a sentence or maybe two. Just don’t do something that feels like a burden or is unsustainable after a day or two.

5. Write down what you’re going through, how you’re feeling …. nothing is out of bounds—there’s no right or wrong here. Just write or draw or both. See what comes. It’s a processing tool. You might feel lighter, you might feel better. You might feel the power of your struggles reduced as they sit there in words in front of you. You might feel nothing and that’s also ok.

6. If you have a faith, then consider ending in a prayer where you hand all your fears and worries and thoughts to God. You could say this out loud or say it silently in your head or you could write it down. See what feels right for you.….
   

.........This is just a start. As we develop the resource I mentioned, we’ll fill this out more and suggest a range of things to try.

On top of these ideas directly related to journaling:

1. Tune into Encouraging Podcasts: Build your resilience with stories from others on the Resilient Souls podcast.