What style of journaling has taught you the most about yourself?

Just thought I'd update with what I'm finding really useful in helping me to knuckle down to regular journaling because it's also helping me to have some structure to carry on writing through/despite the 'brain fog' that my TMS gives me - It's this book called "21 Days to Emotional Literacy" https://www.amazon.co.uk/21-Days-Em...sr=8-1&keywords=21+days+to+emotional+literacy

 

I just saw this suggestion for journaling (briefly mentioned) on a webpage about somatic experiencing, which I thought might be an approach that could appeal to and be helpful for some of us:

"Journal with Sensations. If you keep a journal, make a note of the bodily sensations that came up before, during, and after the events describe as well as thoughts, emotions, images, and behaviours." - from http://courage-counseling.com/somatic-experiencing-self-help-tips/ (8 Self Help Tips from Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy - Courage Counseling, PLLC)

 

The irony is that I think part of the problem is that I get stuck in my perfectionism tendencies & wind up writing a novel with perfect sentence structure & far too much detail. You'd think I was preparing it for publication! When it's all said & done I think my main problem is prioritization - I just need to start putting this & other activities designed to target the mental-health aspect of this whole mishigas higher up on the list than the general mundane to-do list items that I use to distract myself from the activities/issues that are more difficult & maybe a little scary to confront. One day at a time.

 

This is turning into a big thread, but I just want to say I gave this dialog with myself format a go, and actually really liked it. Not sure how the book laid it out, but I was sort of writing it as if it was two people conversing.

Thanks

 

I was an avid journaler for over 30 years but about 8 years ago I really tapered off and almost stopped entirely. I had done many years of therapy and over 2 decades of 12 step recovery and I felt so much less interested in tracking my emotional life than I had been. I was writing a lot of poetry and very busy professionally, my kids were grown and gone and I felt very little stress day to day (or so I thought!) After I developed coccydynia and realized I had TMS, after my initial resistance I got back to journaling and it's amazing how helpful it's been. I read Schubinre's book and am doing the SEP here and have found the web journaling, free writing, unsent letters, and dialogue writing all extremely helpful. I'm not at all sure now why I stopped journaling to begin with, although I do still sometimes get inpatient with all the navel gazing. But of course I know how important self-examination is! I'm a counseling psychologist for Pete's sake.

 

Plafield,

Sooooooo timely. Writing has Always offered me release. Thanks for the reminder. I too was a counselor, now retired. For Pete’s sake,,,........

Kindly
Lainey