Ever since I read The Artists Way by Julia Cameron I started journaling – writing 3 “morning pages” a day. She uses it as a tool of creative recovery. After writing for a few months I gained insights into negative patterns of behaviour and thinking.
What is journaling?
Journaling allows you to record your thoughts, feelings, emotions. It’s about writing without thinking… letting your hand move across the page without giving much thought to the content – writing whatever is in your mind…e.g. I hate writing, I really don’t know what I am supposed to write about. I haven’t done this since school and still don’t find it easy….etc etc.
What are the rules?
There is only one rule and that is that you write…3 pages…every day….even if you think you have nothing to say. It is for your eyes only.
Why write?
Journaling is a way to track your emotions, habits and patterns of behaviour and provide you with insights…
Journaling a weight loss tool
I recommend using a journal as part of a weight loss programme to record insights, track patterns in behaviour and devise pro-active lifestyle changes. Journaling provides insight into the way you think. It allows you to get past your “inner critic” that little voice that keeps sabotaging your efforts to lose weight.
Journaling turned out to be one of the key tools in my weight loss success which is why I insisted on including a journal in the weight loss kit I designed. For further information on the kit you can go to https://sandygoldberg.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/
Workshop – Journal writing for personal growth
If you live in Cape Town, Cathy Eden is offering Journal Writing for Personal Growth Workshops
In this three-part workshop, the following questions will be explored
- who am I? – how you define yourself, how you interpret your life story, what shaped you, what you believe
- why am I here? – your strengths and challenges, your purpose, your accomplishments and dreams
- how do I proceed? – goal setting, identifying blocks, unlocking creativity, making choices.
For further details, dates and costs go to http://www.cathyeden.co.za/workshops
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