3 Steps to Incorporate Journaling to your Daily Routine
I started journaling after I had my son. I remember crying a lot and for no real reason. I felt like no one understood what I was going through and it was a lot to deal with. The expectations of being a new mom, making sure that my family was being taken care of, deciding to go back to work or not….there was a lot on my mind. Journaling helped me overcome a lot of distressful emotions and achieve long term self-confidence.
Journaling can be intimidating. Not knowing how to start, what to write, when to write, how often or how to incorporate it into your life. At first it might even seem that is not working but in the long term there are many benefits that come with it. Journaling can help with emotional release, self-reflection, problem solving and increase mindfulness and present moment awareness.
I want to share with you 3 steps that I took to incorporate journaling into my daily routine:
1. Establishing a Routine: The first thing I did was set a time in my day to write. I purposely chose to write when he was taking a nap. Yes, I knew the dishes needed to be cleaned, the laundry needed to be folded, or the fact that I should take a shower when he was sleeping, but I took a few minutes for myself where I just wrote anything and everything that came to mind. I was conscious about my decision to write and once I was done, I would take care of all of the other tasks. My mind was clear so I was able to tackle these tasks more effectively.
2. Just write: I made sure that I wrote anything that was on my mind. Even if my thoughts were “I don’t know what to write” I literally wrote that. I allowed for flow of thoughts into words, even if it didn’t make sense. I wasn’t writing for someone else to read. I was writing to express myself, to just let go. Sometimes I would word dump everything and it didn’t make sense but I felt much lighter after writing it.
3. Explore other mediums: Once I had a good consistent routine, I started exploring other mediums, coloring, drawing, images, cut outs, etc. This increased my opportunity to express myself whenever words were hard to come by. Journaling is not just about writing. You can paint what your soul is feeling and then look at that image and listen to the image, what is the image saying to you.
By following these steps, I look forward to journaling. I look forward to expressing my thoughts and emotions on paper. To see clearly what my mind is saying and how my thoughts are impacting how I feel.
PS - Journaling alone is not the solution if you are suffering from postpartum depression. Seeking professional mental health support is vital. Here are additional resources for you:
