Journaling To Connect With Yourself
I have been journaling for the past 25 years. In fact, I probably have enough journals to fill up an ENTIRE home library.
People often ask me, “Lisa, what should I be writing down or how do I journal the right way?”
So, I’m here today to tell you there is no right or wrong way to journal. Journaling is based on you. No one else’s journey is quite like yours, so no one else’s journal will be quite like yours.
My own personal journaling practice has evolved over the years. For me, it is not just about writing things down, it’s more about CAPTURING IDEAS and INTENTIONS and letting CREATIVITY flow. I jot down what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, random ideas and God’s downloads to me. I don’t have any particular rules or any rigid order to my journals.
Lately, I have actually been writing a lot less and using an AUDIO JOURNAL a lot more. An audio journal helps me to remember the energy and tone of my thoughts, so I can recall not just what I’m thinking but what I’m feeling as well.
Sometimes I wake up at night and grab my phone to record an idea. Or, I audio record on the plane or at the airport if something creative pops in my head.
I believe journaling, whether written or audio, is so important (so much so that I ask every student who comes on my campus to do so) because it allows you to capture a “picture” of your life as it is right now
Now, I don’t mean a physical picture of your life, like your front door or your kitchen. I mean jotting where your relationships are. What feels good about them or what might be uncomfortable. Jot down your belief systems…what excites you and what has you afraid? Jot down your health. What status is it in? What are your goals there? What are your pain points?
Jot it all down–your intentions, your goals, your dreams. The things you might not be ready to take action on right now, but you will be in the future. Also, jot down the frustrations and tolerations. Why? Because when you are working to transform your life, those pain points won’t always be there. You want to remember the progress you’ve made along the way. Because most people don’t make 180-degree changes; they move the needle point by point.
Remember, I love, love, love reading your comments. So please keep talking to me. This is your home and your community. And here, we have DYNAMIC, COURAGEOUS conversations. Because I’m not interested in doing all the talking. I want to hear from you.
So, leave me a comment below as I’d love to know how journaling has supported you. What do you think of starting an audio journal? I’m curious what’s important for you right now to take a mental picture of.
And in case nobody has told you lately, I LOVE you and BELIEVE in you. And I will always be your sister in prosperity and possibility.
Yes its time to put the thoughts feeling emotion down look at them from different view points. Being in Elevate I was stopped at self love. What did that really mean? Took me back over 50years ago, unpack, and there I was waiting patiently for me to give to me what i didn’t get than. I’m so glad you share your experience because I thought l was done with that. Was focusing on the wrong side. But now I believe its my new beginning on my term now. Getting everyone out of my space building a strong foundation. Namaste
My daily journaling spilled over into writing a book. Checking into the audio journal next! Thanks Lisa! Yes! YES!!!
I have been journaling for 4 years now on a regular basis. One thing I found that also helped me is a video for one ~ recording myself, not worried about who will see it, just talking out loud. Many times I am surprised that those words came out of my mouth. It is so helpful and inspiring.
Thanks Lisa! Just letting you know that the swim meet/grandmother story where you won which you told back at a T Harv Ecker event in CA around 10 or 15 yrs ago (I can’t remember) is still in my heart. I LOVE it! THANKS for everything.
I started journaling this year and my oh my what a difference it has made for me. Moving my thoughts out of my head and putting them of paper has made my goals and aspirations more real to me. I did not think about audio journaling. I will have to give that a try one day. Thank you Lisa. Your words have landed on my listening ears and as usual as given me something to ponder.
Ms. Lisa, you are a sheer blessing and yes journaling keeps you focused and intentional, yet I’ve stopped, because my Husband use to read my writings and use them against me, but eventho that was years ago and he’s changed, now I cant focus or even get clear on my thoughts. I’m not sure what’s wrong. I feel like I cant hear God’s voice anymore. After having a rare stroke that paralyzed me and being labeled with a chemical imbalance, I have now overcome the odds of reversing the tides, then my Husband goes blind. It’s like everytime I muster up the mental strength to move fwd, something else happens, so now I just have that STUCK feeling. I dont wanna leave this earth without birthing what’s inside me. The sad part is that I cant articulate what that is to a T yet.
Please share a word of wisdom with me. Thank you, in advance. God Bless you for being such a blessing yo others.
Love this. I have done morning pages for a long time, however, recording my thought is a fabulous idea that I will start right away. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Lisa, I have been journaling off and on for many years, sometimes I go back a few years just to see what was on my mind and discover so much about myself and how far I have come !!! One day I had a thought, what if I made a time capsule 35 yrs. ago and opened it up today….WOW !!! who was that guy ?
Thank You, Lisa…NAMASTE Everyone !!!
Hi Lisa!!!
You are the most motivating person I know in this line of business. Lisa, you are doing what I’ve always wanted to do during a significant part of my adulthood. You see, I’ve taught self advocacy/self-esteem classes, which were a part of life skills and job readiness classes, to program participants (1981-1996) and I’ve taught in proprietary schools (2002–2010) where a major part of the curriculum included positive self talk, “motivating the masses,” encouraging students to advocate for themselves in an effective and sure manner. However, in 2008 I was diagnosed with COPD
(lung disease) and I have been on oxygen 24/7 since 2010. I was laid off in June 2010 and shortly thereafter was put on oxygen. Lisa, I am active, attend church weekly, go out to dinner, whenever funds allow it, drive myself to doctor appointments. I have done public speaking over the years relaying pertinent information of program specifics to members of the community. I’ve basically done public speaking in the classroom to students and faculty. Soooo, it’s no wonder that I am interested in doing what you do, motivational public speaking. Lisa, I don’t need to tell you. You’ve already guessed it. I’ve let my illness grab my self esteem. And, I don’t know, hide it, maybe? I think that I can follow my dream of becoming a motivational speaker like you, then my illness has me thinking no, I can’t do it. Lisa, I am disabled and receive only disability insurance once per month. I would love to participate in your classes but unfortunately, I just can not afford to do so, financially. I’m not asking for a handout. I’m asking if whether you have ANY suggestions that would be helpful for me? Suggestions that would enable me to pursue a career for once and obtain my dream of becoming a motivational speaker.
Love you, Girlfriend!
Mary B.
I have never journaled. However, I am contemplating doing so as I can see the benefit in doing so. Lisa, I appreciate the tips you’ve provided in this post. Thanks.
Mary B.
I love the message in this video. Everything that you spoke about in this video gave me confirmation. I have a journal and I have been using it for years. I used it because I had a short temper and I would always explode because I kept things bottled up. My journal helped me express my thoughts , feelings and emotions. As time went on I became calmer and it became easier to express myself without anger. I do not journal as much as I used to . However I have a blog , and a podcast. I use my platforms as a journal also. My podcast is like a audio journal to me. I have episodes that are in my drafts that I never uploaded , however I probably never will. I’m okay with that because it has became a outlet for me to express myself. This video resonated with me on so many levels because I am thinking about making a career out of my podcast and blog. I see that’s what you do as your profession so I believe this video came to me right on time.
I’ve been listening and reading your work for some time. I appreciate you!
I find journaling difficult! I’ve been meaning too for a very long time. I mean I have amazing journal tools, books, programs but haven’t gotten to the point of writing it down.
I feel the fact that I might not have excepted what has happened in the past 41yrs. I think a part of me is still in denial that I’ve been severely traumatized by all in my life.
I had to be told by my therapist that I have CPTSD and honestly a part of me doesn’t believe it.
I feel so many has gone through horrific events and I need to toughen up and move on but my body won’t allow me to move on.
Your work is truely inspiring and I feel like you get it! Much luv
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for sharing tips about journaling! I like journaling because I want to write a book one day. The problem I have with journaling is that sometimes I do not feel like writing, and I journaled in so many tablets. I lost them or cannot keep them together.
I never thought about audio journaling. Sounds like a great idea, but I do not like my voice. I real would like to do my journaling through blogging!
By the way, I think you are a great speaker and teacher!
Pearl
Hello Lisa,
Thank you for today’s conversation. Your topics always come at the right time for me. I definitely will journey how I again self-sabotage myself today. This will be a reminder for me to continue to work on reprogramming my subconscious mind. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Thank you for giving us the idea of audio journaling. I am going to start doing it because it will motivate me to keep moving forward to make my dreams come true.
I am almost 57 years old & ive been journaling since about age 12. I made 20 year memory albums for each of my 4 kids. It was amazing journeys thru time & my kids share them with their kids now.
I also kept personal journals & still do. I would like to go back & re read some from last year at this time.
Journaling is one way my soul speaks to me. I’m forever grateful for this process.
This moved my soul and caused me to pause. I love speaking and never thought of an audio journal. So glad that you shared with us. I’ve been journaling since I was in grade school and now I’m 50. It was hard to read how negative I was, those journals are since gone as I am no longer that person and I don’t live in the past. I do live in the now and taking a snapshot of my life now will ignite a new fire in me and for that I am truly grateful. I appreciate you and am extremely grateful for the time you give those of us that are still learning about finances and trusting God when there are little to none.
Hi Lisa
Thank you for liberating the audio journal. I personally do not enjoy write down on my journal … but did a couple of audio journaling before and I enjoyed.
With regards to our picture, I did write down the 4 areas of my life that need a boost and the effective plan to change and found that I got better in some, but now I realize that I may become lazy in others, specially with regards to my relationships with friends and family and also my physical excises, which I may have taken from granted and Ive only focus in work and finances as this where the areas needing more attention when I start this journey with you. My question to you is how do we get the balance?
i send myself voice notes of my thoughts. but I would love to use a way to capture my thoughts and still have privacy do you use a app of some sort??
Thanks Lisa for this.
I’m not consistent in journaling but I started doing it last year. That said, in the past I’ve used paper and pen to jot down my thoughts especially during painful times when I needed to pour it all out. It helps me with healing a great deal. I don’t edit – I just write it out and leave. I haven’t had the need to go back to my old notes.
In a different notebook, I write my dreams and aspirations. In this case, I go back to my notes and are often surprised to see just how my life has propelled me towards what I wrote down.
Thank you for your continuous words of encouragement. Your consistency and your energy are a true blessing.
Hi Lisa,
I’m quite new at journaling but so far it’s been really therapeutic! Being an introvert, it really feels great as i feel like i’ve let my heart out to someone and feel much better afterwards. Thanks so much
hi lisa
i believe in you ,i got caught up to one of your videos late years ,ever since then boom my life change ,i have better friends ,getting into better relationship now ,am getting better on my self not on my job ,but its turn to reflect on my job too,giving good contents,so much positive energy .one of my students told me i love your voice ,each time i see you i want o hear your voice ,thank you so much ,
am following on all channels mostly on twitter @aaogungbesan ,am planning to move to uganda fr another job ,when the virus issues subsides soon ,let me more courageous ,am going to meet you soon ,
thank you for being a blessing to my life
i believe in you
hi Lisa touching base JOURNAL IS WHERE CAPTURE YOUR TASKS OR EXPERIENCES
WHEN you go on holiday you take pictures of your experience that you had .
so journaling is where you excel and celebrate your achievement and where your roadblocks and trying to get through them ,and because we do tasks unconscious we are on autopilot . is when we reflect do we discover our unique talents and the lessons they taught us .