I found this piece of writing that I had written during a workshop last month. It reminded me of how much you can learn about yourself just from the exercise of putting thought onto paper. The assignment was to go to a place in your mind and write about what you saw there.
I was in an open field surrounded by trees, and when I left the field to go walking, each direction led to the different departments of my mind. Some were bright and sunny and this is where I found my friends. Some were very still and somber and this is where my thoughts were with things that were sad like my great-uncle dying. The most scary area for me was the darkness, and this is where I journey alone without friends and family. This is where I step in with only me as my guide and I have to trust myself and have faith that I will find my way. It feels like walking in the dark and I don't know what is around me. But there is a part of me that likes this, too. Because I do know myself, and in that sense, it's familiar.
I have copied it here exactly as I wrote it. One thing that I found interesting after having read it again, is that when I talked about going into the darkness alone, I switched from past to present tense. I don't think this was a mere grammatical error - I think that it is in that part of my mind where I am presently (perhaps not fully in it yet, at least standing at the edge looking in), and where I definitely was in that moment.
Journaling can be wonderfully calming. I remember feeling very blissful after diving deep into my thoughts and emotions that day. I have to remember to do it more often, especially during the most stressful of times (which are the times I feel least like writing). Some of the benefits are outlined below, from the about.com website, with some links:
Definition: Journaling, though not an official word found in Webster's Dictionary, is a coin termed to describe the act of writing about one’s thoughts and feelings (on paper or via computer). Journaling has many benefits that range from stress management to sharpened mental skills to health and wellness, and more. Research on journaling has shown that it’s more effective to write about your thoughts and feelings surrounding a stressful event, rather than just your feelings or your thoughts alone. Read more on how to start journaling to make this healthy practice a regular part of your life.
