Feeling anxious, uncertain and overwhelmed? Guided journaling is a practice to change that.
With the constant curveballs of 2020, we all need tools to keep stress at bay.
Not sure where to start? The Center for Journal Therapy recommends the acronym W.R.I.T.E for a five-step process:
W – What do you want to write about? What’s going on? How do you feel? What are you thinking about? What do you want? Name it.
R – Review or reflect on it. Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths. Focus. You can start with “I feel…” or “I want…” or “I think…” or “Today….” or “Right now…” or “In this moment…”
I – Investigate your thoughts and feelings. Start writing and keep writing. Follow the pen/keyboard. If you get stuck or run out of juice, close your eyes and re-center yourself. Re-read what you’ve already written and continue writing.
T – Time yourself. Write for 5-15 minutes. Write the start time and the projected end time at the top of the page. If you have an alarm/timer on your PDA or cell phone, set it.
E – Exit smart by re-reading what you’ve written and reflecting on it in a sentence or two: “As I read this, I notice—” or “I’m aware of—” or “I feel—”. Note any action steps to take.
Guided Journaling: Support for Your Practice
Create Your Own Calm is a guided journal featuring Patel’s gorgeous illustrations and inspirational quotes from great thinkers.
With prompts for writing, sketching, flow-charting, and fill-in-the-blanks, you can reflect, relax and regain your inner freedom. Bring back happiness and joy by getting in touch with your emotions as a source of strength. It brings together the best of journaling, affirmations and a touch of free-form “adult coloring” into a totally relaxing and beautiful package.
If you’re into crystals and nature-based spirituality, Embody Your Magick will give you everything you need to connect to the universe’s infinite power supply, right here on earth.
This journal and spellbook offers up powerful meditations, journal prompts and rituals, along with space for notes and lunar practices, color magick, sacred herbs, tarot suits, and more. There are journaling exercises for new and full moons (and other lunar phases) and rituals to help you connect to archetypal guides like the goddess in her various phases (mother/maiden/crone) and the Greek muses.
Rituals and Relief
With so much going on in our lives, the extra support and prompting that Patel and Herstik’s books provide can help us stick to grounding daily practices. By doing so, we’ll receive the wellness benefits that go along with them.
Photo by Hannah Olinger on Unsplash
