The Power of Journaling

I have been journaling for most of my adult life. This "journaling" has constituted many forms over the years. In high school, I took course notes and sketched in my art pads. As an engineering student in college, I transcribed complicated math formulas and mechanical processes along with pictures. I didn't have a laptop, so all of my notes were written and they were vital when it was time to take my exams. I started writing more about my life, family, and personal goals after college when I was an engineer and ran an Amway business side hustle. I attended conferences and took tons of notes on business hacks, tips, and strategies. I read my bible as a new Christian and wrote down lessons I was being taught. As a new husband and father, I would write my personal feelings and convictions about these new experiences. All in all, I have over 100 notebooks in shapes and sized packed away in boxes up in my attick. They are the written "diary" of my life. 

Why am I talking about this at all? The topic came up on a recent call I facilitated with team leaders of cleaning companies that I help. One of the team leaders was dealing with so many personal challenges in her family and wanted to share. We listened intently. The more she shared, the better she started to feel. She had a place to let out her feelings and that was invaluable to her. At the end, I suggested that she start journaling and shared 3 distinct advantages. Writing down your thoughts, feelings, and goals engages your brain so much more than keeping it to yourself or typing it out. It serves as a time capsule to go back to whenever you want to. Lastly, it allows you to always share your feelings to yourself like holding up a mirror when you talk. She was excited and realized it was time for her to start capturing the details of her life. Let's talk about these 3 benefits in more detail, then you can decide if it's right for you.

1. Your Journal is your Mirror - Does it feel good to hold in your thoughts and feelings? No! When we hold them in, more are added every day until we face total overwhelm. Humans are designed to be in fellowship with other humans. When we have someone else to talk to, it gives us the opportunity to express our thoughts and feelings. This is the output our bodies need. My wife desperately needs this. We go for walks every week and I just listen. She loves these walks and it strengthens our relationship. Emptying her thoughts and feelings allows new ones to take up residence in her brain and heart. This is so healthy for her and I'm guessing it's healthy for you. How about this example for the guys. Have you ever called a friend or mentor and just talked his ear off? You talked and talked, expressing so many ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Your friend nods his head or says, "Umm hmm" several times but never speaks. Then at some point, you come to the conclusion you've been struggling to get to for days or weeks. You have solved it. You thank your friend so much for helping you. They say. "I didn't even do anything. I just listened." These are 2 examples of how being in relationship with others and having someone willing to listen helps us tremendously. Did you know that you can serve a similar capacity with yourself. Think of your journal as a mirror. You have all of these thoughts and feelings and you want to share them. You hold up a large mirror and start sharing. The reflection is obviously talking, but it illustrates my point.  You can talk to a mirror all day and they won't respond. You can also write in a journal and it will be the best listener you've ever had. In fact, I challenge you to try this. When you journal and allow yourself to be completely transparent and vulnerable with yourself, you will start to figure things out. You will also feel so much better like you just had a 3-mile walk while sharing your thoughts and feelings. The best part is that everything is recorded. That brings me to the second advantage.
2. It's a Time Capsule - I shared an episode, "Broken Record", in early 2020. I was wanting to move forward with a big goal to double my solo cleaning business from 2019 and started the usual process called "Think Week". Here's the quick summary. I set my process and started out to crush it in 2020. I got the notion to refer back to my old journals and found Think Week notes every preceding year to 2012. What I found horrified me. I was a broken record, setting the same unrealistic goals every year and every year getting the same results. I took this knowledge and changed. In 2020, I more than doubled my business thanks to my daily journaling habit and not throwing them out! I have also used my journals to go back to a darker place when I am feeling down. I can quickly see how much better of a place I'm at now in compared to a short few months ago or year ago. It gives me hope and motivation to keep going. I can also go back to a time when we were doing great and realize that I can do it again. This gives hope and encouragement. Here's one you may not have thought of. If I'm in a great spot and everything is going good, I can go back to a darker place and read. It humbles me, knowing I can always return there. This humility allows me to have greater perspective and gratitude even when things are going well. My friend Vincent says this. "You are either coming out of a crisis, in a crisis, or heading toward one." This keeps me humble. The last benefit of the time capsule is amazing. Your journals are a seed to your future. Every struggle-victory you've recorded serves as future content for a book, podcast, course, coaching program, or whatever to help others going through the same thing you just overcame. Can you imagine your current struggle helping thousands down the road? This podcast serves that function for me for sure!
3. It's in Our Design - I don't want to get off in the weeds here with the science, so I'll share a few interesting links (Science of Notetaking, Journaling Showdown) about the benefits of writing versus typing. I'll set it up this way. God has designed us perfectly to accomplish what He desires us to do. That design's intent is simple. God wants fellowship of humans with other humans and with Him. It's in Jesus's greatest commandment to love God and one another. If you're not a Christian or person that believes in God, no problem. You may want to dismiss some of the points in this advantage. However, you can agree with the science in the articles I mention. Here's an illustration of God's design. It takes 43 muscles to frown and only 17 muscles to smile. This is an age old quote that shows something profound. God has designed us to have to work harder being sad than smiling. Smiling lights up our souls and the souls of others around us. Frowning is necessary and God also designed it. However, I find it interesting that smiling is so much better for mankind and it's 3 times easier to do. The science in the articles conclude this. Writing engages the heart and mind more than typing. Just like the muscle usage in the face for smiling and frowning, writing engages way more of the neurological and comprehensive system than typing. If you're going to commit to journaling, write it on paper. Don't type it! You'll get SO much more out of it.

I hope this podcast got you thinking about adding a new discipline to your day. Journaling is vital to my life and I hope it becomes that for you.