If you’re like me, you sometimes feel like you’re living in a fog, seeing the world with fuzzy edges and hearing conversations in muffled tones. When in this place of confusion, I rely on my journal to create direction out of the darkness.
Here are some basic tips to start of journaling from confusion to clarity.
Make time for wakeful, quiet contemplation: Being well rested is key, or your meditation session might turn into a nap. Feel free to put your own spin on your meditative moment, it doesn’t just have to be your and your breath. Watch a candle flame flicker, listen to birds sing, walk in the woods…
Practice listening to your inner voice by writing first about what you know: Try taking 3-5 minutes writing a simple list entitled, “some things I know for sure.”
Then more on to asking some pointed questions to yourself and journal the answers: Don’t worry if your answers don’t make sense at first, or don’t sound like you. This is still just practice listening to your inner guidance; the forever part of you doesn’t care about sounding polished or polite.
If you’re even too confused to know what to ask, just start there: Try the following journaling prompts to simply be more present in this moment of unclarity;
When did I start feeling confused?
How did I sleep last night? Any dreams I recall?
Have I been eating well? Getting enough exercise?
Am I feeling something I don’t want to examine? i.e. something lingering from an interaction with someone, a disappointment, a loss?
if so, what would happen if I examined it?
In the beginning, it’s key to make these only short moments of quiet connection with yourself. If we aim for daily, we’ll probably fall short and if we try to extend these moments, we may feel discouraged. Start with manageable pockets of time - for example, start by spending as much time paying attention to your internal world, as you might spend on social media and go from there.
If you ever feel like your issues are too much to manage on your own, it might be a good idea to reach out to a mental health professional. Even if you ultimately do not end up engaging in therapy with that practitioner, a therapist can still help you find someone who is right for you.
If you’re struggling with getting started with a journaling practice, I offer Journaling Jumpstarts; two 30 minute sessions, where we design your personalized journaling practice, unique to your specific needs and tendencies, then do an accountability follow-up session two weeks later to alter, adjust, or simply celebrate your progress! Contact me at jen@liveworksolutions.com for more info!