Volume 1, Issue 2

You’re the only one watching

I was very pleased to hear from a number of subscribers who were motivated to start journaling after reading last month’s newsletter. A few of you called because you were having a difficult time figuring out what to write about and feeling a little guilty about not doing it everyday. It occurred to me that others might be feeling the same way. So, this month’s article is intended to encourage those of you who are feeling a little stuck.

One of my clients confessed that she felt silly writing down some of the things that came into her mind. She kept erasing and rewriting in the hope of getting it just right. Feeling frustrated she skipped a day here and there. Can any of you relate?

The first thing I want you to do is RELAX! Journaling isn’t an essay writing contest. There is no passing grade and no one will judge the perfection of your sentences or the purity of your thoughts.

I will say this though - when practiced regularly, journaling allows that part of you that is “all knowing”, to come to the forefront. We’ll call it your observer. Your observer is ever present, sitting quietly in the background watching you move through life. Its role is to keep you on track - always wanting the very best for you. From time to time it will prompt a thought, which gets you back on track, but for the most part, it’s a silent passenger on your daily journey.

Journaling allows you to sit quietly with the conscious intention to reflect on your life, and that’s when your observer jumps into action. You’ll write questions and find answers. You’ll become acutely aware of how you see things and how those things affect how you feel. Over time you’ll look back at what you write and be amazed by how much you’ve grown.

So, give yourself a break. Remember you’re the only one watching.

Here are 5 steps to help activate your Observer:

1.Write down 5 things that you are grateful for. It can be anything, your dog, the weather, new shoes. It doesn’t matter. The point is to get writing.
2.Write down 4 things that you could have done differently today. Remember no censoring just write them down.
3.Write down 3 things you wanted to say to someone but didn’t or couldn’t, and why.
4.Write down 2 things that you’ve been putting off and what you’re going to do about it.
5.Last but not least. Write down the following. “Something wonderful is going to happen to me tomorrow.” When you wake up say out loud “Something wonderful is going to happen to me today.” Now don’t be surprised when it does.

“Don’t be put off by the gifts that show up in plain brown packaging –
it’s what’s inside that counts” Gillian Andries