1 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Psychology of Your Twenties, 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: the podcast where we talk through some of the big 3 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: life changes and transitions of our twenties and what they 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 1: mean for our psychology. 5 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 2: Hello everybody, Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to 6 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 2: the podcast. New listeners, old listeners. Wherever you are in 7 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 2: the world, it is so great to have you here. 8 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 2: Back for another episode as we of course break down 9 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 2: dive into explore the psychology of our twenties. If you 10 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 2: have ever had a brush with the self help or 11 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 2: the wellness community, the wellness space, which I'm assuming that 12 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 2: you have, considering you're listening to this podcast, someone somewhere, 13 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 2: at some stage has probably recommended that you journal or 14 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 2: told you about how amazing journal has been for them, 15 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 2: whether you took them up on that or not, whether 16 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 2: you decided to give it a go, whether you saw 17 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 2: the appeal but you've just never been able to get 18 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 2: into it. I think journaling is one of the holy 19 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 2: grails of the wellness community, of the therapy community. It's 20 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 2: one of the biggest pieces of advice that people like 21 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 2: to give to others when they are stressed, when they 22 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 2: are anxious, when they're grieving, heartbroken, even in good times. 23 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 2: Have you tried journaling? Why don't you journal about it? 24 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 2: And what is the deal with this? Why is it 25 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 2: so amazing to be able to write down your feelings? 26 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 2: Why does it always come up in these discussions? Well, 27 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 2: today I want to talk about it. By popular request, 28 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 2: by popular demand from so many listeners, what is the 29 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 2: magic behind journaling and how can we really embrace it? 30 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 2: I am going to admit I'm one of those annoying 31 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 2: people who has been journaling for years and who swears 32 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: by it. I feel myself getting I wouldn't say worse, 33 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 2: but more or detached from my life when I don't journal, 34 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 2: and I definitely feel the quality of my experiences and 35 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 2: my emotions improve when I do. Journaling for me makes 36 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: me very present, It makes me more reflective of my life. 37 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: I feel closer to my memories. I love it for 38 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,519 Speaker 2: so many reasons, but I also get that it's kind 39 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 2: of hard to get into if it's not something that 40 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 2: you're a regular at or that you have done very often, 41 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 2: or if it's you know, not how you necessarily have 42 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 2: tended to process your emotions. Everyone that likes it really 43 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 2: likes it, but it's kind of like reading or any 44 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 2: hobby or exercising or eating healthy. We know we should 45 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 2: be doing it, we know that we will feel better 46 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 2: after doing it, but there are always so many mental barriers, 47 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 2: so many empty notebooks we promise to start writing in 48 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: at the start of the year, so many times that 49 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 2: we plan to journal in the evening, and then we 50 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 2: just never get around to it. So today, let's talk 51 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 2: about the fundamentals and of course the psychology of journaling. 52 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 2: Why it helps our brains process trauma, why it helps 53 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 2: our bodies heal faster, how it improves our intelligence, our friendships, 54 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 2: our memories, but also more importantly, how to actually make 55 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 2: it an enjoyable practice and one that is actually useful 56 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 2: rather than a chure. How to actually want to journal 57 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 2: and where to even start. I'm going to give you 58 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 2: the fundamentals of journaling and how to actually enjoy journaling, 59 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: and some fun journal prompts, and also really talk about 60 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 2: some of the myths and misconceptions about this method and 61 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 2: what it can actually do for our health. And notice 62 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 2: how I didn't just say mental health. Our health on 63 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 2: a holistic level, from physical to social to emotional. There 64 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 2: is a lot to talk about without further Ado, let's 65 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 2: get into the psychology and the fundamentals of journaling. Journaling 66 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 2: has a lot of different forms, you know, from the 67 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 2: tried and tested notebook to a structured gratitude journal or 68 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 2: a workbook, a blog, I don't know if people still 69 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 2: blog anymore, maybe an Instagram account, even your notes app. 70 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 2: Anything that causes you to express your thoughts in a 71 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 2: written form outside the confines of your mind. To me, 72 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 2: that counts as journaling. I think we have a very 73 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 2: narrow picture of what journaling looks like, and it's a 74 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 2: person at a desk writing page after page, or you know, 75 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 2: a very Victorian image of a bronze character with an 76 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 2: ink and a quill penning very beautiful poetry. Not at all. 77 00:04:55,520 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 2: Journaling can be as large or small, as romance, antic, 78 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 2: or practical as you want it to be. And I 79 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 2: think that's what makes it so incredible. It is just 80 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 2: so accessible and cost effective. Anyone can do it in 81 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 2: the way that works for them. It's kind of like 82 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 2: what running is for our physical health. If you have 83 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 2: shoes and you have your legs, you can run, and 84 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 2: if you have your brain and something to write on, 85 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:27,679 Speaker 2: you can journal and you'll feel better afterwards. Hopefully. Most likely, 86 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 2: some people like to just like pour their heart out 87 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 2: every three months when they need it. There are people who, 88 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 2: like I said, write a page or more every day. 89 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 2: There is you know, list form. There is naming what 90 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 2: you're grateful for, what you know, what happened in your day, 91 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 2: your highlights and low lights. There is the kind of 92 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 2: journaling that is very structured and really keeps account of 93 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 2: what you're going through day by day. My point here 94 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 2: is that there are no rules. The only condition for 95 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 2: journaling is that you're finding some way to record your 96 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 2: personal thoughts, your feelings, insights, troubles or daily life. And 97 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:12,039 Speaker 2: the final condition maybe not even a condition, maybe not 98 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 2: even a rule, but the beauty of journaling is that 99 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 2: it doesn't even need to be good. That's another thing 100 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 2: that I think sometimes holds us back from writing or 101 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 2: saying that we are someone who journals. When we put 102 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: something on a page, or we put it down in writing, 103 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: it feels so permanent and so sacred, and I don't 104 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 2: know if it's just me, but we can't help but 105 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: picture someone reading it back, maybe in the future, and 106 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 2: getting to essentially appear directly into our lives. So sometimes 107 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 2: we fixate on making it worth it. We fixate on 108 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 2: it sounding good or using our need as handwriting, or 109 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 2: not coming off as to I don't know, to anything, 110 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: not coming off as too loud or too emotional, true 111 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: sensitive in our own journal entries. But the thing is 112 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 2: is that journaling is strictly for you. There are no mistakes, 113 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 2: There are no bad entries except for the ones that 114 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 2: weren't written. There are no wrong thoughts. You know, no 115 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 2: one is going to give you a mark like it's 116 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 2: an assignment. As I said before, journaling is a self care, 117 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 2: self love practice. It's one of the only times that 118 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 2: everything gets to be about you and you get to 119 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 2: do it in the way that works best as long 120 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 2: as you are doing it. Journaling has an amazing reputation 121 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 2: when it comes to, I guess, healing some of our 122 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 2: biggest emotional afflictions, whether that is helping us with anxiety 123 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 2: and depression or grief, or even just managing everyday stresses. 124 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 2: I don't even think I would be able to count 125 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 2: the number of therapists that have been or have said 126 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 2: to me, Oh, have you tried journaling? Have you tried 127 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 2: writing about these feelings? Have you tried articu them in 128 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 2: written form. What exactly is so powerful about that, though, 129 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: because anyone can pick up a piece of paper and 130 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 2: a pen and write about how they're feeling, right, what 131 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 2: is the big secret here? Well, let's talk about it, 132 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 2: starting with the science and the evidence, of course, because 133 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 2: we're not going to be making any claims without some proof. 134 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: Journaling has basically been proven to have everything from psychological 135 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 2: to even physical benefits, which may surprise some of us. 136 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 2: It definitely surprised me, and we'll get to why in 137 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:40,440 Speaker 2: a second. But starting with the more psychological side, the 138 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 2: moment when I think people really began to recognize the 139 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 2: benefits of this. What's from a landmark study in nineteen 140 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 2: eighty eight. And in this study, students were randomly assigned 141 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 2: to write about either very traumatic experiences or very superficial 142 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 2: topics for four days in a world. Six weeks later, 143 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 2: those who had delved into traumatic experiences, who had really 144 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 2: written pages and pages about how they felt, the meaning 145 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:14,719 Speaker 2: they applied, how it impacted their life, they actually reported 146 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:20,079 Speaker 2: feeling a lot better. They reported more positive moods, lesser anxiety, 147 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 2: fewer illnesses than those who were writing about everyday experiences. 148 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 2: This is when journaling really began to be recommended more. 149 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 2: I'm sure when this study was first proposed back in 150 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 2: the eighties, people were like, you want to measure whether 151 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 2: writing something down is good for people. But after this 152 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 2: study was published, I think it kind of said something 153 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 2: that everyone was already thinking. When you actually find an 154 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:52,319 Speaker 2: outlet for what is going on in your brain and 155 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 2: the kind of emotional and cognitive affliction that your problems 156 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 2: are causing you the mental strain. I guess when you 157 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 2: find an outlet for that, you feel better. And I 158 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 2: think that was one of the first times that people 159 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 2: had put that into words. People had been obviously writing 160 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 2: journal entries and poetry and novels and stories for as 161 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 2: long as humans had existed, but this study was when 162 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 2: someone really said, hey, you know, this actually has a 163 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 2: really positive impact on mental health, and people started recommending it. 164 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 2: They were basically like, oh, I better get on board. 165 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 2: This is such a cost effective method of making people 166 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 2: feel better. Since then, it's become a huge topic of conversation, 167 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 2: and so many more studies have been produced around that. 168 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 2: One of my favorite ones is a study that shows 169 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 2: that people who journal regularly twice a week recover from 170 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 2: heartbreak faster than those who don't, sometimes even twice as fast. 171 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,359 Speaker 2: That was one of the estimates given by the researchers. 172 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 2: I don't know if you can really measure how far 173 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 2: someone gets over heartbreak, but there you go. There was 174 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 2: another study published only a couple years ago that said 175 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 2: journaling for fifteen minutes a day can increase our IQ, 176 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 2: our literal intelligence, and also our EQ, which is our 177 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 2: emotional intelligence. That makes you a better friend, That makes 178 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 2: you a better partner, a better coworker, more in touch 179 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 2: with your own emotions, of course, but also more in 180 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 2: tune and therefore empathetic to others. This stuff I think 181 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 2: we all know. Writing about your feelings makes you understand 182 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,199 Speaker 2: them better, which means you understand yourself better, but also 183 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 2: others people who are also members of the human race. 184 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 2: That's fairly simple. But when we start looking at the 185 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:44,679 Speaker 2: physical health benefits, that's when it really starts to get 186 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 2: so interesting and almost a little bit insane for me, 187 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 2: and the case for journaling just becomes even greater. So 188 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 2: let me tell you about a pretty amazing New Zealand 189 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 2: study from twenty thirteen which basically showed, maybe not showed 190 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 2: basically suggests did that writing helped our body heal itself 191 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 2: faster from physical injury. So it's not just that it 192 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 2: helps people recover from trauma or become more intelligent or 193 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 2: feel less stressed. It has physical healing properties. So in 194 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 2: this study, forty nine healthy adults aged sixty four to 195 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 2: ninety seven, they wrote about either a really upsetting event 196 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:33,959 Speaker 2: or just their daily activities for twenty minutes after two 197 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 2: weeks had passed. To make sure that you know any 198 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 2: initial negative feeling stirred up by recalling those upsetting events 199 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:45,439 Speaker 2: had passed, all the subjects had a biopsy on their arm, 200 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 2: basically meaning that a piece of tissue was removed from 201 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 2: their arms. They had a small wound. That wound was 202 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 2: then photographed for the next twenty one days while the 203 00:12:55,960 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 2: group continued to keep journaling about either upsetting of events 204 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 2: or everyday events. On the eleventh day, seventy six percent 205 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 2: of the group that did expressive writing had fully healed, 206 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 2: with forty two percent of the control group having healed, 207 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 2: So forty two versus seventy six percent. How has that 208 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 2: not talked about more? That is such an astonishing study, 209 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 2: obviously small sample size, it would definitely need to be replicated. 210 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 2: But if you think that study was just a fluke 211 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 2: after it was released, even before people were really looking 212 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 2: into this, And there was another study that appeared in 213 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 2: the Journal of the American Medical Association, so not a 214 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 2: small journal, and it looked at patients with asthma and arthritis, 215 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 2: half of who were again asked to write for twenty 216 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 2: minutes each day about something that was bothering them a 217 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 2: stressor a past trauma, and the other half who were 218 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 2: asked to just write about their daily life. Four months later, 219 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 2: the patients in the stressful writing group increased improvement on 220 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 2: objective clinical evaluations about their symptoms of asthma, arthritis, and 221 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 2: emotional distress. They were less stressed, they had fewer negative 222 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 2: symptoms of their asthma, and their situation that condition has 223 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 2: had deteriorated less. So the research is basically concluded writing 224 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 2: about something that was stressing them out, really engaging their 225 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 2: emotions through this practice not only helped these patients get 226 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 2: better in a sense, but it also kept them from 227 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 2: getting worse. Why is this the case? How is it 228 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 2: possible that writing could heal a wound or minimize the 229 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 2: chronic illness? And I want to obviously just state here 230 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 2: that we're not trying to I'm not trying to claim 231 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 2: that journaling is going to replace modern medicine and magically 232 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 2: everyone will get better. But what really comes down to 233 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 2: in all of these instances is stress. Stress kills ourselves. 234 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 2: Stress reduces our immune system functioning, Stress shortens our life expectancy, 235 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 2: It puts our body under strain. All of these things 236 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 2: obviously have a very big physical impact and can contribute 237 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 2: to pre existing illness or make us more susceptible to 238 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 2: new illness. But controlling our stress that helps control the 239 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 2: physical burden placed on our body. And that is why 240 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 2: journaling is shown to have these really wonderful, if not 241 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 2: unbelievable healing properties for physical, not just mental ailments, because 242 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 2: it basically gets our brain to process heavy emotions and 243 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 2: experiences that would otherwise manifest in physical tension and physical turmoil. 244 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 2: I think it's just one of the many ways that 245 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 2: our mind and our body interact and impact each other, 246 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 2: and I think we don't explore that enough, especially in 247 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 2: Western medicine. We're so focused on treating symptoms rather than 248 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 2: holistically really thinking about the body and thinking about the 249 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 2: mind and how our psychology and our emotional state contributes 250 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 2: to how we're basically functioning. The reason that I think 251 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 2: journaling is so effective at managing stress or processing an emotion, 252 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 2: any emotion, is that it's an essentially an organizational system. 253 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 2: It's an organizational procedure. It's a way of cleaning things 254 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 2: up or making sense of things that we can't work 255 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 2: out by just thinking about them over and over again. 256 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 2: That's the curse of overthinking, something that I'm sure we 257 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 2: all do from time to time. It leads us to 258 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 2: believe that we are problem solving when actually we are 259 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 2: just making the issue more convoluted and getting further into 260 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 2: the labyrinth. And writing about it does something about the 261 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 2: thoughts and it kind of keeps track of where we've been. 262 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 2: But also, at a very basic level, it's a circuit breaker. 263 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 2: Generally gets us out of our mind. It kind of 264 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 2: removes us from the problem and allows us to write 265 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:11,679 Speaker 2: about it, not in the third person, but almost in 266 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 2: a more detached way. We have some form of emotional 267 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 2: distance that we don't get when we try and process 268 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 2: all of our feelings about a situation, all of our 269 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 2: heavy emotions in our brain alone. The more we practice journaling. Obviously, 270 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 2: in a moment, it can just help us really break 271 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:37,360 Speaker 2: away from going over and over unnecessary details, not being 272 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:41,159 Speaker 2: able to find an exit to our thoughts. But the 273 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 2: more we practice it, the more it becomes a tool 274 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 2: to reprogram maladaptive thoughts, to reflect and remember our lives 275 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:52,959 Speaker 2: more realistically, to actually be able to look back at 276 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: journal entries and be like, oh no, maybe my thoughts 277 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 2: about that situation were wrong. This is how I remember 278 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:02,120 Speaker 2: it at the time, and it helps us organize our 279 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 2: life and our thoughts and provide emotional catharsis. That is 280 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 2: one of my favorite words, catharsis when we really need it, 281 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 2: you know, like this thing is bothering me, this breakup, 282 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 2: this heartache, this assignment, this moment when I embarrass myself. 283 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:25,159 Speaker 2: Let me really spend time trying to think about this 284 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 2: in a way that my brain normally wouldn't think about 285 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,879 Speaker 2: it by writing about it. And I'm not looking for 286 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 2: a solution. I'm not journaling to find an answer. I'm 287 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 2: journaling just to process what I've been through. And that 288 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 2: is something that we don't always do because we are 289 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 2: too stuck in our feelings to really detach from them 290 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:49,879 Speaker 2: and distance ourselves from them for a moment and just 291 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 2: think about the situation in the grandest scheme of things. 292 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 2: So basically what I'm trying to say in the most 293 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 2: convoluted way possible. Journaling is valuable and helps us deal 294 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 2: with stress and distress because it forces you to put 295 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:09,120 Speaker 2: complicated emotions about your future, about your family, your friends, 296 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:12,199 Speaker 2: your trauma, your day, whatever it may be. It forces 297 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 2: you to put those complicated emotions into some form of 298 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 2: coherent sentence or paragraph, and through that act you get 299 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 2: more clarity and you feel like you're getting somewhere. Everything 300 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 2: else that comes along with that is basically a benefit 301 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 2: of not being consumed with over analyzing and overthinking a problem. 302 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,639 Speaker 2: We have more space to begin to think about others, 303 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 2: to really listen to them, to be curious. Our memory 304 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 2: improves because we're not so caught up in ruminating. We 305 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 2: sleep better, we enjoy life more, and that is what 306 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:49,640 Speaker 2: really helps us activate a better version of ourselves through journaling. 307 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 2: I think it's not just that we are writing about 308 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 2: something and somehow that makes everything feel a little bit 309 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:59,120 Speaker 2: less heavy. Yes, that's a component of it, but it's 310 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 2: that we're using a new part of our brain, not 311 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 2: just a problem solve, but to really go deeper, to 312 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 2: apply meaning, to think about things in a different light. 313 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 2: And here's the thing. It may be hard to start, 314 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:14,679 Speaker 2: it's really hard to find the time to feel motivated. 315 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 2: But personally, I have never walked away from writing even 316 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 2: just like a page or two, less than five hundred words, 317 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 2: and not felt better, not felt like something has been lifted. 318 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 2: And I really I don't think I'm the only one 319 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 2: who has had that experience. Okay, I feel like I've 320 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 2: gone on and on here about the benefits. Hopefully you're convinced, 321 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 2: but being convinced is one thing. Actually doing the thing 322 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 2: is a lot harder. Any of us could tell you 323 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 2: that so many of us want to be the person 324 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:47,440 Speaker 2: who journals. We want to have this catalog of our 325 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 2: life and our feelings, but we feel like we don't 326 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 2: have the time. We feel like we don't know where 327 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 2: to start, we don't know what to write about. You know, 328 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 2: taking ten minutes to write about our feelings doesn't always 329 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 2: feel as enjoyable immediately in the moment as the instant 330 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 2: gratification and pleasure that we get from our phones or 331 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 2: from watching TV. That's how the fast Dope mean of 332 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 2: our entertainment cycle really works. Another barrier is perfectionism, you know, procrastination, boredom. 333 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:20,160 Speaker 2: It's kind of tiring sometimes to write all the time. 334 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 2: But I'm gonna stop us right there and kind of 335 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 2: give you a heart truth. Life is full of excuses, 336 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:30,439 Speaker 2: and there is an excuse for everything. You can go 337 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 2: your whole life is taking the easiest route. But the 338 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 2: thing about journaling is that it is such a small investment. 339 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,920 Speaker 2: It's basically free. It can take as little as five minutes. 340 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:43,919 Speaker 2: In a lot of those studies we just spoke of 341 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 2: people only journaled for ten to twenty minutes. That's shorter 342 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:52,920 Speaker 2: than most TV episodes, and in comparison, the benefits are astounding. 343 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:57,640 Speaker 2: From a strictly you know, like pro cons perspective, there 344 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 2: is no reason not to journal. Ratio of time and 345 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:05,199 Speaker 2: effort to breakthroughs and mental clarity is like one to 346 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:09,120 Speaker 2: two million. So how do we build this habit even 347 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:12,920 Speaker 2: when it feels difficult. Well, I've got you, guys. It's 348 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 2: a message I get all the time from you. I 349 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 2: always get people asking me about how to actually get 350 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 2: into journaling, and I've thought about it a lot. So 351 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 2: we're going to discuss the four secret ingredients or foundations 352 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 2: to becoming a good journaler, how to make it feel 353 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 2: not like a chore, how to actually be excited, and 354 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 2: more importantly, how to actually integrate it into your identity 355 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 2: and as part of who you are. We're going to 356 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:43,160 Speaker 2: talk about all of that and more after this short break. 357 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 2: Whenever someone asked me on tips about how to get 358 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 2: into journaling, how to really embrace it, how to enjoy it, 359 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 2: I always give the same answer, and you guys know me, 360 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 2: it's never a simple answer, but one that contains four parts. 361 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 2: So let's break down these four tips I have from 362 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 2: not only actually feeling excited to write and excited to journal, 363 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 2: but getting something out of it, getting what you want 364 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:17,399 Speaker 2: out of it. So my first tip is to, in 365 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 2: the beginning, only journal when you really feel the need. 366 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 2: Some people will say the easiest way to get into 367 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 2: into journaling, or into anything it is through routine and 368 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 2: discipline and doing it every day and staying consistent. You know, 369 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 2: if you googled how to start journaling, that is probably 370 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 2: going to be one of the first tips that comes up. 371 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:42,639 Speaker 2: But making it a mission to journal every day just 372 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 2: takes the fun out of it and it's just another 373 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 2: thing on your to do list. None of us want 374 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 2: another thing on our to do list, especially when I 375 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 2: think that journaling should be something that you feel relieved, 376 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 2: if not joyous, to be doing. So to start off, really, 377 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 2: journal when you feel like you have something to write about, 378 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 2: and journal as smaller as big as you would like. 379 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,160 Speaker 2: It could be a single line, it could be something 380 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 2: you've thought about or overheard. That is where you need 381 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:14,879 Speaker 2: to begin. Then go from there. When you get the 382 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 2: hang of it, and when you find out what's important 383 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,520 Speaker 2: to you to journal about, that's when you really, I think, 384 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 2: start to pick up momentum. So here's my evidence for this, 385 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 2: here's my reasoning. The researcher who we spoke about before, 386 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 2: who conducted that first groundbreaking study in the eighties on journaling, 387 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 2: he basically said, as much as what I just said, 388 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 2: you don't need to journal every day. So his name 389 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 2: is doctor pen Baker, and he's basically the pioneer of 390 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 2: writing therapy as it was called, and he talks a 391 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 2: lot about recovering from trauma through creative expression. And he said, 392 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 2: and I quote literally what I just said, I am 393 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 2: not a big fan of journaling every day. The founder 394 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 2: of Writing Therapy, said that, and the reason said that 395 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 2: is because I will try and like reframe how he 396 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 2: said it. But one of the interesting things about journaling 397 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 2: is actually sometimes writing too much, especially when you find 398 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 2: yourself ruminating, and that's kind of one side of the going. 399 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 2: So you write too much and you find yourself almost 400 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 2: getting too overinvolved in the feelings associated with an event, 401 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 2: or when you're going through a really hard time and 402 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 2: someone says or recommends that you journal, you just don't 403 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 2: feel like you can do it every day, so you 404 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,679 Speaker 2: don't do it at all. So his recommendation is to 405 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:39,360 Speaker 2: think of journaling as like a life course correction, as 406 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:45,679 Speaker 2: opposed to a really intense commitment or practice. The times 407 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 2: that I always write the most is when I'm going 408 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,119 Speaker 2: through something really rough. You know, I think about my 409 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,879 Speaker 2: first ever heartbreak when I was seventaying eighteen. I don't know, 410 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 2: I feel like two notebooks in the span of six 411 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:01,919 Speaker 2: months with bad poetry and us teary passages about you know, 412 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 2: the meaning of life and love. And it's those moments, 413 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 2: in those times when you really need it, that you 414 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 2: should lean in. Think of journaling almost like a painkiller, 415 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 2: you know, you don't take aspirin or advil every day, 416 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 2: at least I would hope not. You take it when 417 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 2: you need it, and that is the premise of good journaling. 418 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:26,200 Speaker 2: I guess some people might really benefit from writing every day, 419 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:30,359 Speaker 2: but sometimes I can make it really tedious, right when, 420 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 2: as doctor pen Baker suggested, you need a life course 421 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 2: correction and a second component to this. When you feel 422 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:43,160 Speaker 2: the urge to journal or to write, especially at the beginning, 423 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:48,480 Speaker 2: please please, please just do it. Drop everything anything that 424 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 2: you're doing, and put those thoughts that are basically begging 425 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 2: to come out, put them down somewhere. That is the 426 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 2: secret to any to beginning kind of any creative or 427 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 2: expressive endeavor. Not ignoring inspiration when it randomly emerges, because 428 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:07,199 Speaker 2: sometimes that desire is not something that we can consciously 429 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:10,199 Speaker 2: call on. And so when we finally, you know, do 430 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 2: get around to having the time to sit down and 431 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:16,400 Speaker 2: write in our routine way and our time that we've 432 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 2: put aside during our day to do it, you know, 433 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 2: sometimes the inspiration is gone and then it just feels 434 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 2: kind of boring. So take advantage of the moments, even 435 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 2: if they're just a second, when you really feel the 436 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 2: urge to write something down, even if it's in your 437 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 2: note app notes app, just like get in the habit 438 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 2: of letting that be expressed. And that kind of brings 439 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 2: me to my second tip. Experiment and find what works 440 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 2: for you, and beyond that, try and make it fun 441 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 2: or find you know, a reason, a story, a quote 442 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,239 Speaker 2: that motivates you to see. Journaling is more than just 443 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 2: a writing exercise. So let me explain this a little 444 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:55,199 Speaker 2: bit further. Firstly and quickly, because we spoke about this before, 445 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:59,479 Speaker 2: but writing big entries by hand every week may not 446 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 2: work for you. You Instead, you may, like you know, 447 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 2: want to start an Instagram that you keep private and 448 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 2: you post photos or screenshots from your notes app, or 449 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 2: a scrap book, even a trash diary. Some people call 450 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:16,119 Speaker 2: them of receipts and pictures that you write on and 451 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 2: stick them down into a notebook. That actually reminds me 452 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 2: of a quote I read the other day. Let me 453 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 2: pull it up because it's just so beautifully. It's just 454 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 2: so beautifully captures this for me. Here it is. If 455 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 2: you feel like you don't know yourself, I recommend keeping 456 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:33,919 Speaker 2: one notebook that you put everything in. Thoughts, quotes you 457 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 2: like call postcards to do list, diary entries, your favorite song, letters, 458 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 2: dried flowers, brain dumps, gratitude lists, sticky notes, pictures, literally everything. 459 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 2: And while in the process of feeling this journal, you 460 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 2: will get a sense of who you are, of all 461 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 2: the things that you like, your sense of self, especially 462 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 2: when you get to look back in a few years 463 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 2: and you have this snapshot. Just because the image of 464 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 2: journaling is one thing, it doesn't mean you can't be 465 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 2: expressive in other ways and that you can't find a 466 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 2: way to make the suit how you like to express 467 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 2: your emotions basically right like, it doesn't have to be 468 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 2: typed line after line after line, and that is something 469 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 2: that I really stand by. Just find a way to 470 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 2: journal in a manner that suits you, and secondly, find 471 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 2: your reason that really came up for me at the 472 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 2: end of that quote, you know, the desire to have 473 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:30,520 Speaker 2: a snapshot for your future self. One of the big 474 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 2: reasons I journal when I know I need to but 475 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 2: I don't really want to, is because I like to 476 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,320 Speaker 2: think about how interesting it's going to be to read 477 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 2: back those old entries in the future, and how much 478 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 2: present day me really enjoys looking at fifteen year old 479 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:51,280 Speaker 2: me's entries, and you know, I often contemplate how I 480 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:54,960 Speaker 2: won't get that opportunity if every time I get the 481 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:58,239 Speaker 2: urge to journal, I just do something else, and if 482 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:00,800 Speaker 2: I don't just spend ten minutes putting pa and to paper. 483 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 2: It's not just about how I'm feeling in the moment 484 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 2: and my motivations or my level of boredom or inspiration 485 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 2: to write, but also it becomes about what my future 486 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 2: self is going to get out of it. And I 487 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:15,280 Speaker 2: spoke to someone the other day that said, you know 488 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 2: what really inspires her when journaling feels tedious is thinking 489 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 2: about her journals ending up in a museum, or her 490 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 2: kids reading them when she's gone and learning about how 491 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 2: it felt to be in your twenties and twenty twenty 492 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 2: four when they're reading them in twenty eighty four. So 493 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 2: that's my second instruction for getting into journaling, is to 494 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 2: really think about why you want to get into it, 495 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 2: whether it is just purely the benefits for your mental health, 496 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 2: whether there's a fun story, a fun meaning that you 497 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:46,560 Speaker 2: can attach to the practice that makes it a little 498 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 2: bit more romantic, I would say, or glamorous. Okay, moving 499 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 2: on to my third foundation, fundamental for good journaling. Let 500 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 2: someone else do the initial thinking for you, especially in 501 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 2: the beginning stages, and the way that you can do 502 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 2: that is by using journal prompts, by purchasing a structured 503 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 2: journal looking for inspiration online. One of the biggest barriers 504 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 2: to starting anything is the anticipation around how much effort 505 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,840 Speaker 2: we think will go into it to begin with, and 506 00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:21,720 Speaker 2: that makes it so much harder to start if you're 507 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 2: not accustomed to writing down what you're feeling, to entering 508 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 2: that reflective space, and you're finding it daunting. Make it 509 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 2: easier for yourself by following how other people may be 510 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 2: doing it. One of my favorite journals I have ever 511 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 2: used was a five minute gratitude journal that was it 512 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 2: was really really popular a few years back. And what 513 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 2: was another example, like they had these one sentence a day, 514 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 2: one page of day books. These kind of structured journals 515 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 2: take the thinking out of it. You have like a 516 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 2: format upon which to ride in. You know, I'm trying 517 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,239 Speaker 2: to think about what the Gratitude journal was structured at 518 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 2: as I think it was. It had four sections. It 519 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 2: was all you had to say was, well, you're grateful 520 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 2: for that day, what did you enjoy that day? Some 521 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 2: positive affirmations and what you learned that day, and it 522 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 2: made it so easy, and there's still like a depth 523 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 2: and wealth of knowledge in doing that, and it's a 524 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:26,440 Speaker 2: really great place to start. Some of my favorite journal 525 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:30,480 Speaker 2: prompts that work every time for me include just five 526 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 2: things that I'm grateful for, and I can expand if 527 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 2: I feel like it, or I can keep it in 528 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 2: that list format. Another one that I love is just 529 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 2: writing about just doing a brain dump about three things 530 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:45,960 Speaker 2: that are really weighing heavy on my mind. And the 531 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 2: beauty of these is that you can make them as 532 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 2: short or as long as you like. And like I 533 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:52,280 Speaker 2: said in the beginning, you want to make it work 534 00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 2: for you. You don't want this to feel like a 535 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 2: chore or like it's tedious. There is also a book 536 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 2: called five hundred Journal Prompts. It's by Robert Duff, who's 537 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:06,840 Speaker 2: a I think he's a psychiatrist, and it's amazing. Some 538 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:10,760 Speaker 2: of the questions are so good and they're so unique, 539 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 2: and you just pick one and you reflect on that. 540 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,280 Speaker 2: Some of my favorites were like what is your favorite failure, 541 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 2: what a great journal prompt that is? Or how well? 542 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 2: One of them was like write me the story of 543 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 2: how you and your friend became friends, Like how you 544 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,640 Speaker 2: and your best friend became friends? Really reflective. It makes 545 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 2: you think about so many things what I'm trying to 546 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 2: think of others. One of them was like, what is 547 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 2: a question that you were really scared to know the 548 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 2: answer to? Which songs have the most vivid memories for you? 549 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 2: And you're just doing one a week as you're getting 550 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 2: into it. It's an afternoon activity, it's a self care activity, 551 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:49,880 Speaker 2: and you just write for as longer, as little as 552 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 2: you want. This is kind of unrelated, but note how 553 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,720 Speaker 2: I said do it in the afternoon. This is such 554 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 2: a random tip. But just don't journal before bed, or 555 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 2: don't say that you're going to journal before bed, because 556 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:05,120 Speaker 2: you will eight out of ten times not end up 557 00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 2: doing it, and you will get distracted or you will 558 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 2: fall asleep. So choose your prompt in the morning or 559 00:34:11,160 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 2: in the mid afternoon, and then find that moment when 560 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 2: you have a moment, not before bed. I know it 561 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 2: feels like the urge to that it is a natural one, right, 562 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:23,880 Speaker 2: It's like when we're most reflective, it's when we have 563 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 2: the most free time. But if you really want to 564 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 2: integrate journaling is like a mental health or an emotional 565 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:31,560 Speaker 2: practice for you try and find a time when you're 566 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 2: actually a bit more conscious and a bit more present. 567 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:39,920 Speaker 2: So my final of the four ingredients, right quickly and 568 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:44,399 Speaker 2: without judgment. I save this for last, but it's probably 569 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:46,840 Speaker 2: deserves to be first on this list. One of the 570 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:49,120 Speaker 2: biggest barriers I find for people who want a journal 571 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:53,400 Speaker 2: it's not time, because we all have time. It's perfectionism. 572 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:56,000 Speaker 2: It's perfectionism. It's getting caught up in our own head. 573 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 2: And when we write quick and we don't worry about 574 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:01,759 Speaker 2: being succinct, but just about getting as much on the 575 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:05,279 Speaker 2: page as possible, we have less time to worry about 576 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:08,640 Speaker 2: how we're coming off. We don't worry about whether that 577 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:11,279 Speaker 2: was exactly how we wanted to say it, how we 578 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 2: wanted to word it, because it doesn't matter. There is 579 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:17,480 Speaker 2: no audience right now, there is no I've said this 580 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:19,839 Speaker 2: so many times, but there is no final grade. I 581 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 2: often think like one of the last times a lot 582 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:24,920 Speaker 2: of us right is when we're in school. You know, 583 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:26,719 Speaker 2: that's probably one of the last times we really had 584 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:28,880 Speaker 2: to write thousands of words or hundreds of words with 585 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:32,319 Speaker 2: a pen and paper. So it can feel very much 586 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 2: like a task. But journaling is one of those beautiful 587 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:38,800 Speaker 2: things where the simple act of doing it, even badly 588 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 2: in our minds, is still really really good. In fact, 589 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:47,280 Speaker 2: I actually think sometimes doing it badly is better because 590 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:52,240 Speaker 2: you aren't preoccupied with judging your emotions. You're just letting 591 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:56,160 Speaker 2: yourself feel and reach that Catharsis and I think when 592 00:35:56,239 --> 00:35:59,720 Speaker 2: we journal badly is when we feel most in tune 593 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:02,279 Speaker 2: with the need to express and the need to process. 594 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:04,880 Speaker 2: Because we aren't waiting for the perfect time, or we 595 00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:07,160 Speaker 2: aren't waiting for when we think we're going to be 596 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:10,840 Speaker 2: able to say things the best way. We're just writing. 597 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,640 Speaker 2: We're just going for it. So let's do a little 598 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:18,920 Speaker 2: summary of the four tips to journaling, our four journaling fundamentals. Firstly, 599 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,000 Speaker 2: journal the way that works for you and when you 600 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 2: feel the urge. Make it fun, make it unique, make 601 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:27,480 Speaker 2: it work for you, and find a deeper meaning to 602 00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 2: apply to the practice. Let someone else do the thinking 603 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:34,200 Speaker 2: for you. And finally, write fast, just get it out. 604 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:38,560 Speaker 2: No perfectionism, no overthinking. We do that enough elsewhere, So 605 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 2: express in whatever form works for you. Something to remember, 606 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:49,600 Speaker 2: journaling is honestly one of the biggest gifts that you 607 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 2: can give your future self because time goes by really 608 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:57,160 Speaker 2: really fast, and sometimes we are not great at remembering 609 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:00,200 Speaker 2: who we are the moment. You know, in this moment 610 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:03,960 Speaker 2: right we feel very present right now maybe, but in 611 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:06,319 Speaker 2: like two, three, five years, we kind of lose the 612 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:09,640 Speaker 2: perspective of who we were on our earlier, our mid 613 00:37:09,719 --> 00:37:13,240 Speaker 2: or our late twenties. And that is a final blessing 614 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:16,840 Speaker 2: that I think journaling really gives us, is the ability 615 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:20,399 Speaker 2: to know us from the inside out at the time 616 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:25,319 Speaker 2: of writing, and not everyone gets to experience. That's something 617 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,719 Speaker 2: I'm really grateful that I have kept journals for so 618 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:32,239 Speaker 2: long because I have this like beautiful, I don't know, 619 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:36,759 Speaker 2: like beautiful timeline, this beautiful like family tree of myself, 620 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:38,560 Speaker 2: like I don't know, really know how to explain it. 621 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:40,840 Speaker 2: Hopefully you're getting what I'm saying, Like I have this 622 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:45,040 Speaker 2: beautiful timeline. I'm gonna I'm gonna land on that. I'm 623 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:48,360 Speaker 2: kind of like losing my words here, so yeah, I 624 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:51,120 Speaker 2: just want to say one final thing here. I know 625 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 2: I feel like I've been talking about I'm in this 626 00:37:52,960 --> 00:37:56,800 Speaker 2: like cult of journaling. I'm one of those annoying people 627 00:37:56,800 --> 00:37:59,040 Speaker 2: who won't shut up about it. But in all honesty, 628 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:01,719 Speaker 2: I do want to say, sometimes it just doesn't work 629 00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:05,400 Speaker 2: for certain people, and that is okay. Not everyone processes 630 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:09,200 Speaker 2: or imagines or articulates and thinks in the same way. 631 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:11,799 Speaker 2: You know. For example, I have friends who really need 632 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:14,239 Speaker 2: a physical release and that's how they manage stress, and 633 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:18,759 Speaker 2: that's how they process their emotions is through running and 634 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:24,120 Speaker 2: through a physical expression. And some of my other friends 635 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:28,120 Speaker 2: like something less cerebral, you know, they like art, or 636 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:30,719 Speaker 2: they like talking rather than working through things in a 637 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:34,879 Speaker 2: solitary way. So whatever it is, pick your poison, pick 638 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:38,920 Speaker 2: your cure. I should say. If journaling doesn't work, that's fine, 639 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:41,320 Speaker 2: you know, I've given it my gold style of approval. 640 00:38:41,360 --> 00:38:44,960 Speaker 2: But sometimes it's just too boring and it just doesn't 641 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:47,440 Speaker 2: work for you, and you don't have anything to say. 642 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:50,600 Speaker 2: What I really want you to do is just find 643 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:56,000 Speaker 2: your way of expression of expressing, find your way of processing, 644 00:38:56,440 --> 00:39:01,160 Speaker 2: find your catharsis, find a way of getting any everything 645 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:05,400 Speaker 2: that you're feeling out of your brain and into your environment, 646 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:08,440 Speaker 2: into your environment or into some physical form. And that's 647 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:12,040 Speaker 2: what all those ways of expressing, from physical to artistic 648 00:39:12,239 --> 00:39:15,600 Speaker 2: to verbal, have in common. It gets the thoughts and 649 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:17,839 Speaker 2: the feelings and the worries out of your brain into 650 00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:20,440 Speaker 2: the open. So I just want to say that as 651 00:39:20,440 --> 00:39:22,600 Speaker 2: a final message, but I really do hope that you 652 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:25,520 Speaker 2: have learned something. I hope this was up your alley, 653 00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:28,359 Speaker 2: that you journal better, that you journal more, or that 654 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:32,560 Speaker 2: you know you journal less, you journal more effectively, and 655 00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:36,080 Speaker 2: that you really have kind of maybe greened, and your 656 00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:39,239 Speaker 2: appreciation for why it is so beneficial, and even some 657 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:41,520 Speaker 2: of the history of this practice that you may not 658 00:39:41,719 --> 00:39:46,480 Speaker 2: have known. As always, if you enjoyed this episode, please 659 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:50,239 Speaker 2: give us a five star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 660 00:39:50,280 --> 00:39:52,960 Speaker 2: wherever you are listening right now. It really does help 661 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:55,080 Speaker 2: the show grow and it helps us reach new people, 662 00:39:55,120 --> 00:39:58,480 Speaker 2: which is always delightful. If you have an episode's suggestion, 663 00:39:58,600 --> 00:39:59,800 Speaker 2: if you just want to get in touch, if you 664 00:39:59,840 --> 00:40:03,320 Speaker 2: want chat, if you have feelings about this episode, please 665 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:07,960 Speaker 2: feel free to DM me at that Psychology Podcast. And 666 00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:11,399 Speaker 2: as always, we are going to talk soon. Until then, 667 00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:15,000 Speaker 2: stay safe, stay kind, please be gentle with yourself, and 668 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:19,920 Speaker 2: we will be back on Friday with another episode.