Finding Your Calm Through Journaling

Finding Your Calm Through Journaling

Labor Day weekend is most often considered the unofficial end of summer. It’s the last holiday weekend before kids return to school, the weather starts to change and the signs of fall slowly start to appear (it’s time for pumpkin spice everything!).

In many of our parks, this is the marking point of when things start to wind down: the crowds begin to become smaller, grass cutting becomes less frequent and we can start to breathe a little bit of relief knowing the busy season is, for the most part, over. However, the end of Labor Day weekend doesn’t mean we aren’t still busy and can’t become stressed! What’s a good way to combine breathing that sigh of relief while finding calm when you are stressed? Journaling may be the answer!

 Journaling helps release any thoughts you may have in your mind, out of your mind and onto paper (or computer if you prefer to type), which can help release any stress you may have (knowingly or unknowingly). Journaling can also help by reminding you of a time when you accomplished something that made you feel good. Had a trail been severely affected by storms and you helped clean it up? Did you give a program to a group and someone tell you they learned something new and thanked you? These are little things that sometimes, if we write them down, provides us with calm and happiness not only in that moment, but if we revisit them later, reminds us of the less stressful moments. You can even write about something that made you laugh! There is a saying that laughter is the best medicine…..

So where is the best place to do your journaling? Wherever you feel comfortable! It is best to go to a quiet place if possible to let your thoughts leave your mind and transfer themselves onto paper (or whatever other medium you may use to journal). My preference is outdoors when I journal (if this is not possible, I try to find a quiet place at home where I am comfortable).

Now that you have found your comfortable place….what do you do? If your thoughts flow freely, just start writing! Some people find it difficult to do this though. They want to get their thoughts and feelings onto paper, but don’t know how. This is where some people use meditative journaling. So what is meditative journaling and what is the point of it? “Meditation hones our attention and expands our awareness by allowing us to pause from the busy-ness of our lives in order to delve deeply into the roots of our experiences. Journaling provides a complementary practice: When we put thoughts to paper—or type them—we are able to clear our mind and gain perspective on any given situation.”* To simplify this statement, taking a few deep breaths, slowly exhaling and closing your eyes and just sitting quietly for 5 minutes (or more if you like), can help the thoughts come to you, so you can then transfer them onto paper or your chosen journaling medium.

On occasion, I like to do meditative journaling. I find a nice, quiet place outdoors where I am comfortable. It could be by a river for example. I open my journal with my pen, close my eyes, take a few deep breaths and exhale. I listen to the sounds around me, all the while keeping my eyes closed. I take in what I hear, what I smell and any sensations I may feel. When I am ready, I open my eyes and write down what I may have heard, smelled or felt. Many times these certain sensations elicit deep down feelings or thoughts that I can put down onto paper that I would otherwise have never been able to get out. I have also done this sort of meditative journaling with my eyes open, so I also can see my surroundings and perhaps elicit additional thoughts and feelings. By the end of my journaling session, I find I am energized, relaxed, happier and feel as though I have a new sense of myself.

Here is a simple, 20 minute meditative journal exercise you can try if you find you are having trouble finding your thoughts and putting them to paper:

- Move (five minutes). Stir up some energy: Do yoga poses, stretch, jump around, shake, make some noise—anything that lets you get in touch with your body to create a physical and emotional space conducive to meditation and journaling.

- Meditate (five minutes). Once the energy is stirred, sit in a comfortable position, spine tall, eyes closed or gaze soft. Focus on the breath as you allow the energy gathered to settle and ground. Open up to your senses and welcome in all sensations.

- Journal (five minutes). Express yourself from a place of spaciousness, allowing your journaling to be organic and intuitive. It could be freestyle—writing down with no direction or filter—or using a word or phrase that resonates with you as a launching pad. Write until you feel complete enough in the moment.

- Meditate (five minutes). After you’ve completed journaling, pause, and then return to meditation. Observe the thoughts and feelings that arise from the journaling. Allow them to wash over you without judgment or attachment. *

If you find through your journaling thoughts and feelings of sadness or signs of depression are a consistent theme, consider seeking the help of a mental health professional.   

*Credit: Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. "Meditation and Journaling: Combining Practices to Reflect Your Inner World." https://kripalu.org/resources/meditation-and-journaling-combining-practices-reflect-your-inner-world

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The DNR Critical Incident Stress Management Team wishes everyone a safe Labor Day weekend and would like to remind everyone to stay hydrated and stay cool when possible in the heat.