Hey self-care bestie! Welcome back to another episode of Rach Royalty Weekly.
We released our free Defining Self-Care E-book and the downloads have been rolling in!
It's only fitting that we follow up with our Self-Care Journal.
What's all this chatter about journaling?
Scientific studies hail journaling as one of the remedies for the unpredictability of life.
Journaling:
- Boosts mindfulness
- Improves memory
- Improves communication skills
- Improves sleep patterns
- Improves self-confidence
- Improves your immune system
- Boosts IQ
Now hey, I know the thought may cross your mind, how can journaling do ALL of that? After all, you are just writing in a book.
Yeah, you are.
However, pioneer of writing therapy and social psychologist Dr. James Pennebaker submits that through journaling you are able to label your emotions and acknowledge traumatic events which positively impacts your life.
So let's bring that list back up.
Journaling:
- Boosts mindfulness
- By writing you allow yourself to be present in the moment and this leads to increased self-awareness.
- Improves memory
- Utilizing your journal allows you to organize events in your life which creates an effective system for your brain to remember these events.
- Improves communication skills
- Journaling allows you to be more self-aware which allows you to communicate better since you are more aware of your feelings and thoughts.
- Improves sleep patterns
- Journaling allows you to process your thoughts and feelings better and to make sense of traumatic experiences / life events. Once this is done your brain receives the opportunity to relax as you are not subconsciously processing these thoughts and events. When your brain is free from these overwhelming thoughts, your quality of sleep improves.
- Improves self-confidence
- Journaling allows you to be your safe space. It encourages honesty and trust which are building blocks for confidence.
- Improves your immune system
- Dumping all the thoughts that come to your mind daily into your journal allows you to free your mind! This reduces stress and less stress is good news for your immune system. You are no longer in a state of fight or flight as you over-process certain thoughts. You are refreshed and at peace.
- Boosts IQ
- When you start to write you will find out what you need to write about. The mind is a unique place. By journaling you will get to know yourself more and inadvertently you will get to understand other persons better too. This will improve your ability to respond better in different settings and improve your awareness in different situations.
What is a self-care journal?
- A self-care journal is one that has been specifically designed to cater to your holistic self-care needs. It's not like your typical notebook that you can use to do regular journaling, it includes prompts and other resources that will assist you in getting the best out of your self-care routine.
Tips for your journal
- Just write. Don't worry about your writings not being 'deep' enough, 'interesting' enough or 'funny' enough. Just write. Let your stream of consciousness flow. Write the good, bad and ugly. Write what comes to mind, you'll be surprised what feelings you have that you've been ignoring. You'll be surprised that you thought you felt a certain way about a particular situation but you actually feel the opposite.
- You actually don't have to journal everyday if you don't want to! Journaling should be a source of relief, not a routine we feel forced to do. If you feel good journaling 1-2x per week, great! If you're going through a difficult time and find that you need to journal every day, go for it! Life is not set in stone and different seasons require different things. Incorporate journaling in your self-care routine in a way that feels right for you.
- Don't be scared of what comes to the fore. Write now then evaluate later. After you write try to understand why you feel that way.
- If you do end up being scared of the things you feel and think, seek a licensed therapist to help you navigate that.
If you're new to the journaling game we're happy to help! We created an interactive self-care journal just for you. Don't worry, it's just the right amount of interaction coupled with the right amount of free space for you to journal without our prompts getting in the way!
For the journaling stalwarts, we've got you covered too! Add a little flair to your journal routine with our Self-Care Journal.
Level up your self-care routine with our Self-Care Journal: Your interactive guide to a healthier you!
Available on our website and on Amazon.
Thanks for tuning in to us! Until next time, keep Glowing Like Royalty