Journaling Your Way to Self-Discovery and Growth

Dear Creative Soul,

We hope this letter finds you grounded and inspired, ready to explore another transformative practice that can enrich your yoga journey.

We’re back in Las Vegas and preparing for the next big chapter in our lives as we get ready to welcome our second baby in the coming weeks!

Bre has been dedicated throughout her second pregnancy to filming classes, recording interviews, and creating valuable resources for women to use throughout the stages of their journey (more to come on this sooooon!).

During such a special time, journaling feels like a wonderful way to capture moments and work through changes. However, journaling at any time in life, and you’re never too young or old to start! Especially when things move so quickly these days, it can be the perfect way to slow down and start integrating what we are learning and experiencing before moving on to the next thing. In order to journal in any way, it requires you to consider and organize your thoughts. This can be a powerful way to process some of the world which exists in our mind as this can often feel too complex to sort through or explain.

The benefits of journaling for mental health

Journaling is a powerful tool for self-reflection, introspection, and personal growth. Writing about our thoughts and feelings can significantly reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance emotional well-being. The simple act of writing it down is already very powerful. It allows us to explore our thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a safe and non-judgmental space. Through the act of putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys, voice to recorder…), we can gain clarity, deepen our understanding of ourselves, and cultivate a greater self awareness.

Journaling can also be a beautiful complement to your practice. By incorporating journaling into your yoga routine, you create an opportunity to dive deeper into your inner world, exploring the connections between your physical, mental, and emotional states.

Consider beginning your yoga session with a few minutes of quiet reflection, setting an intention for your practice. After your practice, especially your meditation practice, find a comfortable seat and take out your journal. Allow yourself to freely express your thoughts and feelings that arose during your practice, jotting down any insights, aha moments, or challenges you encountered. No need to analyze anything, just write it down. Then after several weeks of doing this you will see recurring topics and thoughts that keep coming up. Those are the ones that likely will need your attention in real life by taking action on them. Bre and Flo give more details about this here in their intro to meditation class in the Expand Program.

What type of journaling works for you?

There are no right or wrong ways to journal. You can write freely, use prompts or guided questions, or even incorporate sketches, doodles, or collage into your journaling practice. Starting with small journal entries, jotting down a few thoughts to begin with is a good way to start. The key is to create a space for self-expression and self-discovery that feels authentic to you. Here are some to try out if you need some inspiration.