BANISH FEAR and ANXIETY?

Journaling Has Me Hooked. Here’s Why

It has become clear to me that our work here, in this world, in this plane of existence, is to daily bring up joy. I know it’s not always easy. But it’s like a muscle; if we exercise it we gain a skill that will change every area of our lives in ways beyond what we can imagine.

I discovered journaling to be one of the best ways to feel my feelings fearlessly, the gnarly ones, the worn out memories that seem to appear for no reason as if to see how long before I feel guilt, remorse or regret. But in the process of feeling it all, the sensation of emotional angst shifts, adjusts itself and turns into joy. Just for a second, until I remember to stop holding my breath in awe. Now I have learned to breathe in deeply when it comes. I do my best to get that joy-feeling to stick around longer.

I get on these kicks where I journal. I write three pages nonstop. That’s what we are taught to do in the chapter on Morning Pages from the book The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. I try to do it for a month as she recommends. Although I’ve told many people about it through the years I don’t know if I’ve ever made it an entire month, but this time was different.

I wrote my three pages and thought I was done. But, as is often the case, by the time I scribble my final thoughts at the…