It’s one thing to talk about things we’re grateful for, but the power of it takes on even stronger legs when we write it down. We tend to be more intentional in thinking about what we’re thankful for that way. There’s also something magical about solidifying the idea onto a tangible piece of paper. And we’ll take it all one step further by following this week’s specific journaling prompts about gratitude. That will help push you past where you might normally stop otherwise, and really stretch your heart open more. Ah, the sweet, sweet power of journaling. 

It’s one thing to talk about things we’re grateful for, but the power of it takes on even stronger legs when we write it down. We tend to be more intentional in thinking about what we’re thankful for that way. There’s also something magical about solidifying the idea onto a tangible piece of paper. And we’ll take it all one step further by following this week’s specific journaling prompts about gratitude. That will help push you past where you might normally stop otherwise, and really stretch your heart open more. Ah, the sweet, sweet power of journaling. 

Humans are pack animals. Sexy way to start a newsletter, right? But, it’s true. Just like sheep or lemmings, our DNA is dialed in to want to be part of a bigger group. To be part of the crowd. 

I’ve been grumpy. It’s been stemming from a handful of different things - some valid, some not. There’s no need to get into any specifics, but “grumpy” isn’t a skin I wear that often, so if I’m being honest, I haven’t been entirely sure how to go about it. 

I came at it from some different angles. I let myself sit in it to stew and sulk. I binged on lots of chocolate. I belted my guts out in the car with tearful eyes. I also sat silently in the car with tearful eyes. I forced myself outside for walks. I laughed till my belly hurt with my daughters. And still, the grump lingered.

As a writing and journaling coach, I wish I could say that my mind immediately went to JOURNALING about my grumpiness. But it didn’t. In fact, I hadn’t journaled for a couple of weeks. It forever boggles my mind how when we’re in a low point, we as humans oftentimes avoid doing the things that we KNOW make us feel better. Why are we so weird like that??

Last week, I got to belt it out as the lead singer in a cover rock band. While I know this may sound like a bad nightmare to some of you, for me, it’s absolutely life-giving. Playing music with others lights me up to no end. Throw in the awesome energy and adrenaline that comes from sharing that music with an excited and engaging audience? True bliss for me.

I have no doubt my love for this comes at least in part from growing up in a musical family where playing and performing together were just “normal” activities. As a classically trained flutist, I’m no stranger to performing on stages, either. Still, I didn’t truly embrace (or even discover) my love and ability to lead a rock band until well into adulthood. And it didn’t happen without some stumbles, or raised eyebrows from others, or a shift in my own sense of identity for myself. It can be hard starting something new as an adult! Especially something that challenges a piece of how others view you or how you view yourself. 

Journaling continues to gain popularity, and rightly so. People are realizing more and more what a great form of self-care, release, and healing the simple act of putting pen to paper can be. Did you know that scientific studies have shown that people who journal regularly tend to heal their emotional, mental, AND even physical ailments quicker?? Whoa. 

Before you roll your eyes at the gimmicky phrase and start picturing all those cheesy motivational posters, hear me out.

I’m definitely a HUGE believer that journaling should feel like a safe space where you can air all your dirty laundry and get your feels out. And at the same time, I’m a big believer that we are insanely powerful wizards who can summon things and energies into our lives. (Okay, permission granted to roll your eyes at that one…)

There’s all sorts of literature and TED Talks and even scientific studies all around the power of positive thinking. The idea that trusting that the attitude we give to the world, the world will mirror back to us.

On a strictly physical level, our thoughts are simply electrochemical events occurring in our nerves. Good thoughts stimulate dopamine and literally trigger positive peptides (strings of molecules,) which sends that happy feeling throughout our whole bodies. Negative thoughts - you guessed it, have the opposite effect.

Writing can be intimidating - especially when you’re looking at a totally blank page with nothing to guide you. Sometimes, there’s nothing more daunting than sitting down with an empty journal and feeling like a failure when some life-awakening idea doesn’t pour out of your fingers and onto the notebook. 

But it doesn’t have to happen like that.

I’m gonna give it to you straight. I want you to let go of any preconceived notions around journaling that you’ve ever seen or have had. Throw away the romantic vision of flinging open a notebook and eloquently spilling your guts like you’re talking to a best friend you haven’t seen in ages. 

“Dear Diary - Wow, do I have a lot to tell you!” 

Let’s cut the crap.

Summer’s winding down. Kids are heading back to school. Family trips and activities are wrapping up. The weather’s cooling down…(okay, maybe not quite that one yet.) 

Think back to when you were a kid, and what that all felt like for you. The excitement around school letting out and mapping out your entire summer break. Then the disbelief when the break goes far too quickly and you’re shopping for back to school clothes and testing out new backpacks before you know it. 

If people say your eyes are the windows into your soul, I say your ears are the skylights… or something like that…

Dorky metaphor aside, music is so powerful. It can be nostalgic. When we hear a song we loved as a kid, we’re taken back to that time in a beat. It can help us describe our emotions, or even our identity. It can be therapeutic. When we explore our musical roots and preferences, we can learn so much about ourselves.  

Think back to when you were in High School Language Arts class. Writing stories or essays that always got returned to you marked up by your teacher, scolding you for using “said” too much. “He said,” “I said,” “they said…”  

“Use more descriptive words,” your teacher would coax. “Said is boring.” 

Fast forward to today. 

Last weekend, I took my daughters to London to see the P!NK concert. It was a super quick weekend - in and out, specifically for this show. I’d seen P!NK perform a couple times before with my sister, and I knew it was an experience I wanted to share with my three girls when the time was right. 

To cut to the chase, let me just say that the weekend was above and beyond what I could have ever imagined or hoped for. From working together to get packed and through the airport, to strategically mapping out our measly 36 hours in London, to the overlying anticipation for this show - including shopping for outfits, of course. 

My husband and I were chatting last night about the curse of the swirling thoughts. About how easy it is to get caught up in that endless windstorm of thoughts frantically racing around in the circles of your mind.

Know what I mean?

As the days get longer and the nights shorter, there’s a lot more opportunities to spend time outside. Days at the swimming pool. Picnics and barbecues with friends. Late night strolls, ogling the sky as the sun sets. This time of year is the perfect excuse to connect more with nature. 

It’s wild (pun intended) to think about how we wouldn’t exist in this world without every element of nature. And yet over time, we as humans have done a shockingly thorough job separating ourselves from that very life-force. 

As I sat staring at an empty page in my journal this morning, I was at a total blank. Like writer’s block, only for journaling. Journaler’s block. You all know the feeling. 

It’s a frustrating one, right? Especially when we’re in the habit of something. Take working out, for example. When you’re in a regular routine, you tend to feel stronger and healthier day after day. Getting your workout in feels easier as you get more used to it. Until it doesn’t. Until you hit those slumps where suddenly you feel like a complete weakling who can’t even lift your water bottle, let alone a weight. It’s discouraging to say the least. 

Think back to when you were a kid. Back to the time when people would actually ask you what your favorite things were. You had the answers at the ready. 

“What’s your favorite color? Animal? Food?…” They’d ask. And you would know right away. Of course you would. You knew exactly who you were in that regard. 

But, when was the last time somebody asked you what your favorites were? Why isn’t that still part of the questioning when we meet somebody new? Instead, it’s all about boring adult stuff that doesn’t actually touch our inner preferences at all. What you do for a living. Where you’re from. How many kids do you have. Blah blah blah. 

A couple of weeks ago, my daughters and I surprised my sister big time for her 40th birthday. She lives in Colorado and we live in Portugal. Her husband surprised her with plane tickets and tickets to Universal Studios in Orlando. She was floored. But what he didn’t tell her was that my daughters and I were going to be in Orlando to meet them there. It was the surprise of a lifetime! The excitement and tears and hugs were beyond description. 

Why are healthy habits so hard to form? It seems so backwards - forming unhealthy habits is a cakewalk. But the second you try to stick to something you

know

When Goldilocks laid down on Mama Bear’s bed and proclaimed it “just right!” do you think that bed actually

was

More and more big companies are hopping on the journaling bandwagon as a great form of self-care. But why now?

Journaling has been around since the beginning of time, hasn’t it? Isn’t that essentially what all those caveman wall carvings were?

While I don’t have an obvious answer to any of those questions, I can share my best hypothesis.