Tuesday 25 March 2008

Journaling through change

We (Tara and I) are very excited that Michelle is one of our Virtual Book Tour Hosts (thank you Mich). We are touring the virtual world promoting our recently released guided journal and companion meditation CD, Journal for the Modern Goddess.

In our previous article we discussed the benefits of journaling, today I thought I would talk about ‘Journaling through Change’. Having moved from Australia to Hong Kong, I went through a huge cultural change and journaling helped me cope with those cultural changes.

As we go through changes within our life, whether it is a change in relationship, a job, a family member passing away, moving to a new home or even a change within you, journaling through your life changes can be more beneficial than just talking about them.

When we created our Journal for the Modern Goddess we included a section dedicated to ‘Moving Forward’. This section allows the journal owner to recognise the changes she is going through, at that moment and turn them around to focus on how she can move forward, and through the change.

There are many different journaling techniques you can use to help you move through change, the three journaling techniques we used are:-

Asking Yourself Questions – In our guided sections (Dreams and Inspirations; Moving Forward; Gratitude and Happiness), we provide a number of questions that allows the journal owner to ask herself. By asking herself the questions she can start to journal her answers and allow her answers to flow.

Our questions are guides; therefore any journal writer can ask herself a range of questions such as “how do I feel at this moment in time?” “What makes me happy?” “What changes are going on around me and how do they affect me?” etc.

Asking yourself questions provides you with prompts to move from not writing to writing, and from there you can allow your pen to flow.

Guided Meditations – Our journal comes with a companion guided meditation CD and we encourage the journal owner to write down her experiences from the meditation and if there are any actions she may need to take to move her forward in her life.

One of our tracks was specifically designed to release your fears and when there is change going on, usually there is a fear about the change.

Meditation allows a person to relax and journaling directly after listening to a meditation CD is powerful because the insights you gained through your journey can be put onto paper immediately.

Free Flow Writing – We have also offered journal pages for the journal owner to write whatever she feels like without being guided. Some call this “intuitive writing” and others call it “free writing”. Free flow writing has one rule, and that is, there are no rules.

Free flow writing is you put pen to paper and write whatever comes into your head. If it is “I don’t know what to write”, then you write that and any thought or feeling, you write and you don’t stop. At first you may set yourself a time limit of 10 minutes and over time you may increase the time.

During this time you do not worry about punctuation, spelling, grammar, capitalisation, paragraph breaks etc. Do not worry if it doesn’t make sense, because you are writing purely for you. Free flow writing leads you places you never would have imagined. Allow your thoughts to flow and your pen will naturally move without you having to think about it.


Overall journaling can be an effective tool for processing the changes going on in your life – As they say; the only constant in life is change. Don’t be afraid to journal your way through your change.

Happy journaling!


Nicole Graham and Tara Spicer are currently on a virtual book tour promoting their recently released writing journal, Journal for the Modern Goddess.

7 comments:

Suzie Ridler said...

I wish I felt like my journaling was a positive experience but usually it's just me spinning on my heels frustrated. I get tired of hearing my annoying voice complaining. I know I should probably do a gratitude journal instead, perhaps when I am in better space.

Dyan said...

Nicole and Tara: This is wonderful work, similar to my own. Outstanding! It's so good to see this. Journaling is a way to integrate. Integration is a step toward manifesting. For Suzie, this complaining that you're talking about is not "complaining." It's letting out feelings that are stuck. And it gives you an opportunity to go back and see exactly what you are feeling. You can't feel grateful if you are angry. So, instead of trying to force yourself to feel grateful, work on getting to the root of the angst. Giving yourself permission to just feel what you are feeling is a first step toward self-empowerment. Say, write, express, and feel your truth, whatever that is. If you then don't like your truth, you can change it whenever your ready.

Dyan Garris wwww.voiceoftheangels.com

Unknown said...

Mich, thank you so much for linking to my blog. How may I email you? I have a friend who has opportunity she wants to discuss with you.

Yvonne Perry

writer at yvonneperry dot net
www.yvonneperry.net

Marie said...

Hey beautiful! I've been away for awhile...but noticed this section from Nicole's section of the Modern Goddess...We have a psychologist who is a licensed poetry therapist who does these exercises of writing through change, and it's amazing! I'll have to really look into your journal because it was something I truly enjoyed...think I'm interested in the meditation portion too...but I'm up to my neck in alligators and will have to investigate a little later. Have fun!

Yoga Gal said...

Wonderful journal advice!
I've been keeping journal since I was a child I kept a journal. The secret is just to write in it. When you're sipping tea at a Starbucks write, while eating lunch write, while finding a free moevment at your work desk write, write, write and write!

Anonymous said...

Thank you everyone for your kind words.

Suzie, it sounds like you need to get whatever it is out... don't beat yourself up for it, it is obviously what you need right now. Instead, look back on your words and look for patterns, things you can start to change, turn negatives into positive affirmations.

Dyan, thank you... I'm off to check out your website shortly.

Marie, I hope the alligators back off a little.

Yoga Gal, thank you... and yes, I agree write whenever and where ever you feel like it.

Creative Soulful Woman said...

This sounds like a wonderful project. I am working with journalling, collage, movement and yoga in women's retreats, just beginning to offer them. It is so empowering to work together.
hope you let us know how the tour goes,
jenn aka musemother
www.questinggirl.blogspot.com
also exploring the 'feminine' realm