JOURNALING TO JOY
Your new #1 grounding practice
I was asked this week, what was the one thing that kept me grounded during the most intense moments of lockdown?
MY ANSWER = MY JOURNALING PRACTICE
Journaling, much like making your bed in the morning, is something that many people will never do no matter how beneficial it is.
I get it, I do. Those first few days, I felt I was scraping the bottom of the barrel to figure out what to put down on the page.
It was physically and emotionally agonising considering my thoughts for long enough to get them on paper.
What I did write down was illegible (RIP my beautiful penmanship circa 2010).
And my hand hurt.
But I pressed on. And funnily enough, the benefits started pouring in.
Journalling became my daily meditation. I processed a lot of inner work, most of which had never surfaced in traditional therapy. Most of my ideas for The Fig were brewed in those early morning or last thing at night moments of just me and my pen.
Here are three approaches to journaling that’ll make it easier for you to get started. Who knows what might arise, maybe you’ll even birth a new business from the words on those pages, too:
1. The Artist’s Way
Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages are three pages of stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. This practice is less about what’s on the page, more about clearing your head. It is even recommended to never look at what you’ve written again. My go-to for chatty-mind mornings.
2. Habit Journal
Plain pages can be an intimidating place to start. Maybe some structure is what you need to get the ideas out of your head and onto paper? Then this journal is for you. Paired with James' book Atomic Habits, you could be changing your ways and boosting your business in no time.
3. One Line A Day
Does what it says on the tin. Perfect for savouring memories. For honing in on the most sacred moment of your day. For that line in a meditation that stuck with you, that you want to treasure for yourself or to share with your students in the future. One for the minimalist writers.
Do you have a favourite writing practice? I'd love to hear it. Or you can comment below/email me with your biggest journaling breakthrough and we can celebrate it together!
This week’s recs
This is the most beautiful yin playlist ever (if I do say so myself). It helps me focus on the task at hand AND it helps me deeply relax into my restorative yoga class/meditation/drawing session, in equal measure. I'm even listening to it right now as I write! A multipurpose playlist at its best. Teachers, feel free to use it whenever.
Op e n is an online meditation studio, co-founded by my not so secret hero Manoj Dias (featured in this journal article btw!). With sliding scale pricing, live movement, meditation and breathwork classes, it really is THE place to your awaken your senses and get your deep breaths in this week.
My answer to #80: teaching my first class at Humming Puppy Melbourne, cultivating the faith in myself to follow my heart (career, love, life and location) and starting The Fig!
So people DO want to get back to gyms and yoga studios IRL?! This article is good news for the future of teaching yoga in person (something I'm missing very dearly rn).
This collation of anti-racism resources for white people landed in my inbox via a number of sources earlier in the year. Flagging it again as anti-racism work is never not important, is never not relevant. Especially in the wellness world.
