Journal your Hero's Journey
Bare with me as I begin with a note about some history of language…
The word journey (a trip, travel) from early French journee (day's work, day's journey) from jour (day) was derived from Latin diurnus (of a day, daily) from dies (day).
The English word journal can also be traced back to the Latin dies. From the adjective diurnus, the word diurnalis, meaning daily, was formed. This was taken into French as journal.
Whew… okay, do I still have your attention?
Based on the etymology of these words, it makes sense that the journaling has such a profound effect on our journey through life, which is essentially comprised of a collection of daily adventures…
…and can also be thought of as our personal Hero’s Journey: our acceptance of our purpose.
If history is truly destined to repeat itself, then through our daily chronicles and musings, and what we learn from our daily experiences, we’re in essence able to dictate our futures and use journaling as a means to illustrate our destiny as we best imagine it.
As the renowned Reggae artist, Damian Marley, suggests: “Did you know the pen is stronger than the knife? They can kill you once, but they can't kill you twice."
Literature is a powerful medium; words are powerful tools.
Through the process of journaling, I've learned that it's possible to not only imagine, but to live and experience any adventure I desire. Daily journaling gives me the opportunity to make sense of my adventures, and often allows me the opportunity to develop more desirable conclusions.
How to begin?
I’ve listed out five prompts to apply to your daily journaling
Organize your Thoughts - With the help of our smart technology, we are constantly inputting information into our minds. Some is of value, and some is nothing more than clutter. Regardless, it needs to be sorted through and organized at some point…
This is where journaling comes in handy. When we take the time to get our thoughts out of our mind and onto paper, or keyboard, we’re able to do two things:
get rid of the clutter and store the good information in a way that will allow us to better access it
because with a clean, organized body/mind/spirit, creativity knows no bounds.
Gain Clarity - Journaling is a subjective practice. There is no write or wrong way to do it. Sometimes thoughts will flow with ease and sometimes it may take a while to get anything clear out on paper.
The more you allow yourself to scribble through nonsense, the more likely you are to stumble upon a gem that could change your entire perspective on an issue, improve your problem-solving skills, and open your mind to new ideas.
Manifest your Desires - According to a study by Dr. Gail Matthews, a professor at Dominican University, those who write their goals down are forty percent more likely to achieve them than those who don’t.
When journaling, don’t be shy. Don’t limit yourself.
Write about your biggest, most powerful desires.
Actually, don’t just write about your dreams, indulge yourself in them.
Imagine that you’re already living your dreams.
What does it make you feel like?
What do your surroundings look like?
What colors do you see?
What do you smell?
Allow yourself to imagine all of the sensations associated with your dreams with so much fervor that you find yourself living within them. By writing them down, you’re holding yourself accountable to them, which makes them even more real and attainable.
Rewrite your Story - Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you felt like you were being treated unjustly, but you didn’t know how to react at the time. Then when you were trying to fall asleep at night, you ended up tossing and turning, wishing you had responded differently?
Take a moment to rewrite your story. Journal about what you wish you could have done differently and how that would have made you feel.
By writing down these actions and resulting emotions, you’ll absorb them and that’s what your body will remember. You’ll be able to sleep soundly knowing that you were able to eliminate negative energy by replacing it with positive, defining your journey in your own words.
Express Gratitude - Gratitude has scientifically proven benefits including the ability to build better relationships, improve sleep, improve mental health and self-esteem, and reduce aggression. Starting your day by reflecting on and writing down three things that you’re grateful for will allow your heart to open to new experiences and transform your day-to-day journey to a life filled with adventure!