10 Benefits of Creative Journaling
What does a regular journaling practice provide? I personally experience a wide range of benefits! Below, I list what I consider to be the 10 most important ones :
- Being present: I experience the present moment by slowing down, being present to what is happening, and savouring a moment to myself with my crayons and papers. For this reason alone, my journal is precious to me.
- Expressing my emotions: All emotions serve a purpose. My goal is to acknowledge them simply, and without judgment. The pages of my journal are like welcoming arms that receive all my feelings. Writing, drawing and collage offer me a rich vocabulary for expressing those feelings.
- Observing and questioning my thoughts: My journal allows me to witness the effect of my thoughts on my behaviour in order to gain a better perspective on things. I find it liberating to distance myself from my thoughts in order to see them more clearly and to better observe all the different roles that I play.
- Providing guidance in my daily life: My practice allows me to take stock on a regular basis, to be better aligned with what is most important to me, and to make better choices. It helps me identify the small steps I must take to respond to my needs and pursue the direction in which I choose to go.
- Diffusing conflict: When a problem arises, I can vent my feelings in my journal, question and clarify what those feelings are, and better identify my needs. This allows me to appease myself enough to be able to communicate more effectively while respecting the other person and myself. I call this “small steps towards peace.”
- Accessing my inner resources: When I am in regular contact with my inner world, I am better able to find solutions by tapping into my wealth of inner resources. The more I drop anchor into my internal world, the surer I am to find my true north. I also identify my objectives more clearly and this helps me manifest them in my everyday life.
- Relaxing and Managing Stress: The fact that I have a place where I can go on a daily basis to express myself helps me regulate my psychic energy and monitor my stress level. It’s a place where I can not only express myself, but I get more centered, I see more clearly, and I am able to relax. To me, this psychic cleansing is the foundation of well-being.
- Being more creative and joyful: My creative journaling practice nourishes my creativity and keeps it vibrant and fluid. I venture into my journal in the spirit of curiosity: I’m open to surprises and synchronicities while simply enjoying myself. Whether I’m using new or established techniques, or I create a page for the pure pleasure of it, or I investigate the obstacles in my way, these practices stimulate my creativity and bring me much joy!
- Developing my inner witness: By using a variety of techniques, I gain a better perspective on, and understanding of, the stories that appear in the pages of my creative journal. I manage to put some distance between myself and the events of my life, I gain more insight into what is going on, and I develop a broader view of things. I become a better witness to my thoughts and emotions which often helps me detach from ego. It allows me to simply breathe.
- Connecting with a greater vastness: When I dive deeply and fully into exploring my inner world, I access a place of wisdom that goes well beyond the self. I often tap into a broader perspective where I find better solutions than I might otherwise if I relied only on more mainstream methods. For instance, I give voice to Wisdom figures, I connect to nature, I listen to my deepest intuitions, I open onto the magic of the creative process and harvest its nuggets. To me, this connection to the greater vastness is the most important aspect of my practice and it informs everything else.
I invite you to experience Creative Journaling for yourself to experience its many benefits firsthand. If you need more information to begin, I invite you to either check out my YouTube channel to test some of the exercises, sign up for one of my online workshops, or consult my new book for even more ideas and suggestions.
I wish you all the best on your journey of discovery!
