This week on the podcast we’re talking about journal writing.
And not just any old, rant-on-the-paper, sentence-starter style journaling – we’re talking about a powerful, intentional, transformative journal framework to support you in making actual positive changes in your life.
If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know that developing self awareness and self compassion are part of my communication skills and leadership training methodology.
And in my experience, I’ve found journaling to be a powerful tool for doing just that – except it’s something I’ve only ever done for myself, I’ve never shared the process with anyone. Which is why I’m so thrilled for you to meet my guest this week, Ingrid Jones.
Ingrid is a journal writing facilitator and a life coach. She helps people, from individuals, groups and organisations to look after their wellbeing and navigate life’s ups and downs with a guided journal writing framework at Journal With Ingrid.
She believes that we all have the answers within us and with her step-by-step journal process called Diving For Pearls, she enables people to create pockets of time to self-reflect in a transformative way.
Our goal is for you is to walk away feeling inspired to use journaling as a tool for powerful self reflection, which could very well lead to some kick arse problem solving and radical transformation for you – in a good way!
Interested in the science behind journal writing? Here’s the research:
- Expressive writing has been found to improve emotional well-being and reduce stress. Research by Pennebaker and Beall (1986) demonstrated that writing about emotional experiences can lead to improved mood and psychological well-being.
- Journaling has been shown to be an effective tool for managing anxiety and depression. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, participants who engaged in expressive writing about their emotional experiences reported a significant decrease in depressive symptoms (Gortner et al., 2006).
- Journaling helps enhance self-reflection and self-awareness. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General found that expressive writing led to increased self-awareness and a better understanding of one’s thoughts and emotions (Moberly & Watkins, 2008).
- Writing about traumatic experiences can aid in processing and integrating difficult emotions. Research by Baikie and Wilhelm (2005) demonstrated that trauma-focused writing can lead to improved cognitive functioning and psychological well-being.
- Journaling has been associated with improved immune system functioning. A study conducted by Petrie et al. (2004) found that individuals who engaged in expressive writing experienced a boost in immune system activity.
- Writing about stressful events can have positive effects on physical health. Research by Smyth et al. (1999) indicated that expressive writing about stressors led to a reduction in physical symptoms and improved overall health.
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