The Power of Pen . . . and Paper! July 19, 2017
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Life Balance, Mindfulness.trackback
Journaling on a daily basis helps boost creative thinking.
It allows us to access hidden recesses and expand the boundaries of our minds.
It promotes clarity and fosters insight as we allow our imagination to take flight.
It helps us to assign positive meaning to what life metes out.
It improves our ability to “think outside the box” and come up with creative solutions.
Judy Willis MD, a neurologist, and former classroom teacher explains, “The practice of writing can enhance the brain’s intake, processing, retaining, and retrieving of information… it promotes the brain’s attentive focus … boosts long-term memory, illuminates patterns, gives the brain time for reflection, and when well-guided, is a source of conceptual development and stimulus of the brain’s highest cognition.”
To read more about the benefits of this powerful practice:
Best of all, starting a morning journal practice is simple:
- Find a pen or pencil.
- Grab a notebook or sheet of paper.
- Write, draw, doodle, reflect, reminisce, explore, etc.
It’s your boat to float!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Comments
Sorry comments are closed for this entry
Spirit Lights The Way 
So true about journaling being so good for you! I have been journaling since I was 13 and it has become a part of me!
I journaled all through college. Slowed down after that, but still pull out a journal when I’ve got some “thnking” to do.
Yes, I do have periods of doing it regularly and then sometimes it may go awhile.
Writing promotes clarity!
I love to journal too!
It’s good to know it can be so good for us!
My head would explode, if I didn’t journal.
That would be BAD!
I don’t journal but I make notes. Lots of notes. In little notebooks. They note what I did or what’s blooming or when I bought something. Does that count?
I expect it benefits you in similar ways, Kate. But when I journal it is different than just recording events . . . It’s processing them in a beneficial way ~ like blogging!
I’m going to put this advice in my journal.
Excellent plan!
I’m a scribbler from way back, so I’m happy to read that my jottings and notes, that are nothing like a traditional journal, are considered healthy. That’s how my boat floats.
You & DaVinci!
I also journal! I might miss a day or two. But I like scribbling on the page. 😀 Occasionally, I’ll draw something when words fail me.
There is something so relaxing about putting pen to paper to write, draw, and color (outside the lines).
I texted my boyfriend today that one of the errands we needed to run this weekend while he was here was to go find me a new journal. I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal, for a year and a half now, and while I don’t write it in every day, I’m pretty consistent – some times a paragraph, and sometimes a page, but I have enjoyed it so much more than I expected!
That’s great, Kate! Developing an attitude of gratitude pays huge dividends. Hope your new one is soon full to overflowing with “all good things.”
I know it’s true! (still laughing at Jill’s reaction). I just taught a creative writing class where they had to write a quick piece of fiction with five very different words in it (chocolate cake, radio, forest, reaction, sprint). I told them they’d just added 500 neurons to their brains. They didn’t believe me. Now I’m going to share your post with them! xo
Excellent! Did you enjoy their creative writing submissions?
Totally!
In movies it is common to see people with wonderful journals full of notes and sketches. That’s what I wanted – notes and sketches. All I ever had was notes. No sketches.
Some day …. it’s on the list of things I’d like to do 🙂
Adding sketches is a fun idea . . . Especially if your inner artist wants to play!
My inner artist definitely wants to play. Now if only she had a muse … 😉
Exactly!
It’s a good practice. I don’t journal now, but I did for many years. I’ve kept my old journals, and I use them sometimes for reference.
You’ve written some interesting posts after referring back to your journals.
Oh yes – great advice, Nancy. Something I have been doing recently is trying to complete my crosswords left-handed. It’s not easy because I I’m using the wrong side of my brain to figure out the answers, but I’m getting there!
I am going to try that the next time I do a crossword . . . which may not be this week. We just returned from a 9 day trip and I have some “catching up” to do.
I journaled for many years and was a big follower of Julia Cameron’s Artists Way and Morning Pages, all tied to enhancing creativity. I haven’t given it much thought in many years. I don’t actually think I have the discipline for it today. Maybe I’ll think differently after reading more about the benefits.
If we don’t see/get enough benefit from the practice . . . it might be because we’ve “outgrown” it. I definitely journal in a far different way than when I was younger ~ less angst, for one thing.