Journaling is a tool that can be used to develop a deeper self-awareness especially when facing your journey to recovery. It allows your stream of subconscious thoughts to become real, tangible. When writing becomes that safe space for self-expression and authenticity you are no longer distracted by a myriad of thought patterns but rather by the truth and reality.

I have been using journaling as a tool to understand and explore my own eating disorder-the reasons behind it, the thought patterns I repeat, the actions, words, rituals, etc. It has become perhaps the most powerful tool for me. It gives me the tool to look back on how far I have come and how much further I have to go, yet I feel no pressure or judgment from my own words, rather a relief in awareness and grounding.

There is no manipulation when you write your truth. Through journaling you are required to be present in your body and mind- your space and emotions- and allow what is needing your attention to become fully present, fully in your awareness. It is at this point that you can begin your healing.

Recognition and acceptance of your thoughts, patterns, and behaviors is the start to a journey through recovery- whether that is disordered eating or otherwise. You cannot change what you hide from yourself. You cannot shift a behavior that is so ritualized and habitual the realization of other is not even a seed of thought.

So I turned (and continue to turn) to writing when I could not find the reasons for an unhappiness and a deep -seated knowing that a true self-expression was being suppressed. It is not always the image you see in the mirror or the number on the scale that allows you to understand there is an underlying problem.

Sometimes the best way to find this out is writing without pause and reading back your words. Truly view your entry openly and honestly and hear what she is saying to you. How can you help or begin to change in order to make that inner voice more peaceful and fulfilled?

There are different ways people go about journaling whether it be morning pages, gratitude journals, manifestation passages, or complete head dumps. The method or practice you use is unique to you and does not need welcome judgment. Simply write, read and listen.

On that note! My blogger friends Katie Dalebout has just finished her very first book (Yay!) “Let it Out” ~A Journey Through Journaling. Read on to learn about the book and why this may be just the guide to help you begin using journaling as another tool to add to your toolbox in the road to recovery. Let me know if you are loving the book and we can get you signed up with others who are loving Katie’s work!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Discover the transformative practice that will rocket your life to the next level—journaling. Author, speaker, life coach and podcast host Katie Dalebout has assembled a remarkable guide with insights and exercises that will elevate your life and get you “unstuck”—for good.

And don’t worry—you don’t need to be a writer! Journaling is simply a method of coaching yourself through your “stuff” and letting it out on the page, unclogging your mind from years of destructive thoughts. In doing so, you step into a position of unsurpassed clarity.

Packed with journaling exercises, prompts, and techniques that can be done anywhere and in any order, this interactive guidebook offers you a new way to navigate your daily life, cope with stress, and create exciting, permanent change. Covering everything from clearing clutter to cultivating abundance to moving beyond fear, this book will be your new best friend and coach anytime you seek clarity or crave solace.

Simply grab a pen, open your journal, and prepare to let it out.

Apply the practices in this book to any area of your life that needs a shift… each time you surrender your inner wisdom to the page, you will experience a miracle.”

— Gabrielle Bernstein, New York Times best-selling author of Miracles Now