RelaxJournal
Reflective exercise for your personal relaxation journal

Reflective Questions
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Why Journaling Helps

The most important relationship in life is the one we have with our self. Unfortunately we are not taught to know and understand ourselves. No one shows us how cultivate this relationship, while deep down we all know that if we do not know ourselves, if we cannot manage ourselves, (our thoughts, emotions and behaviours) we will find it difficult to know others, and manage our responsibilities, relationships and roles. Keeping a personal journal is one of the most effective ways of building that relationship with yourself. The purpose of journaling is to give you insight into how and why you think and behave in certain ways. The process journaling reveals many of your unconscious beliefs and perceptions which are controlling your thoughts and feelings and the consequent behaviours. It allows you to see the habits of thinking and feeling, created in the past, which are now totally inappropriate.

Writing down your thoughts and feelings about a current problem or a difficult situation, or simply what we are currently feeling, is like having a conversation with ourself. Sometimes we find ourselves talking to ourselves, perhaps in the shower, or on a solitary walk. Most of us have conducted a silent conversation in our heads, exploring different trains of thought, sometimes diving deep into one idea and frequently experiencing those magic moments of new insight, the AHA or eureka moment, when we see something new and profound. Journaling is the same kind of inner conversation and exploration. It leads to insight and realisation. But most of all it can help us to restore an intimate, loving relationship with ourself.

• raise your self awareness
• reveal the deep beliefs which are influencing your thoughts and actions
• help you to gain clarity about the kind of emotions which are influencing your thoughts and decisions, or blocking your ability to keep a clear mind
• show you why those emotions are present
• help you to see how you might release those emotions and replace them with positive feelings

We need to know all this if we want to be more positive and relaxed within ourselves. However, we tend to avoid ourselves, and avoid taking responsibility for both our feelings and our responses to other people or situations, choosing instead to blame others and circumstances for what we feel.

Each week you will find two or three questions which are designed to get you started and help you process and learn from your daily experience. Some questions may challenge you to look a little further back to earlier experiences in your life but most are focussed on the here and now. The journal exercise is best done in the evening. If you prefer not to use the suggested questions, you might choose one of the journaling techniques below.

When you journal, put pen to paper and write whatever comes out. Avoid editing, criticising or analysing. Imagine you really want to listen to yourself to understand yourself. Just let come out whatever comes out. Practice makes it easier. Date your entries. Ensure your journal is kept in a private place. Go back occasionally and review what you have written and see what more you can learn about yourself.

Types of Journaling

• 5-7 minutes decide a time, start writing down all the events, emotions and feelings, and then stop and review what you have written - what did you learn from today?
• Stream of consciousness tangible object choose any object to start your writing. What does the object symbolise for you? What insight does the meaning of the symbols give you into your own feelings or emotions?
• Ask questions - Dominant Hand and Non Dominant Hand the right hand (dominant) asks the question while the left hand (non-dominant) answers.

  Any Questions?