Journaling Through Menopause
Members OnlyFinding Truth, Gaining Wisdom Through JournalingWe all have a story to tell. Something unique that holds a spark of wisdom or a hint of truth. A story that when told, leaves your listener or reader amazed at your resilience and strength or your adventurous spirit. A story you remember as perhaps fleeting and insignificant but others find inspiring. This story, this piece of wisdom you share or leave for others is your legacy. It captures a moment in your life. A moment that defines how you got to be who you are. It is important, it is relevant. But how do you record the intensity of the moment? How do you impart the emotions and feelings. How do you write the moment? Journaling is therapeutic, challenging, revealing and frustrating. It's where you pour out your heart, record relevant events, discover or intuit truths and grow wisdom about yourself. Not quite the same as a diary, where you record daily events, a journal records impressions, conversations, moments of insight or even feelings of angst that need expressing. It is also a place where you can dabble in creative non-fiction by writing your moment in the form of a story. This is the legacy! This is the conversation you create for an audience and that audience can be either yourself or a reader of your choosing. Getting StartedYears ago, when I took my first creative writing class the instructor asked the students what their routine was before beginning to write. Some people shared how they liked making sure the house was tidy before starting, others only wrote when their space was perfectly quiet, still others said they had to have their desk organized just so. My process is creating a scholarly (at least I like to think it's scholarly!) setting of classical music, and a serene uncluttered work space with no phone to jar me out of state. Of course, I've come to realize that the only perfect setting is in my head, because I won't turn the phone off and with teenagers how can my house ever be uncluttered! Fact is all you really need is a good pen, one that fits your hand and flows effortlessly across the page, and of course you'll need some paper. Try not to get overwhelmed or sidetracked by a perceived need to fiddle with your workspace. You could just be avoiding! Writing the StoryAlright, the stage is set, you're ready to write. You know you have a story to tell, you've felt it brewing inside of you for years, now it's time to get it out! The goal of Journaling Through Menopause is to help you find those stories. To provide prompts that trigger memories and to provide assistance in fleshing out the details. It will also provide opportunities to practice your skills as a journal writer. Exercise:During the "Awakening Your Natural Born Intuition" workshop we did an exercise where you practiced your noticing skills. You were asked to close your eyes and describe to a partner what you noticed;
In the exercise you used all your senses to notice what was happening around you. Try that now, only this time don't close your eyes or talk to a partner, instead communicate what you are noticing in your journal. Put the pen to the paper and write for five minutes without lifting your pen and without stopping. Go through your senses; what do you smell, are there any noises, how does the pen look as it moves across the paper, where is your mind wandering too, what memories are flashing in your mind's eye. Write them all down. If you need more time, take it. If you veer off and start recording your feelings or a relevant moment don't stop, that is what this exercise can do, help you unlock your creativity and story. After you complete this free writing exercise take a moment to share with the group how the process felt and any insights you gained. You don't have to share anything personal, just give us a hint as to how the process felt. Was it easy? Difficult? Did it feel good?
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