Embracing Imperfection: The Journey of Self-Discovery Through Journaling

Embark on a journey of self-discovery with me, Heather, as I open up about the transformative power of journaling, a practice that has guided me through life's ebbs and flows. With ancient roots that traverse through the Renaissance and into our modern digital age, this humble tool of journaling offers a haven for our thoughts, dreams, and innermost reflections. 

As we gather around the metaphorical campfire of our Mindset Monday, I'll remind you why the relentless pursuit of perfection should never mar the beauty of your journal entries. Channeling the wisdom of Wonderful Morrison, we understand that true expression blooms in the garden of imperfection. Join our visual celebration on Facebook, where we liberate ourselves from the chains of flawless prose, and instead, cherish each word for its raw and unpolished truth. Whether you're etching your narrative for the first time or are a seasoned scribe, this episode is a homage to the power of words and the freedom they embody when we let them spill onto the page, just as they are.

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Transcript

Heather Ross: 0:02

Mindful Business Evolution the podcast where networking, mindset and technology converge to empower success. In today's fast-paced world, navigating the complexities of business while nurturing personal growth can often feel like a daunting task.

Heather Ross: 0:23

Hello and welcome back to Mindset Monday. If you haven't been here before for Mindset Monday, welcome to your first experience. My name is Heather and I'm so excited to be your host. This is our first Mindset Monday with Mindful Business Evolution, where we explore tools and practices that empower personal and professional growth. Today we are diving into the transformative power of journaling, a practice that spans centuries and continues to shape lives in profound ways. Let's take a journey back in time to explore the rich history of journaling, from ancient civilizations to the Renaissance period I love to study medieval history.

Heather Ross: 1:10

We have used journals to record our thoughts, experiences and reflections. Whether it was Leonardo da Vinci's famous notebooks or diaries of historical figures, journaling has served a timeless tool for self-expression and introspection. So before we dive into some tips about journaling, I wanted to go ahead and give you a little bit of my story. So I have. So I, like many of you, I've always been drawn to the idea of keeping a journal, but I struggled with trusting that it could be kept private or be a safe space for me to have my own emotions and thoughts. So instead, I used a lot of art to express my emotions. My doodles, my sketches become a form of visual journaling allowing me to process feelings and thoughts in a way that are safe and still authentic. However, I still grapple with the feelings of invalidation and self-doubt, unsure of where my voice mattered or was worth even recording and showing up for you like today. It wasn't until I was well into adulthood that I embraced writing and journaling as a means of self-discovery and empowerment. Through the act of putting my pen to paper, I found a sense of validation and self-worth that has eluded me for a very long time. I realized that my thoughts and experiences are valid and that my voice and your voice both deserve to be heard. Now journaling has become an integral part of my daily routine, providing me with a sacred space to explore my innermost thoughts, emotions and aspirations. It has been a journey of self-acceptance, self-discovery, and I am incredibly grateful for the ability to see myself more clearly and recognize my inherent worth.

Heather Ross: 3:38

I share this personal journey with you to emphasize that journaling is not just about recording events and thoughts. You can keep a logbook. That's not journaling. It's about embracing your truth, honoring your voice, your internal voice. Maybe that voice is so soft you can't hear it until you are quiet and you put it on the paper and then, when you see it, you can hear it, because sometimes those, those thoughts that we need to hear the most are the quietest, so we have to be quiet to hear them. So it is about embracing and honoring your voice. Whether through art, writing or any other form of expression, journaling can be a powerful tool for reclaiming your narrative and affirming your value as a unique and worthy individual. You are a unique and worthy individual. You are a unique and worthy individual. So in present day, journaling remains as relevant as it ever has.

Heather Ross: 4:49

In our fast-paced and digital world, carrying out time for introspection is essential for maintaining mental clarity and emotional well-being. Journaling provides a sacred space for discovery, allowing us to explore our thoughts, feelings, goals and honesty authentically. This is your space to just be really authentic. Now that we have explored the history and significance of journal, let's discuss how we can integrate this powerful practice into our daily routine. First, you're going to have to plan, because it's a new thing. You're going to have to set aside some time dedicated each day to allowing yourself to put pen to paper. Choose a journal format that resonates with you. Choose a journal format that resonates with you. So this is important, because there's no wrong way to journal. You don't have to stick in the lines, you don't have to follow lines, it doesn't have to be lined paper, it doesn't have to be paper. I love to journal on my iPad. I have that awesome pen and I can change the colors, the thickness of my lines and really create my own self-expression within my journaling. So it is up to you to pick which way is best for you. So, experimenting with different prompts and exercises to speak to spark your own creativity and self-reflection.

Heather Ross: 6:22

So I have recently been going through a friend I'll drop her a link below. Her name is Dani and she teaches, or she's a hypnotherapist, and she walks you through one of her programs. It's called One and Done and part of that she gives you daily journal prompts so that you can start reflecting more internally on the subjects that we're discussing when we come into meditation or when we come into hypnotherapy. So it's a really great tool to continue the practice. So I would akin it to physical therapy. If you were given exercises to do and you aren't doing those exercises in between your physical therapy appointments, then it's like you have to start over at the beginning of every session. But if you're doing the work in between, if you're being introspective and you're exploring yourself in between your hypnotherapy appointments. When you go into hypnotherapy, you're less resistant to your own thoughts. Let me say that again You're less resistant to your own thoughts. You're not battling anyone else. We're literally battling ourselves in these things. So it's a really great tool. So I really like that. So she has journal prompts.

Heather Ross: 7:47

I have used journal prompts to talk about sparking business ideas. I've used journal prompts. I have a cousin that is a creative writer and I got her a whole book of creative writing journal prompts and activities. So you can just get that from anywhere. So just Google it If it's something that you're interested in. You don't have to write about anything but what you like, which is the greatness of this. This is about each one of us. So if I was really into I don't know I'm thinking of like aerospace or something right, I could write about airplanes if I wanted to and how. When I screw the bolts in that next this, I'm actually connecting to myself inside. I don't know. I took that really deep and crazy for an example, but that's how my creative brain works now, because I've exercised the creative brain, so I just come up with stuff like that. I like it that it's an exercise, like something you do again and again and again and again. So experiment with different types of prompts and exercises that spark your creativity.

Heather Ross: 8:59

Be consistent with your journal practice. It's a practice. You have to be consistent Even on days when you don't feel inspired. The act of showing up and putting your pen to paper is what matters most. So sometimes I've literally like I don't know what to write and then I start writing and then, who knows, sometimes you end up with a lot of pages. Sometimes you just you know, today I'm good, I don't have a lot I want to get out of my brain, which is awesome, right. So embrace the flow, but don't be afraid to still show up for it.

Heather Ross: 9:33

Embrace your imperfection. My favorite quote right now well, my second favorite quote right now is perfection is for the birds. So if you hop over to Facebook, you will see that that quote is by Wonderful Morrison, from a podcast that she's done and I have a cute little graphic about it. Perfection is for the birds, but you can hear Wonderful say her little story about perfection being for the birds and why, and it is a great mic drop moment. So I recommend going and checking that out. You can follow me on Facebook while you're there, okay, that out. You can follow me on Facebook while you're there, okay. So embrace your perfection and let go of any pressure to write perfectly this isn't about getting your spelling perfect the perfect amount of spaces between things. There's no wrong way. I tend to like to.