The Tranquil Vintessa

Sometimes I sit and journal at my table for so long that my hands cramp up. My handwriting gets distorted, it’s no longer legible, and I run out of things to say. That’s when I know I’ve gotten it all out and that it was a good session.

Other times I journal by speaking. I have an audio journal where I record myself venting, talking things through, or even talking to the trees and nature. It’s still journaling, just in a different format.

I’ve had so many people tell me they tried to journal and couldn’t do it. They want to start journaling, but it’s hard and they just stare at the page. My response is always the same: you can do it, you just have to change how you view it.

When I first started journaling, it wasn’t perfect. In fact, I didn’t see the point. I would try, and about two minutes after scribbling the date and maybe a line about my day, I’d stop and move on to the next thing. I had to teach myself to be still and tap deeper into myself to understand what I wanted to say, not how I wanted it to look.

Through journaling, I learned how to be patient with myself and not bottle things up. I learned how to express myself in a healthy way instead of crashing out, yelling, or screaming.

I began my journaling journey at night when my mind needed to be hushed, but she was rushing. I would light a candle and sit down in a clear space with low lighting. It was just me and the paper.

Before I could even think about how to word something or spell it correctly, I just wrote. I let it all flow. I didn’t care about my handwriting or how it looked. I just wrote. Sometimes a word took up two lines. Other times, the writing was completely confusing. But it wasn’t meant to be reread by me or anyone else.

It’s not even a diary. It’s just a place to let it out.

And when I’m done, sometimes I leave it in the notebook, and sometimes I throw the pages away.

When it comes to audio journaling, you can record it or simply let the universe absorb it. Find a safe space where you can speak freely, not in whispers or hushed tones, but loudly and as dramatically as you need to be. Let it out until you’re tired of hearing yourself speak.

I usually do this when I need to process something that happened recently. Sometimes I need to hear it out loud and replay it in my head. It can be incredibly self-soothing. I often use audio journaling when I want to yell but can’t exactly go around screaming at people.

I think the problem with journaling is that everyone is looking for perfection. But it’s not meant to be perfect. It’s meant to be yours.

So express yourself. Whether it’s in a gorgeous, well-worn notebook or spoken to the trees, just get it out there and out of your head.