Throughout the years, I’ve dabbled with journaling off and on. After watching a couple of my favorite YouTubers talk about how it’s an integral part of their morning or bedtime routine, I decided to make more of an effort to incorporate this practice in my morning routine.
I can’t say that I’m super consistent with it, but several years ago, I started a Morning Pages journal to write down my thoughts prior to starting my day. I probably do this around 2 or 3 times a week.
I even use my morning journal to write out what I dreamed about that night… when I actually remembered my dreams, of course! One of these days, I will get those dreams analyzed, but for now I keep them safely hidden inside my morning journal.
What really surprised me was that during my research looking at holistic therapies to encourage cancer recovery, I came across evidence-based info that journaling is an expressive mind-body therapy that can act as a powerful tool to create positive change!
Of course, as with all types of psychological therapy, some people may find it helpful, others may not. It’s always a good idea is to experiment with different mind-body expressive therapies to see which ones resonate with you…
That said, research shows that journaling or expressive writing can improve health and enhance healing, both mental and physical, in cancer patients.
Journaling involves writing down your thoughts and feelings…. And when you have cancer, there are a few good reasons that you might want to choose to journal:
👉 Journaling allows you to understand your feelings more clearly. It can also help you cope with the range of emotions that comes with a cancer diagnosis.
👉 It is a way to reflect on your cancer journey. Many people with cancer use blogs or vlogs as a way to document their life with cancer to keep as a record for themselves, or even to help others understand what they are going through. If you choose to share it, your journal can also be used to help others with cancer see that they’re not alone.
👉 It gives you an outlet to release emotions that may be pent up inside you, allowing you to relax by letting go of nagging thoughts that are preoccupying your mind. Getting these negative thoughts out can be very healing.
There is no right or wrong way to journal. Some people choose to set aside 10-20 min a day to journal, often first thing in the morning or right before bed.
Even though it may not come naturally to everyone, the good thing is that journaling doesn’t require any special skills. You can take your time with it, and do it your way… however that may be!
Have you attempted journaling? If so, how did it work out for you?
If you have any questions about cancer journaling and how you can incorporate it into your cancer recovery plan, CLICK HERE to set up a call. I would love to chat with you about journaling and other strategies to encourage your recovery from cancer.
I’ve taken all my research on diet, environment, lifestyle and mind-body and put it into a very comprehensive program which will help you create your own cancer recovery plan. If you want to take your recovery from cancer to the next level, click on the image below.
Also, if you want to join a free community of people with cancer looking for holistic and integrative strategies to encourage cancer recovery CLICK THIS LINK to join the Holistic Strategies for Cancer Recovery Facebook group to help support your journey and connect you with likeminded people.
