Journaling... a healthy release.

 What does the data 📈 say about journaling 📖 and reflection 🧐?  

Well let's find out! 📚👩🏽‍💻

Oh hey... I know it has been a long time since I spent some time journaling or blogging or just writing in general. 😜 I am still trying to make it a habit! Bare with me...

At any rate, a couple of weekends ago I had an opportunity to participate as a guest panelist at the Women's Leadership Conference: Your Passion. Your Purpose. Your Journey. hosted by DREAM Education Consulting. This was the second year for the conference and Dallas was the second stop on the National tour! I am super excited for my girl Dr. Royond Hendrix💝 in this endeavor. She is truly in her element and her glow🌟 is absolute proof of it! I can't wait to see her bloom🌷 even more‼️ Click the link👆🏽 to learn more about her company, her passion, and her journey! 

Check out this clip from the keynote and breakout sessions. 

But anyway let's get back to journaling! 

It was at the conference that I got the push that I needed to continue through my own journaling experience and to create a journal📓 for NEW🍏 TEACHERS... something that has been in my head for quite some time now.  #GetOutOfYourHead 

I began journaling as a novice teacher about 20 years ago as a way to document and keep up with what was going on in my classroom. Not only was I documenting student behavior, but most importantly, my own behavior and habits.  

Little did I know then that my own journals would be the foundation for my coaching practices.  As I re-read some of my earlier journal entries, BOY🤦🏽‍♀️ was I horrible at times❗️  But, I can honestly say that rehearsal, practice, and reflective journaling have been essential elements to me becoming an innovative and skilled teacher/instructional leader and coach.  

So... what does the data📈 say about journaling? 

In one study conducted at The Pennsylvania State University by J. Smyth, PhD; J. Johnson, PhD; B. Auer, PhD; Erik Lehman, MS; G. Talamo, MD; and C.Sciamanna, MD, MPH it was found that,

 "Patients evidenced moderate sustained adherence to Web-based intervention. Positive Affect Journaling (PAJ) was associated with decreased mental distress and increased well-being relative to baseline. PAJ was also associated with less depressive symptoms and anxiety after 1 month and greater resilience after the first and second month, relative to usual care." 

"Web-based PAJ may serve as an effective intervention for mitigating mental distress, increasing well-being, and enhancing physical functioning among medical populations. PAJ may be integrated into routine medical care to improve quality of life."

 In other words, the study showed that journaling seemed to decrease worry and anxiety relative to previous observations.

In this article in the New York Times, I found several points of agreement; one being that writing ✍🏽 every day can become ruminant according to Dr. James W. Pennebaker, a social psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin. According to Dr. Pennebaker, set aside 3-4 days to write about a particular topic, that may be weighing on you, for about 15-20 minutes a day. If that does not help, stop 🛑 doing it and seek help by doing something else, such as seeing your pastor or a therapist.

 

I could not agree more! Journaling may not work for everyone. So, try different things until you find what works for you! 🥰 The key is to heal and be at peace. ☮️ The less stress we have in our lives, the longer we live! 🧘🏽‍♀️

How often do you write? 

So, this is where I struggle the most!  I was trying to write every day, and it just seems so hard even though I have so much to say. Just pinning down a solid thought is hard to do sometimes. But, I had an epiphany🤩 while reading this article. I have been going about it wrong all of this time! Instead of looking at writing as a chore or a habit, I should be looking at it as an emotional release. ❤️I must admit, that when I am writing the most, I remember the most and while that often takes me into some dark places🌪, I also know that I have to get through the dark places to see the light. 🔅This is a process and like any other process, you have to trust it.  

New Teacher Journal coming soon...