© 2023 Rachel L. Shumate | All rights reserved.
You’ve probably met at least one person in your life who doesn’t seem to possess a filter, and you never quite know what’s going to fly out of their mouth. (I dare say, we’re all guilty of this from time to time.) While this personality trait can sometimes be cringe-worthy in, well… most situations, in the journaling world, it’s actually a bit like a popular form of writing. It’s called stream of consciousness journaling, and it has the potential to do wonders for your mental health.
Actually, pretty much all forms of journaling are great for your mental wellbeing, and most are even considered a type of mediation. Journaling in general also allows you to decompress in a significant way because the body processes emotions differently when you write your thoughts down. This particular method is nice because it helps you to dump all the mind trash floating around in your head, and can be quite therapeutic. Thus, stream of consciousness journaling can be a remarkable form of release, and help to ease any stress you might be carrying (especially on extra crappy days). It’s also a fabulous way to brainstorm if you’re working on a project, or trying to get past a creative block.
Want to give it a go? It’s as simple as it sounds. You grab a pen and piece of paper (or your journal), set a timer for at least five minutes, and write down every single thing that comes to your head. Yep, let the thoughts and obscenities fly! The only hapless witness is your piece of paper, so consider it a safe space. Once you’re finished, you can tear it up, shred it, crunch it into a ball and throw it away (or let your cat play with it). Although if you’re so inclined, you can of course also opt to keep it if you like. (See also the “rules” below.)
In theory, this method is a simple one. In practice, it can be much trickier to execute. Personally, I have a hard time not editing myself and sometimes find that I pause too long. However, as with most things, it becomes easier the more you do it. And as a perfectionist with anxiety, it’s likely a very good exercise for me to do, ha.
I hope you give this form of journaling a try. You might just find that you love it. And don’t worry if you feel ridiculous at first; I think that’s normal.
Happy writing!
The Rules…
For at least five minutes, write as fast as you can. Don’t stop. Erasing is not allowed, but you can cross out a word if you catch it immediately. Focus completely on the task at hand and don’t talk or do anything else; simply write. You can leave a ______ if you can’t remember the word you want. And don’t worry about spelling or grammar. (I know, this pains me…)
PS: It’s very satisfying to rip up your paper afterwards and make confetti of all the mind trash and junk floating around in your head that you just unloaded – in probably your worst handwriting ever, haha.
🙂
