Welcome,
My name is Bethany and I'm glad you're here.
As human beings,
We naturally seek clarity because it helps us to feel more secure and in control.
Clarity implies a clear path,
A definite answer,
And a complete understanding of a situation.
We crave it because it provides comfort and reassurance.
And yet,
As intelligent beings,
We understand that uncertainty is an inherent part of life,
And we cannot predict,
Know,
Nor control everything.
And therein lies the paradox and the beauty of journaling for clarity.
In the process of journaling for answers,
We sometimes discover an inner calm and acceptance that makes sitting with uncertainty and the unknown a little more comfortable.
We realize that seeking clarity does not mean eliminating all uncertainty.
Journaling for clarity doesn't mean having all the answers.
It means developing a deeper understanding and acceptance of ourselves and our relationship with uncertainty.
Journaling for clarity helps us navigate our inner world and the unknown with more grace,
Curiosity,
And resilience.
Sometimes journaling for clarity is easy.
We seek,
We write,
And an answer is found.
Sometimes,
However,
We seek,
And write,
And write,
And write,
And write,
And still,
Nothing is found.
It becomes a circular process that actually keeps us stuck.
These are the times that using a different method of journaling can help.
There are dozens of helpful approaches to journaling for clarity.
Art or visual journaling,
Which I love,
List exercises,
Which I do not love,
Self-reflection and questioning,
Future visioning,
And the list goes on.
But my favorite for when I am feeling particularly confused or stuck is stream-of-consciousness writing,
Also known as free-form writing.
It is also a wonderful technique for releasing mental or emotional overwhelm,
Which then supports insight and clarity.
Free-form or stream-of-consciousness writing is exactly what it sounds like,
Setting aside all formats,
Structures,
And usual style of journaling,
Simply allowing your thoughts and emotions to flow onto the page.
No rules,
No restrictions.
You write without stopping,
As quickly as you can,
For as long as you can.
No processing,
No judgment or critiquing,
No attention to grammar or spelling or punctuation,
No reading as you go.
It can be a flow of unrelated words or even nonsensical phrases,
Doodles or scribbles.
Just keep your pen moving across the page or your fingers moving across the keyboard,
Allowing the subconscious mind,
The place where our values,
Dreams,
And truths reside,
To express itself freely and completely.
Removing all structure and restrictions creates space for us to write just to see what shows up,
To discover what answers,
Insights,
Emotions,
Thoughts,
And beliefs might be present in the subconscious mind that we weren't aware of.
If you're feeling stuck,
Struggling to solve a problem or make a decision,
Stream-of-consciousness writing can help you access thoughts and emotions buried deep within your subconscious that may be keeping you stuck,
Resistant,
Or conflicted.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by thoughts or emotions,
Free-form writing provides a safe space to express and process circular thoughts and intense emotions.
It is an incredible form of release and cleansing,
Letting all that energy flow from you to the page,
Like dark clouds releasing rain,
Just allowing whatever flows freely from you in that moment.
When the storm passes,
There is calm,
Healing,
And often insight and clarity.
There are no rules to the process or method of this type of journaling,
And what I'm sharing with you is just one of the many ways I approach it.
I hope you'll take what resonates with you as helpful or interesting and just leave the rest.
If this is your first time to explore stream-of-consciousness writing,
You may want to work with a blank document or loose pages so you'll feel free to write without your usual structure,
And you won't worry about messing up a beautiful or favorite journal.
If you've experimented with free-form journaling before,
You might enjoy working with a different medium.
If you usually journal digitally,
Try pen-and-paper stream-of-consciousness,
Or vice versa.
If I am in the midst of a mental or emotional storm,
I just sit and begin,
Wild and messy.
I write until I know that I am done,
Either clarity has arrived or I am depleted and calm,
Or sometimes both.
But if I am seeking answers and clarity because I'm feeling stuck,
Struggling with a problem or decision,
I take a moment to settle before I write.
I close my eyes,
Allow the breath to anchor my body.
I notice any sensations,
Just notice,
Coming fully present,
Reminding myself that I am safe,
Welcoming with an open mind whatever is available to be known in that moment.
As you move into this practice on your own,
Notice your breath,
See if you can breathe a little deeper,
As you hold your question or concern in your mind,
Pay attention to what you may feel in your body,
Just noticing,
Remind yourself that you are safe,
That even as uncertainty is present,
So too is the energy of clarity,
And welcome clarity.
Then write your question or concern on the page,
Read it aloud,
And begin to write.
Write the first thing that pops into your head and keep going,
Just writing,
Whatever shows up,
Scribbling across the page or scrabbling along the keyboard,
Write a single word over and over,
Just write,
Breathe and open,
No overthinking,
Just letting whatever shows up flow,
Staying relaxed,
Loose,
And open,
Maybe even curious.
As you write,
You may notice emotions arise,
It's okay,
Acknowledge them and keep writing,
Keep breathing,
Let all that emotion flow onto the page.
If words falter or nothing is coming to you,
See if just closing your eyes and taking a deep breath opens the flow or opens it a little bit more.
Sometimes with really difficult emotions or problems,
The words just won't come,
I am resisting,
So I imagine a wise and loving voice gently saying to me,
Just tell the truth,
It's okay to just tell the truth.
And then I do,
I write what I'm really thinking and feeling,
Even if it makes me feel ashamed or embarrassed or sad or afraid,
I just put the raw,
Messy truth as I understand it in that moment on the page,
No euphemizing or positive spin,
Just my truth in that moment without censorship or judgment.
And then everything feels easier and clearer after that,
The writing flows more smoothly,
And the truth of what I already intuitively knew is there on the page.
And give yourself permission to just be with that truth,
Permission to just sit with that clarity.
Just because you have clarity doesn't mean you have to act on it,
Not right that minute or at all.
You have the right to take some time to just be with what shows up and you are not obligated in any way to do anything with it or about it.
And sometimes when you take that pause,
Even more information shows up,
More pieces of your truth and understanding fall into place,
Creating even greater clarity.
As you experiment with this approach moving forward,
Here are a few other prompts that may be helpful.
What are you feeling right now?
What does that feeling remind you of?
Ask yourself why,
About anything.
Answer,
Then ask yourself why again.
Do this several times and you'll be surprised at what is revealed.
And one of my favorite prompts is what if?
I love this question.
As human beings,
It's natural for us to go to the negative side of what if.
And that's okay.
Sometimes looking at worst case scenarios alleviates a lot of fear and pressure.
But what if can also be what if the most amazing thing you can imagine happened?
What if you are as amazing as you hope to be?
Explore the positive what if.
Once you feel you've reached the end of your flow,
You'll need to determine what works best for mining what you've written.
Congratulations if clarity arrived,
Pure and obvious in black and white on the page.
I love it when that happens.
If that isn't the case,
However,
Clarity may still be there,
Just not as obvious.
It can be helpful to read what you've written and notice if any words or phrases stand out or seem significant.
I find it helpful to use colored pens or highlighters to circle words that stand out or that I repeat or phrases that have a lot of energy.
Then I step back from the pages and look at them as a whole and notice what I notice.
It can also be powerful to set the writing aside and read it several days later or reread several stream of consciousness sessions back to back and see if any patterns emerge.
Are there common components,
Triggers,
Or emotions that may offer insight or even potential action?
Do you repeat certain words or phrases that bring you comfort and peace?
Sometimes just the emotional release of free-form writing is enough and it feels good to delete or discard the writing,
A kind of cleansing reset.
Be sure to write down any insights that feel important,
Even if you're not sure why they seem important and even if you're sure you'll remember them later.
Trust me,
Sometimes even important epiphanies can slip away if you don't capture them in the moment.
Every now and then,
Clarity will be so obvious that you'll feel ready to jot down action items or potential solutions.
Be sure to do that right away as well.
And sometimes you'll feel better just for having written,
Even if clarity is not present.
And you may want to ask yourself,
How do I want to move forward even in the face of uncertainty?
Or perhaps you might want to ask yourself,
Do I want to move forward in the face of uncertainty?
You choose,
You decide.
And finally,
As you close your practice,
Take a moment to breathe and shift your focus to a positive aspect of your life.
Write down one or two things you're grateful for.
Give yourself some love.
The time and effort you've just expended are already moving you forward.
That energy is already working on your behalf.
This simple shift to gratitude and self-love helps balance your perspective and expands that beautiful energy in your life.
Journaling,
Especially stream-of-consciousness journaling,
Is such a beautiful and powerful experience.
It has been a pleasure to share it with you.
May you always welcome the paradox of journaling for clarity,
Embracing the idea that even if nothing becomes clear,
You feel more grounded,
More at ease with what is,
And recognize that that is its own kind of certainty.
Thank you for your practice.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
