The Journal Well Project

I fell in love with journaling when I was 13. It has remained a critical part of my ability to know, understand and connect with myself. Over the years, the practice of journal writing has also helped me deepen how I love and care for myself. Mari McCarthy's latest book, Mindset Medicine , guides readers towards experiencing unconditional self-love through a deep and nourishing journaling practic e. Here are a few things I enjoyed about Mindset Medicine and why it's a beautiful book for anyone desiring to transform their relationship with themselves:  The book's written style helps readers feel like they're having a personal conversation with Mari. The writing is straightforward, honest, supportive, and empowering. For example, on the opening page of the book, Mari invites readers "... to view this book as an invitation to journey inward and deprogram what you have been conditioned to believe you should be. If you're anything like me or most of the people I kn

A new guest post @ womencreativechats.com Transformation begins when you consistently create space for your creative dreams. Journal writing is a way for creatives to cultivate such a space that allows for their dreams to not only grow but also thrive.  I first learned about the impact of journaling on my life when I was thirteen. My mom gave me a diary and every day I would write in it, filling each page with the details of my teenage life. Over the years my journals continue to be the place where I'm most free to express myself. It’s where I get to know who I am as a person, a woman, a mother, and a creative.  My journal is also home to my creative dreams. It’s a place to explore my dreams and everything that's connected to them. The more I'm connected to my dreams, the more I'm inspired to pursue them. The more I pursue them, the more aligned I become with the purpose of my life.  There are numerous life-changing benefits you experience with a journal wri

A new guest post on www.createwritenow.com Money makes me anxious, specifically excess money. After my bills are paid, any money left over causes me to feel uneasy because I'm not always sure what to do with it. I first started to experience this unsettling feeling when I became an adult living on my own and then as a mom of two children. Despite my awareness about money's ability to make me feel this way, it's a topic I've never seriously written about in my journal. The Seven Days to Money Mastery  course is designed to help you explore your relationship with money through the use of journal writing exercises. It also guides you in identifying financial goals and taking the necessary steps towards achieving them. The introductory pages of the course point out that "journaling is a powerful way to come to terms with and work through different kinds of stress in your life, and it is the perfect tool to manage your concerns about money." I decided to

A new guest post at www.createwritenow.com One of the many benefits of cultivating and sustaining a journal writing practice is that over time you begin to know and connect with yourself in a deeper way. I've maintained a journal writing practice for many years and have experienced the personal transformation that can only occur when I'm willing, to be honest, and vulnerable on the blank pages of my journal. Below are four techniques that I use and would encourage you to try. Each one can add a new level of depth to your practice and provide opportunities for further personal growth and transformation. Continue Reading

Today, I am sharing a post I wrote over at createwritenow.com about how journal writing has become an important part of my life. In the coming weeks, I will be writing more on the topic of journaling, its value, and benefits. As you read, let it be a source of inspiration for you to either start keeping a journal or to begin again if it has been some time since you last wrote out your thoughts and feelings. Here's an excerpt: My journals have always been the place where I could be the freest with my thoughts, feelings, and ideas. When I was in the 8th grade I was given my first diary. It had a brownish cover, with gold trim around the pages and a small, gold key attached to it. In this little book, I would record the daily events of my life as a thirteen-year-old girl and my “first love.” I guarded that little book with my life, hiding it under my mattress so prying eyes could not find it. When I went to high school my writings were no longer kept in a diary, but in

I love keeping a journal. I know the power that exists when I put pen to paper and write out my thoughts, feelings, dreams, and intentions. Some people though find the idea of writing intimidating. Thinking of what to write about causes many to not write anything at all. But journaling really does not have to be hard or intimidating. Instead, it can be liberating, gratifying and a powerful resource for achieving your dreams and practicing self-care. How To Start?  To start journal writing there are only three things you need: A notebook or journal. A pen or pencil. 5 minutes of free time. That's it! That's all you need to start.   What to write?   Here are three easy ideas:

I don’t think I knew the power of paper and pen when I was a young girl. I don’t think I understood the transformation that was taking place in me each time I wrote the details of my life in my brown journal with the gold trimmed pages. See back then as an 8 th  grader dealing with liking a certain boy, friends and the ups and downs of becoming a teenager, I just knew there was some sort of solace that took place in the pages of my diary. All I knew was I needed to put down what happened each and every day of my young life. I did not know that diary writing would turn to journal writing. I did not know that my writing would change from the day to day recording of my life to the pouring out of my soul. The deepest parts of me, my thoughts and feelings expressed in a way that I am not always able to communicate with my spoken voice. I did not know that years later; every success and setback, every heartbreak, every moment of sadness and happiness, the periods of fe