Saigon Self-Care

Self-Care Non-Negotiables

saigonselfcare — Tue, 04 May 2021 20:43:21 +0000

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This is a link!

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carissa

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100 Journal Prompts To Be A Better Human

saigonselfcare — Tue, 04 May 2021 20:36:07 +0000

Over the years, I’ve discovered the power of journaling to explore conscious and subconscious patterns. Journaling has been one of the most pivotal habits in my life. So, I’m sharing a collection of my favorite journal prompts I’ve collected over the years. These journal prompts have helped me grow, get to know myself deeper, lift me out of bad days, and celebrate the joys in life.

“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
– Anne Frank

Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery

An unordered list example:

one
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Journal Prompts For When You Feel Anxious

An unordered list example:

one
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Journal Prompts Rooted in Gratitude

An unordered list example:

one
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Journal Prompts for Shadow Work

Shadow work is used to uncover the parts of yourself in your unconscious mind that you repress and hide from yourself. This can include trauma or parts of your personality that you subconsciously consider undesirable.

An unordered list example:

What is one thing that you would be embarrassed to admit to others?
What kind of things make you feel “less than” others?
Write down any childhood memory that comes to mind. Describe how that memory makes you feel and why you think that memory has remained with you after all these years.
How do you wish others would show up for you? List some specific examples then identify the categories in which those examples fall in. (Ex: I like it when my friends/partner/roommate/coworkers surprise me with coffee. This would be an example of gift giving).

amanda

The post 100 Journal Prompts To Be A Better Human appeared first on Saigon Self-Care.

Journaling Daily: Techniques for Busy People

saigonselfcare — Tue, 04 May 2021 20:33:39 +0000

You’ve probably heard about all of the benefits that journaling brings, including stress relief, better focus, lifted spirits, and calm energy. Like most good habits, journaling daily requires a little practice before it gets good. It took me years of on-again-off-again journaling and trying different techniques and rituals to finally find something that works for me (most of the time). Whether you’re just getting started in journaling or a long-time writer who wants to shake things up, here are several ways to journal to help you get into a regular journaling routine.

Free Writing / Stream of Consciousness

Staring at that blank page can seem fairly intimidating, especially at first. This journaling style is often called free writing or stream-of-consciousness journaling. Its aim is to get you writing something. Anything. Write the sounds you hear. The things you see around you. Get that pen moving. Write about how you’re feeling. Sleepy? Don’t feel like journaling? Write it down. The goal is to have your page less white. It helps the process.

Morning Pages is a type of stream-of-consciousness journaling made popular in the book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. The author describes it as “three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning.” She explains that there is no wrong way to do Morning Pages. “It’s simply anything and everything that crosses your mind–and they are for your eyes only. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize, and synchronize the day at hand.” Or, at the least, it’s a brain dump that can clear some mental space. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page…and then do three more pages tomorrow.”

Personally, I use Morning Pages as my main method of journaling daily. Because I have perfectionist tendencies, Morning Pages help me work through that. Since I’m forced to write down (mostly illegible) thoughts and words I have not carefully constructed, it takes away the pressure of journaling as something that requires any physical or mental effort. And so, it’s just me half awake scribbling in my notebook in my PJs.

Gratitude Journaling

One topic many people journal about is gratitude. At this moment, what are you grateful for? Maybe you’re grateful that you found five minutes to journal or the cup of coffee that is the only thing giving you life today. We can take many things for granted in our lives. Journaling daily about positive aspects, no matter how big or small, is an opportunity to step back and realize how much you really have. And, on my busiest or worst days, my daily journal practice is simply writing down 3 things I’m grateful for. They’re usually not even full sentences! But positive emotions can help lift you during the subsequent days.

Unsent Letters

When your journal page is an unsent letter, approach it as if you were writing an actual letter to someone. The recipient might be your younger self, future self, an ex-lover, or a departed loved one. You could even write the letter to a personified concept – perhaps a creative project you’ve been struggling with. As you write your letter, you might release anger, grief, pain, sadness, and regret. Because the letter will never reach who it is addressed to, you do not need to hold back your words or feelings. Unsent letters can be a useful journaling technique when you need answers, closure, to release blocked emotions, or help to process a situation.

Guided Journals & Journal Prompts

Journal prompts are great if you’re unsure how to start with journaling or what you want out of journaling. Good journal prompts can pique interest in particular parts of life, such as building compassion, finding contentment, and identifying goals. There are countless products out there that supply great lists of organized prompts. I’ve found Etsy a great source to find beautiful journals from artists and small creators. However, there are many free resources online. Here’s a collection of our personal favorites. So, grab a prompt from our collection and see what you write as a result.

Conclusion: Journaling Daily Takes Patience

For the longest time, I had an on-again-off-again relationship with journaling. I tried journaling before bed. Eventually, I accepted it did not work for me because I would be too tired to have the discipline to write. I purchased a gratitude journal only to find the prompts did not always satisfy what I needed that day. I tried pocket notebooks, journaling on my laptop, and buying expensive hardcover journals. After trial and error over the years, I finally found a routine that works for me.

Everyone will have a different preference depending on their schedules, what they want to get out of journaling, their environment, and their attention spans. Find the rhythm which works best for you by trying out different journaling styles and at different times of the day. With consistency and patience, journaling can be a useful tool that can help you savor your memories, reduce stress and process emotions, keep track of your dreams and inspirations, and be more self-aware and kind to yourself and those around you, to name a few.

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