Strong & Vital, Pt. X - Illuminating Your Path with the Practice of Journaling

For many of us, particularly in the midst of a demanding career and personal life transitions, gaining clarity on "what's next" feels more crucial than ever. What if a simple, accessible practice could illuminate your path forward, helping you process information, pinpoint desires, and map out your next steps with confidence?

Today, we'll explore how a powerful tool that can help you sort through the whirlwind of thoughts, feelings, and decisions that come with navigating life’s rich complexities and exciting possibilities: journaling.

The essence of journaling is an intentional way of focusing your attention, leading to greater awareness, insight and inner harmony. It’s not about merely recording the events of the day; it’s a dynamic practice of active introspection, reflection, and discovery.

Strong & Vital, Pt. IX - Finding Stillness in the Practice of Contemplation

I invite you to take a deep breath…

That’s all it takes to turn your attention inward – one moment of presence.

It’s no secret that our world and lives can feel chaotic. But I've noticed a growing desire in my clients and students for genuine moments of pause. As they journey through the complexities of midlife, the yearning for inner peace, deeper insight, and a sense of spiritual connection has never been more palpable.

In this article, we’ll focus on one of the most foundational and accessible of these practices: contemplation.

Why We Practice

I recently read a story about a series of journals a mother left her daughter, all of which were blank. The book, which is titled When Women Were Birds by Terry Tempest Williams, is a reconciliation of this experience and her mother’s death, along with an exploration of what it means to have a voice, what suppresses it, and what's left in the wake of its void.

About halfway through, I closed the book and felt intense gratitude for the dozens, maybe hundreds – I've never counted – of notebooks that I've filled over the last 30 plus years in a way I never appreciated before. I've always had the impulse to write, but never paused to consider why.

And in that moment, I realized it didn't matter what happened to those notebooks. It was the act of writing, the process, the practice, the ritual of picking up a pen and expressing my unique view, if only to myself. It has led me on a well-documented path of self-discovery and growth.

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