The power of journal writing

Do you ever overpack?

When it comes to travel do you pack light or are you like me where going away for a weekend can often look like I’ll be taking up a new residence for at least 3 months. Just-in-case is a weakness of mine and because of it, I have entered into a wrestling match with overflowing travel bags way too many times. Of course, with the best intentions of using every single thing I pack, I still end up wearing a fraction of the clothes that I end up lugging around.

In trying a different travel approach, I once welcomed the culling expertise of my friend Jessie. She has a talent for knowing what she needs and can travel to Bali taking only a large handbag. The night before my trip to South America, I knew I was in safe hands when Jessie came over. Grateful for her keen eye and matter of fact approach, she helped me thin out my bag so that I could travel lighter. First, we unpacked everything I had been planning to take, took a good look at it all and then decided on the essentials before repacking.

Although I might not always get it right, my friend’s approach has stayed with me. To travel lighter, I need to see what I’ve got, even if it means unpacking things first. Doing that gives me the chance to pause and reflect on what I need, as well as what I actually want to carry instead of mindlessly lugging things around.

This is what journaling is for your mind. Stresses and worries can weigh you down and hold you back more than you realise. Instead of trying to think your way through everything, there are effective ways to put your worries down. Journaling is an incredible tool for unpacking and taking the weight off your mind. It gives you the chance to ‘lay everything on the table’. Once you’ve sorted through what’s in front of you, with clarity, you get to choose what you discard and what you want to actually carry with you in a way that brings you more balance, lightness, creative solutions and growth. Empowered with your self-discoveries, you’ll keep freeing yourself up to travel lighter and have more fun in your day-to-day life.

Author

Ingrid Jones is a journal writing facilitator and life coach at Journal With Ingrid. She has a unique approach to journal writing. She’s the creator of a guided framework that takes the thinking out of how to journal and guides individuals, groups and organisations to reduce stress, gain clarity and be empowered by their insights to make gentle shifts and changes. Try out her step-by-step journal writing framework by going to her website and registering for a free journal taster session.

(Amended) Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Unsplash