My Mental clean-up journaling technique for a joy filled life

As a Cognitive behavioural therapist the main thing we learn and work on is how "thoughts create feelings and feelings create actions". 

What ever we think of will create a specic feeling and then we will act on that feeling for example if I jump on the scale and see it went up a few pounds my brain will immediately start creating fear based thoughts (we are human it's our default) and if unchecked they will make me feel down like a failure (you are so fat, here we go again, you can't control yourself with food, etc mean mean things) and then what would I do? Eat a whole packet of oreos giving my brain more evidence and proving it right and that lead me to stay stuck in that cycle... or when I have a dissagreement with someone I used to dig into the Nutella and say it was because they drove me crazy jumping from "A" to "C" but I was skipping the main part of  becomming aware of "B" = what am I telling myself right now? What is the story im running in my head? What are my thoughts about this? What are my "I AM statements" here? 

For example with the few pounds on the scale I can become aware and choose better feeling thoughts like: it's ok, a number doesn't define me, i am grateful I have a body even if it's a bit heavier, I still get to live a beautiful life and im working on learning how to take exquisite care of myself... see the difference? Those thoughts won't send me straight to the oreos and drown in self pitty but encourage me, keep me in a loving and joyful state, and make me feel better.

Our thoughts create our reality because our brain will look for the evidence to prove our thoughts and stories we tell ourselves about that situations or those people to be true. That is why it is so important that we become aware of our thoughts and stories we tell ourselves and become a ruthless editors of them, and remind ourselves that WHAT WE FOCUS ON GROWS! 

If we don't keep our minds on a tight leash it will spiral us into dark places (I know you all know what I mean here) And our mind is very powerful it can give us peace and health or stress and actually make our body sick... 

I know easier said than done, I have been there and I am still working on it too but its all in the practice, it gets easier I promise and it will take time, effort, and it will be painful at times but it is so worth it. I went from giving myself a heart attack where doctors stopped my heart for 6-9 seconds in order to try to control it and the be put on 100+mg of heart medicine to in a matter of 4 years get the medicine lowered to15mg and possibly getting off it compleatelly in a few weeks...  just by learning to be aware of my thoughts, my "I am statements", cleaning up limiting belief and managing my mind. 

Here is my basic "brain clean up" technique, it doesn't have to be in a journal just grab a paper and write (or do it while applying EFT- Emotional Freedom Technique- I can guide you if you would like to learn it) I prefer writing it's proven more effective because just the writing aspect of it helps move us from the "feeling" side of the brain (where things go round and round making us feel worse because we don't find a a way out sinking us deeper into dispair) to the "rational" side of the brain and then after reframing to the "wise"peaceful part of the brain where we feelat peace. I particularly like the journal because I can later go back and see patterns to work on, limiting believes to clean, triggers, etc and how far I have made progress... 

I know it can be scary and I know for some of us it can and will be painful but the only way out is though, invite all your feelings to the table (feel them, breathe your way though) if you don't show up for what pops up it will keep popping up, to get out of the dark you have to turn on the light im order to see and clean what's there... 

You can do this for a specific problem in your life or for when ever you start to feel anxious, stressed, out of sorts, ugh, annoyed, etc. I do both and it has been very helpful with my grief after loosing my sister. I also have the habit of checkin with myself though the day: I just stop wjat ever I am doing, take a deep breath and ask myself "how am I feeling? What am I telling myself right now?"

"Mental Clean- Up"

 write:
1-how am I feeling? (Always 1 feeling)
2- ask "what am  thinking right now?" "What is the story that I am telling myself or thats going through my head?" What are my "I AM statements" write every thought that pops up even if you think they are the crazy or dumb ones and don't judge yourself for thinking what ever it is or judge your thoughts either, just see them with curiosity
3- re-read them and flip each of them around and reframe each one (so i get back to an "I love life, life is pretty amazing" mode no matter whats going on) I normally say a prayer (I beleive in God but just say it to the higher power of your own understanding universe/love/etc) "please help me see this differently or I'm willing to see this differently please help and guide me" before I reframe each statement.
4- focus and write down things you are grateful for
5- deppending on the situation check to see amd write down if there are any actionable steps you can take to ease the overwhelm or create what ever it is you want to create, or how will you embody the person you want to be (how does she/he think, how does she/he feel, what does she/he do...etc)
5- check in with yourself through the day with these steps to get used to catch and be aware of your thoughts

 Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brothers, let your minds be filled with everything that is true, everything that is honourable, everything that is upright and pure, everything that we love and admire -- with whatever is good and praiseworthy."

Hope this helps many of you and share it with your friends and family too, there's a reason CBT has been proven to be more successful in treating anxiety and deppression than medicine 😘 our minds are trully powerful and constantly creating our reality.

Lucy!

Ps.lets chat in the comments, do you journal?  Have you tried something like this? Have you noticed a difference? Or just share your thoughts with me!

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