The last 2 weeks of the reset challenge have been about giving your thinking mind a break and love to your body.
In times of stress or great change, our minds go into overdrive, worrying about what will happen next and this causes our bodies to go into fight or flight mode.
Our hypothalamus kicks into overdrive, triggering the production of adrenalin via the sympathetic nervous system and cortisol via the bloodstream.
The result is increased heart rate and blood pressure, tension in the body and much more.
Perhaps you have noticed that you have been more tense than usual, or are having trouble sleeping. This is your stress reaction kicking into overdrive.
Hence why the first 2 weeks of this challenge have been about relaxation and finding time to breathe and care for yourself.
Both conscious breathing and caring for your body help to calm the central nervous system, reducing stress and at times like these, they are essential tools in your body’s battle.
This week we are stepping it up a notch and really getting under the skin, so to speak, of the cause of this stress and anxiety and working to overcome it.
The benefits of journalling
If you read my very first post about why I started this project, you will know that journaling has helped me through the most difficult times in my life.
Without the help of a professional counseller, it was the only way I could work through the often manic thoughts in my head (remember Janice?).
Writing my daily thoughts in a journal really helped me to make sense of it all and find a way out of total confusion.
I don’t use my journal every day anymore but I still use it when I need to work through something.
I’ve used it to define my personal values and beliefs, to work through anger I felt towards other people, to question the decisions I’ve made and to make sense of general pain.
Journaling is a great way to connect with yourself and to become more aware of your emotions. It can also help to define your purpose if you are struggling with that.
Journalling with gratitude
In my deepest moments, listing 3 things I was grateful for every day really made a difference.
Sometime I wrote the same thing every day:
- Toby, my amazing husband for supporting me, even when I’m crazy
- My house, for giving me a sanctuary away from the world
- Storm (my dog), for always loving me and making me laugh
The 3 things keeping me safe and helping me with my sanity.
Later it developed into others and the world around me. When you look around, there really is so much we can be grateful for.
Even when there are a lot of terrible things, if you look hard enough, there is something good.
And the more you look for the good, the more you will see it.
Give it a try this week and see if I’m wrong!
How to start
Journalling is extremely easy to start.
Just get any piece of paper or notebook and a pen and start writing.
Write whatever is on your mind – it doesn’t even have to make sense.
If you feel stuck on how to start, ask yourself questions like;
- How do I feel about this situation
- What emotions am I experiencing
- List the important things in your life
Over time you can work to go deeper with yourself with questions like:
- What are my beliefs and values
- What are my strengths and weaknesses
Even if you think you know these things, it’s good to define them again and remind yourself about who you are and what’s important to you.
Check out this quiz to help define what’s important in your life.
I literally use my journal to talk to myself about my life and process whatever comes up, to plan for the future, to rant about the past and to just be.
Reset Challenge – Week 3.
Your challenge this week is to take 10 minutes each day to write in a journal.
It could be at the start or the end of your day, when you do it doesn’t matter.
What matters is that you take a moment to start a conversation with yourself and create a deeper bond with your emotions.
Just try it and see how you go.
Good luck and see you next week!
