Capturing YOU

Journaling insights into self-discovery

When was the last time you shone the light on YOU?

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How are you feeling today?

Are you ready to embrace the final weekend of 2023?  

I’m certainly not in the party mood. I’m quite happy doing my thing, walking the ridgebacks, making a bacon sarnie, usual cleaning after dogs, teen and man child. Then the day will wiz by.  Is this what Twixmas is all about? I’m actually looking forward to my ‘Hygge’ hour, where I opt to cosy up on the sofa with my book, blanket and baileys fuelled coffee. So very rock n roll!

As I step closer to 31.12.2023, the air seems to be buzzing with societal pressure to set resolutions, chart grand ambitions and craft intricate plans.  Yet, away from the flurry of expectation, I want to just ‘pause for thought’. I love to take a moment to step back and embrace the simplicity of just being.

Everywhere I look, I seem to be encouraged to nudge towards perpetual growth but sometimes the greatest progress emerges from understanding and accepting oneself. As I was thinking about what to write on Substack today, I thought about how to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the weight of setting goals, but instead lean into the practice of getting to know myself.

I have the perfect therapeutic journaling techniques for this.  

Simple yet profound practices that invite us to unravel the enigma of ‘you’.

These aren’t blueprints for elaborate goals or intricate plans.  But more an exercise to help us to explore the depths of our being and help us to carve out space for self-awareness.

Would you care to join me?

Firstly, we’ll embark on the ‘Try To Describe You’ exercise.  Often we have a negative perception of ourselves and fail to see the positives others do. Start by writing a list of all the words you would use to describe yourself and then ask a loved one to write a list of the words they would use to describe you.  Take a look at both lists and notice the similarities and the differences.  Now write in your journal about anything on the lists that surprise you and why.

Next, we’ll peel back the layers to identify our core values, like a compass guiding us through the web of life. Our core values are the things that are most important to us. They can act as a sign post, helping us to stay on track and help us make decisions. Start by writing a long list of your core values - such as kindness, creativity, joy or connection.  Then try and narrow this list down and highlight your top 3 core values.  Now journal for the next 5minutes about why these are important to you. Then consider how you can bring these values more into your life during 2024.

And finally, we’ll harness the evocative power of a photograph.  A few of you have been interacting with me about whether to post more photographs on Substack - hell yeah! I’m a huge fan of combining photographs with words. In my humble opinion a photograph is a snapshot that encapsulates emotions, memories and revelations. Long live the photograph! 

Using a visual prompt can help you tap in to your subconscious and reveal things about yourself and your life you might not be aware of. Try using an old photo of yourself and write about what comes up for you.  What are your memories of this time?  How would you describe the mood of the photo? Do you remember what was happening behind the scenes?

I hope you can find some time now or later to journal using the above techniques, it’s one way for you to cast away the societal rush and revel in the present. It’s a great exercise to unravel the mysteries of ‘YOU’.  

Until the next time

Take care and stay safe xx