Write your way to a fit body and mind

Jottings, doodles and Journalling to keep your body and mind fit

When consulting as a physiotherapist or working with my yoga and Pilates clients at beyogalates, I strongly encourage journaling as a way to set goals, celebrate the little Achievements along the way, to vent frustration, set healthy habits, create positive change. I encourage my beyogalates clients to use a journal to monitor their pain or injury and to note the changes after treatment, exercise, sleep etc. it’s a truely effective way to further understand your body, mind and habits…

To doodle or not to doodle… that is the question! When you were a child, you might have kept a diary hidden under your pillow. I fondly recall my pink butterfly diary with a gold lock! It was a place to confess struggles and fears without judgment or punishment. It felt good to get all of those thoughts and feelings out of my head and down on paper. The world seemed clearer. You may have stopped using a diary once you reached adulthood. But the concept and its benefits still apply. Now it’s called journaling.

I say to my yogalates clients, ‘Journalling is simply writing down your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly.’ If you struggle with stress, depression, or anxiety, keeping a journal is a great idea. It can help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health. Writing in an idea journal is a form of meditation. The process of meditation by itself helps to make you smarter by reducing stress, finding clarity of thought and improving brain function. In an idea journal, you’re also getting the benefit of motivation, which further reduces your stress.

Both myself and my yogalates clients agree….Juggling career, parenting, managing injury or the effects of ageing, fitting in a yoga and Pilates class, hitting the gym, eating well… it’s a lot to juggle! A journal helps you create order when your world feels like it’s in chaos. You get to know yourself by revealing your most private fears, thoughts, and feelings. It’s also a way to reinforce the things that matter to you, the things that make you feel good, allow you to grow and flourish.

For me, journaling after I’ve had a ‘small win’ which may be how invigorated I feel after a yogalates class or swim, how grateful I feel after treating and nurturing patients, how satisfied I am after a healthy meal or how empowered I feel after listening to a great TED talk… writing about my feelings at the moments creates a positive reinforcement loop to do it again… creating good habits.

As you write over time, those ideas turn into goals. Once you get into the routine, you’ll find that, Journaling helps control your emotions and improve your mood by:

1. Helping you prioritise problems, fears, and concerns
2. Tracking any symptoms day-to-day so that you can recognise triggers and learn ways to better control them
3. Providing an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and behaviours

I tell my clients after each yoga and pilates class, “Journaling keeps your brain fit!! “ Not only does it boost memory and comprehension, it also increases working memory capacity, which may reflect improved function, cognitive processing and prioritisation… we all need that!

So, how do you get started?

I’d like to share a few tips I use with my beyogalates clients and patients to get them started.

• Set aside a few minutes every day to write. This will help you to write in your journal regularly.
• Make it easy. Keep a pen and paper handy at all times. Then when you want to write down your thoughts, you can. You can also keep a journal in a computer file.
• Write, doodle, draw whatever feels right. Your journal doesn’t need to follow any certain structure. It’s your own private place to discuss whatever you want. Let the words flow freely. Don’t worry about spelling mistakes or what other people might think.
• Use your journal your way.. to vent, show gratitude, fantasise…You don’t have to share your journal with anyone. If you do want to share some of your thoughts with trusted friends and loved ones, you could show them parts of your journal.
• Write 3 new things to be grateful for each day. Must be different each day… and the challenge is can you think about why?
  For example:…I am grateful for Yogalates…I am grateful for my morning coffee… {insert your own}

10 ideas of Things You may want to add to Your Journal Right Now

1. daily events.
2. Celebrate your wins.
3. Break your goals down into to-do lists.
4. Collect quotes and affirmations.
5. Make a list of things you love.
6. Make a ‘let it go’ list.
7. Write down questions for yourself.
8. Make lists of people to call.
9. Make a ‘ to don’t’ list of actions and thoughts that are holding you back from being the best version of you.
10. Write in a place that’s relaxing and soothing, maybe with a cup of tea. Look forward to your journaling time. And know that you’re doing something good for your mind and body.

Journaling daily is the most potent and powerful keystone habit you can acquire. Perhaps after a yogalates class or walk. If done correctly, you will show up better in every area of your life — every area! Without question, journaling has by far been the number one factor to everything I’ve done well…

Grab pen and paper and get started’

See you on the mat,

Lisa x