Theme Journal: Common Thread

When writing your journal look for a theme. Identify a common thread that
runs throughout your writing. That common thread may be linked to how
you move in the world, what your like in a particular relationship, or a
physical response to your life. When we take the time to identify a
pattern we can make a conscious choice to change what it is that we
don't like, or what we want to create instead. This is one of the many
benefits of rereading your journal, or creating a new one. You may also
see how a certain way of being in the world serves and doesn't serve
you.

Let me give you an example of an observation I made during this five
month journal. In five months time I experienced these major events.
Completed a ten-day intensive workshop where I discovered how contracted
my body was, my daughter fell off a balcony and was hospitalized, got
an offer on my house, made extensive and expensive repairs to sell it,
sold the house (barely), bought a new condo, moved, set up a new home,
moved two adult children out on their own (financially), took two new
classes at the college which I received an A & B in, added hours at
work, dated a new guy, had a daughter graduate from school and threw a
party, son moved back home, youngest brother was hit by a car while
walking and was in intensive-care in Florida, made a trip out to see
him, daughter moved back home, son moved out, read the book Do What You
Love and the Money Will Follow by Marsha Sinatar, several times, and
daughter moved out, again. Some might say, I'm energetic, some others
might say, I'm type A personality, and yet some others might say I'm
crazy, dysfunctional, or hard driven. Perhaps, I'm simply an energetic
character!
This is what I noticed all throughout my writings... "I'm tired", "I'm exhausted", "my feet hurt", "my legs hurt", and "I'm in pain". I have no
doubt that I am go getter. And when something has to be done, I'll do
it. I know I am a capable woman with a heart of gold. Although, in life
there are things beyond our control like other people having accidents,
and when our house does and does not sell. However, we do have control
over things like saying "no" to things we don't want to do, or striving
to make good grades. Our bodies are our barometers, they will tell us
what we need if we listen. It took me a long time to listen to my body. I
finally chose to love myself enough to slow down and listen. I now have
more energy than ever as a result.

Want to know a pattern that you have developed? Simply reread your
journals, jot down repeated behaviors, or repeated words. If your
starting out journaling, this can work as well. After writing each page
look for a common thread, then broaden your observation by rereading an
entire journal you wrote. Change doesn't always come easy. However, once
you openly acknowledge the problem, change is easier. With awareness we
can make breakthroughs. After you assess your theme chose something
that will reinforce the change. Example: I will do one major change a
year. I will let go of the things that I have no control over. I will
listen to my body. I will love myself enough to say, "no" to things I
don't really want to do and say, "Yes" to the things I do love to do.
And I will change my inner dialogue to... I AM ENERGETIC!!