Journaling and meditation are two practices that can serve as the cornerstones of your self-care regimen. But they can also help you get in touch with who you are and what you want.

I love journaling. In fact, I may be obsessed with it. Like most folks, I kept a diary when I was younger filled with teen angst. But as I grew older, I realized journaling could be used for so much more than ranting and raving. Journaling is my superpower!

Meditation — not so much!

For years, I declared that meditation was just not my thing. I couldn’t sit still in silence and just breathe. My mind is too messy for that!

But my friends who meditate daily assured me that the practice offered the same benefits I found in journaling.

Yes, journaling helps me unload my emotions, but it also helps me better understand myself and the world around me. I get clear on where I stand on things. I journal about my goals and how I plan to achieve them. My confidence grows when I journal. And journaling also helps me to relax.

Could meditation help me do all of these things too?

I decided to give guided meditations a try. That way I didn’t have to just sit in silence. I figured the soothing voice of the person leading the meditation could help me steady my breathing and quiet my thoughts.

And it worked!

I’m not as consistent with meditation as I am with journaling. (I journal pretty much every day.) But I’m getting there.

Along the way, I’ve realized that meditation is a great companion to journaling.

Combining Your Journaling and Meditation Practices

Both journaling and meditation have a host of science-backed benefits including reducing stress and blood pressure, improving sleep quality at night and alertness during the day, and helping you better manage your emotions and anxiety.

So, imagine the benefits if you combined these two practices!

The easiest way to combine journaling and meditation is to keep a meditation journal.  

To do so, simply journal before and after your meditation session. Before you meditate you can use your journal to do a brain dump to help clear your mind. You could also set an intention for your meditation session but be sure to remain open to whatever arises in your session.

After you meditate, you’ll journal again.

In your journal, you can make note of the following:

–   Date and time of the session

–   Location of the session

–   Type of meditation practice

–   How you were feeling (physically, mentally, and emotionally) before and after the session

–   Revelations and realizations

–   Insights and ideas

–   Other observations

Journaling as Meditation

If you’re a fan of journaling but you’re still not quite convinced meditation is for you, consider how journaling can be a form of meditation.

Before you begin journaling, take three deep breaths.

Next, allow yourself to free write to a simple prompt. Here’s one to try: How do you feel right now and why?

You can write until you fill three pages or set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes.

After you journal, close your eyes and take three deep breaths again.

If you would like, you can also read over your journal entry and even read it aloud if doing so will help you get the clarity you seek.

For a wellness routine that will promote self-discovery and self-care, pair meditation and journaling and watch the magic happen!

Check out these posts for journaling prompts. 

Upcoming Journaling and Meditation Workshop

Whether you’ve been journaling and meditating for years or you want to try both practices but don’t know how to start, you don’t want to miss the See Jane Write journaling and meditation workshop with Raven Holloway of Wellness Worx.

Raven is a certified yoga and meditation coach who will be leading us through a series of guided meditations. And I’ll be there to lead you through some journaling exercises before and after we meditate. You’ll get a See Jane Write journal too!

The workshop is set for Saturday, January 21 at 2 p.m. CT at Wellness Worx. Get your tickets here.