Alexandra Johnson shares how decades of journaling connects her to her authentic self and builds self-trust. She uses free-writing and prompts, but emphasizes the real goal is self-connection, which you can also reach through meditation, movement, gardening, or walking. Pair any practice with an intention and notice what arises.
Chapters
So a lot of people ask me about journaling. I have been journaling for decades. I love journaling, and one of the reasons that I love journaling is because it connects me to my authentic self. I end up having so much more clarity. I trust myself more. It's like, it's almost like having a personal therapist, counselor. I just check in with my inner goddess and I free write. I just write. I have journal prompts. I just keep going until I feel like I've hit something. And a lot of women are like, "I don't really like to journal," which is totally fine. You do not have to journal. The main purpose of journaling is to connect to your authentic self. If you do that in a different way, then you do you and rock it. For me, sometimes, like I'm working out right now, right? I got my weighted vest, going barefoot, getting some grounding, getting some sunshine. I have had some of the most spiritual experiences out here, whether it was just going for a walk, whether it was sprinting on the trail. There is just this deep connection with myself that I feel is equal to journaling. Some of you may find it in gardening, some of you it's meditation, some of you it's like a long bike ride. The— something that I do is have, like, a journal prompt if I want some clarity on something. If I want to use a movement practice or a meditation practice for a way to reconnect with my authentic self and get some clarity about who I am, what I'm becoming, what I want to remember, what I want to create, etc., then I have a journal prompt, I set the intention, and I let it go. I do the meditation practice, I do the workout, and I see what comes up. Sometimes something is profound, sometimes it's not, but it's the practice of showing up for yourself and finding ways for you to connect to yourself. So that is my thoughts on journaling. Find ways, maybe just experiment with journaling if you've never done it. You can then decide if you want to do it or not. I always say just test it out, see how it feels. If it's not for you, keep experimenting to see what practices keep you grounded and glowing.
