How to practise: Mindfulness Journaling

Mindfulness journaling - another favourite journal practise of mine. 

I started off using this as a technique to manage moments of anxiety, which allowed me to slow my mind and bring me back to the present moment. Nowadays, I'd say I more commonly use this as a way to capture moments that I want to remember. Why? Because I have found that taking the time to slow down and tune into my surroundings captures a memory far more vivid than a picture ever could. 

 

No pen near by? No worries! It works just as well if you take a moment to pause and say it in your mind. Why not give it a go for yourself, and take note of how introducing mindfulness during your day helps you to feel more present. 

 

Below is an example of how I used this technique to remember a favourite moment of mine on a recent trip away in the Northern Territory. 

 

Alice Springs Botanical Gardens | 6th September, 2021

 

I am sitting on a rock on the top of a hill at the Alice Springs botanical gardens as I write this. The view is surprisingly beautiful. I can see the whole town from up here, surrounded by the backdrop of the MacDonnell Ranges. I can see orange boulders, red dirt, and native shrubs swaying in the breeze. The sky is blue, not a cloud in sight. I am listening to my favourite lo-fi playlist, although I can faintly hear the sound of trees rustling in the wind, a plane flying overhead somewhere in the distance, and cards driving within the streets below. The breeze is cool, yet the sun feel warm on my skin. I can feel my hair gently floating in the wind, my feet on the solid rock below them, and the pages of my notebook hitting my hand as they move with the wind while I write this. I can smell nothing other than fresh air, and the lingering smell of freshly applied sunscreen on my skin. I can taste the last sip of kombucha I just drank. In this moment, I feel present.