Avoid Quicksand Journaling
I’ve mentioned in at least one past post how easy it is sometimes to let our journals become overly negative, and I seem to recall likening it to quicksand, the kind of journaling where all we do is complain or write about the negatives in our lives. I think this is a common pit to fall into. I know it can happen to me. It begins as catharsis, which can be beneficial, to a point. But it can go too far. That’s why it’s important sometimes to bump ourselves out of that with more variety in how we journal, to include some reflection, gratitude, or self-questioning. It’s helpful to remind oneself of those bright points in life that are easy to forget.
Negativity Bias
Ryder Carroll posted a video about this very topic, and he has some wise and sensible suggestions to incorporate into the journaling process, which should be helpful whether or not one uses a bullet journal as their journal form of choice. As he points out, there’s no such thing as a positive bias, so negative bias, when it becomes a problem, is something we need to pay attention to and act to overcome. I would add that being cheerily in denial of our problems isn’t the answer. What helps is to be as balanced as we can and to keep the bright points in life visible and in perspective. Because they are there. Even the saddest life has its bright points, and as he points out, sometimes just asking for help is a victory.
The Happiness Quotient
I’m reminded again of Marion Milner’s original journal question, mentioned in A Life of One’s Own, about what made her happy each day. It’s a helpful practice, even if it’s only once a week, as Ryder points out, because sometimes demanding something of oneself daily just becomes an empty chore. But there is usually something that’s happened in the past week that is helpful to reflect upon and gain insight from, and most importantly to help remember that life isn’t all about problems. It can even bring greater future satisfaction, if we’re able to see a pattern in the kinds of things that make us happy. Sometimes we can fail to notice them, or quickly forget their effect. But maybe that particular action, thought, or process tends to give you a lift each time you engage in it, and maybe that’s worth nurturing as part of your life. That’s also a good reason to reread journals and find out what we were grateful for, what made us happy, and what gave us those lifts.