Every day for the last year or so, I write in a journal. I have one in each of our vehicles and I have two that I keep in my studio, and a pocket notebook that I carry with me during work. If I’m able to, which most mornings I am, I stick to my routine: Wake up on the first alarm, drink one glass of water, stretch, meditate, have my coffee or energy drink (which lately is the C4 Energy Powder Water Mix - highly recommend), and then write. I also, remember, spend the first two or three hours of my day completely phone free. When I journal, I try to think as little as possible, I try to open my mind all the way up, that’s why I journal after I meditate. It’s not like this blog where there is structure and thematics to the writing. It is just a natural flow of whatever from my brian, to my arm, my hand, and out of my fingers straight into the pen and onto the paper. I have found something incredibly interesting about journaling though, no matter where I start, I almost always end up writing about peace. Being at peace, projecting peace onto those I love, or achieving peace in my day to day life. I believe this is a natural nod from the universe that the very act of journaling itself will bring me those things. The act of writing down whatever my brain and body write will lead to a state of peacefulness. Another thing that I have learned is that I never go back and read what I wrote the day before. Once I am done journaling, I turn the page and the thoughts I wrote on the pages that day will never be read by me again. Just like everything I do, this isn’t intentional, it is just the natural flow of things. I don’t force any of this, it’s just the way that it is. When I am writing, I enter a flow state, and let my brain communicate directly with the muscles in my forearm, hand, and fingers to work together to make the pen move on the paper in a way that shapes words and sentences. It’s like I am taking a backseat and watching myself journal from above or from afar. 

Now I mentioned earlier that I keep a journal in both of our cars and carry one with me at work, why do I do this? I do this because I don’t just journal in the mornings, although that’s where I spend the longest time writing at one time. I also write throughout my day, before I drive to work, and when I arrive at my workplace. I write all day long, wherever I may be. If there is a thought that my brain needs to release, there is a subconscious alarm that goes off deep in my nervous system that tells the rest of my being that I need to write. If I am at work and start feeling the beautiful responsive senses that a human is so lucky to feel such as anxiety, anger, or sadness, I grab my pocket notebook, sit down for a few minutes and write. If my nervous system can sense that I am moving too fast, journaling is a natural stopping point where I can stop, box breathe, and remind myself to slow-max. 

We are all rushing towards one thing and that’s our eventual death. So why rush at all? Slow down.

Everything that you do, each daily action, you should be doing as slowly as possible. Slow-maxxing will change your life, and allow you the space to journal and write. 

I challenge you today to start a journal, you don’t have to do it all day long like me, at least not in the beginning, although as you go, I think you’ll naturally want to. Just start tomorrow by writing for a half hour during your morning routine, or a half hour tonight before bed as a part of your nightly routine. I think you will find a few things when you start journaling: One, that you actually do have the time to write in the first place, you’ll realize how you spent the first thirty, forty, or sixty minutes of every morning doom scrolling on TikTok, or Instagram. Once you are journaling instead, you'll see how much time you actually have in the morning, or before you go to sleep, when you’re not spending it on social media. Two, you will feel the positive effects all throughout your day, you will feel lighter in your upper body, your shoulders will seem weightless because you have released so much tension onto the paper in the morning or evening. 

Journaling will make you feel lighter on your feet and make every other part of your day so much easier, and you will move quicker and with more purpose.