The pen is mightier than the sword

I’ve been a writer as long as I could remember.

From the time I could actually write well enough to put together stories and jot down my thoughts, I’ve been writing. I wrote little stories in elementary school. I tried song writing in middle school. In my high school years, I seriously thought I was a poet. *insert a hug for 90s emo Gina.*

Even in the years in between then and now when I tried to walk away from it, I’d always end back up here. Writing is in my blood.

Which is why it was no surprise to me when along my healing journey that journaling became the one thing that has made the most impact.

I think it gives the old quote by Edward Bulwer-Lytton “the pen is mightier than the sword” a whole new meaning.

His intention when he wrote it was to show that intellect and reasoning through communication with others were a better way to create change than resorting to violence. Words have a far greater impact.

But I wanna spin it around a bit:
When we are struggling with lots of trauma inside of us, we are literally at war with ourselves.

Choosing to bear a sword in that war would represent pointing outward. Blaming others. Trying to alleviate yourself of any guilt you might have. And sometimes, that is necessary and valid.

But to hold the pen…. that means looking INSIDE yourself, and journaling is the best way to do that. Because no matter what you’ve been through, seeking inside to intentionally choose what you believe.

Taking pen to paper… that’s the key. Journaling is a deep dive into your soul. It’s your own sacred place with your thoughts.

It is the place where you can have a conversation with yourself.

I love journaling in almost all forms, but written journals – that is where the magic of healing happens.

Using pen and paper to physically write things down, we actively engage both sides of the brain to process the thoughts – and that is how we rewire our brains to be what we want them to be.

Writing with a pen and paper also releases trauma – because when we write things down, our brains believe the knowledge is stored elsewhere, therefore it releases the tight grip that intrusive thoughts can sometimes have.

It also gives you something to look back over and see you progress over weeks, months or years later.

Honestly there are a million and one reasons why journaling is so important.

Greatest of all, it is a way we can connect within ourselves.

What are the benefits of journaling?

• Better mental health
• Less anxiety
• Less exterior validation
• Reduces stress
• Helps you reach your goals faster
• Can help with physical health

The world seems to be wrapped up in separating us from our thoughts and emotions with distractions, diversions and chaos.

If we set all of that aside to dig into ourselves, that’s when we tap into our magic.

When we have processed the emotions which creates the impulse to be triggered, we won’t feel the nudge to pick up a sword in the first place.

Journaling really isn’t so hard, but it is often intimidating for beginners, so here are a few tips to help you get started on a regular (aka daily) journaling practice.

Eight tips for journaling beginners

1. Buy yourself a special journal. I know you probably have 10 of them tucked away – and you can grab one of those. If you really intend on making it a daily habit, a new journal is a nice way to be intentional.
2. Pick a spot to journal that’s comfortable. If you can build the habit of doing it in the same spot, after the first couple of weeks it will be routine.
3. Habit stack or replace. When I decided to implement a daily journaling routine, I swapped my morning doom scrolling on Instagram for journaling instead. You could also do it as you have your first cup of coffee.
4. Don’t judge your own journaling. Just write down whatever bubbles up in your mind. No shame, no guilt, no judgment. Thoughts just want a place to land.
5. Not sure how to start at all? Start by asking yourself “Why do I find journaling so hard?” Usually it has something to do with tapping into your emotions. So write that down and ask yourself “Why do I not feel safe doing that?” Just keep asking yourself why and stay curious.
6. Don’t read back through your pages until the journal is full. That way you are moving forward and not digging up things that don’t serve you.
7. Remember to journal the good in life, too. If you only focus on the negative things you need to purge, you will begin to dread journaling. Maintain balance between journaling why you are grateful and the things you need to release.
8. One page is good – three is better – but there is no limit. This morning I journaled 13 pages. Yesterday was 2. Do not limit yourself on how many pages is enough. Just write. Even if you have to start with a post it note.

If you liked this article, you might also like my new ebook Breaking The Curse. I share all the science-backed ways that I healed from trauma to break the curse of living in survival mode to start living my best life.