Hiya Gorgeous,

Journaling is a powerful tool at the center of my spiritual practice.

Like juicing, eating kale and loving animals, journaling makes me a healthier person. Today I want to share what my journaling practice does for me, because I think it can do a lot for you too.

You don’t have to be a professional writer to benefit from a regular journaling practice. You don’t have to believe you’re creative or talented either. Who cares about skill? I still misuse a semicolon.

All you need to do is show up and explore (and some good journal prompts can be super helpful, so I’m sharing some of my faves today—keep reading!). Trust me, if you do it enough, it will change the way you connect with yourself and others. And if you pay attention to the patterns in your writing, it will teach you a lot about your habits and beliefs, not to mention your goals. In fact, this one simple practice is the #1 way I’ve hit every major goal I have ever achieved. From being on The Oprah Winfrey Show, to becoming a New York Times bestselling author, to building an extraordinary marriage and supporting my own health as a cancer thriver.

Personally, I journal to connect with my soul.

I write what I need to say. I tell the truth and often let my inner guidance system take the wheel. But most of all, I write to get to know myself at the deepest level—to better understand what I want, how I want to feel, and what’s troubling (or exciting) me.

If I’m struggling with something, I turn to the page. When I’ve got an observation or a great memory I don’t want to lose, I spend a luxurious amount of time jotting it down and musing on my feelings about it. This definitely helps when I’m mining stories for a project (my brain doesn’t hold as much as it use to—thankfully my journals hold it all). But it also helps me feel more capable of working out my own issues and problems, of connecting with my wise higher self, rather than relying on too much external feedback and conflicting opinions.

I find it useful to ask myself questions and then scribble answers or walk around the room mumbling until I know what I want to say. Yes, I become that crazy lady (with awesome cats or in my case—dogs) who talks to herself and gestures.

Psst! Journaling has been a game changer for me when it comes to dealing with stress. So much so that I even created my own Results Journal to share the exact system I’ve used for years. I credit it with reaching all my biggest successes—building a thriving business, being one of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100 and growing the beautiful relationship I have with my husband, Brian. Want to dip your toe into the magic as well? Grab your copy below!

Here are a few of the journal prompts I turn to when I need inspiration.

Choose the journal prompts that speak to you and write them down in the front of your journal. Pick one to explore several mornings per week. I promise you’ll uncover some interesting shizzle.

• How are you feeling?
• What could make this day even better?
• What does your body say about this idea or decision?
• What are you grateful for?
• What’s not working?
• What lessons can you learn from this?
• What’s your intention for the day?

Learn from your journaling but don’t censor or judge it.

You may not always like what you see, but guess what? You’re not supposed to present your perfect self in your personal pages. We often imagine someone looking over our shoulder, so we’re careful. We don’t write about sex or that weird kink we have about crumbs. We think that historians will be looking back on our lives crafting a special for PBS, so we’re “appropriate.” Forget the historians and be yourself! Doing so will connect you to your authentic power and that’s when life gets really juicy. Doors open. Dreams come true. Love blossoms… and so on.

If it makes you feel safer, lock up your journals. Buy chains and razor wire. Do whatever it takes to be real. Because your writing (soul) craves truth. And sometimes the real you will go through some stinky ass shit. That’s normal! Life isn’t meant to exist in a narrow color spectrum of perpetual happiness. That’s a movie. It’s not reality. Experience all your vivid, fiery, watery emotions. Give yourself permission to be full bodied. You’re peeling. Revealing. It’s a messy, magnificent process. So don’t be narrow or mean. No judgy editors allowed!

Show up and write (use the journal prompts!). Then do that again and again. Got it? Fabulous!

Now it’s your turn. Go write something!

I love you!

Peace & pens,