As part of Coaching Week, I participated in a class on using journaling in coaching with an expert named Lynda Monk, who is part of the International Association for Journal Writing.

We began with an exercise she called a “journaling sprint”. Beginning with a few deep breaths, Lynda asked us to write for 2 minutes using the prompt “Right now I notice….” or “Right now I feel…”.

This is what I wrote - “Right now I feel scattered there is a lot going on and things keep popping up like my phone not sending or receiving pictures. Also trying to get the shopping lists done, the van ready to sell, and B’s birthday, and not sure how K is doing on Kilimanjaro. Also fighting this migraine and fatigue.” Notice I did not care about proper writing rules haha!

So what is transformational journaling, also known as therapeutic journaling? Lynda shared this definition: “It is writing with a conscious intent and deliberate attempt to produce change, healing, and growth” She also called it “writing for wellness”.