Donna Hemingway, 4-time former caregiver, is the creator and host of Caregiver Tea Time. In this episode she shares about Journaling and two methods she’s used over the years, “Morning Pages” and “Neurocycles”.
In this episode Donna shares that research studies have found journaling brings emotional and psychological benefits. Her most consistent Journaling was inspired by Julia Cameron and her book The Artist’s Way. From this book, Donna learned how to write Morning Pages.
There was a time when it was difficult for Donna to journal. She found Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book Switch on your Brain and its introduction to “Neurocycles” helpful to add structure to her journaling.
Donna shares a conversation with a young girl named Beatrice she met while journaling one morning at the Ronald Mc Donald house. Beatrice had learned the importance of journaling and wanted to share the message with the world. Donna is so happy to finally be sharing that message with the world in this podcast!
Donna ends her podcast with the cheer: “Here’s to the good things!”
I can't believe I'm at the end of season one of caregiver tea time. I'd have to say recording this podcast has had its emotional ups and downs, but in a totally good way.
I've reached into my Emotional Support Toolbox, and I found my tools were a bit rusty. But I'm so glad I could bring them out,
clean them up, and share them with you.
So now for my final tool of the season, journaling. I'm going to share with you a couple of methods that I've used over the years.
[Music]
When I journal, I like to use a pen or pencil and paper.
For me, there's something special about writing versus typing. But it's important for you to do what feels best for you.
Years ago, I was part of a research study to determine if journaling reduced stress levels in caregivers.
I remember spitting in this little tube so that they could measure the cortisol levels in my saliva.
The assignment was to journal for 20 minutes a day for 30 days, and then they measured the stress hormone levels before and after. Well, I never learned the results of this study, but several other studies have shown that journaling about your thoughts and feelings brings emotional and psychological benefits.
I started journaling long before I was a caregiver. In preparation for this episode, I tracked down a box of my old journals. I was surprised to find a travel journal from 1984.
I had decorated a small spiral notebook by gluing a pretty piece of fabric on the front. Well, today there are so many journals to choose from. I think I could do a tapping session about that!
Well, this little journal started when my future husband and I took off on a two -week cross -country trip from Iowa City to New York City. Our goal was to meet each other's friends and family along the way.
A few days into the trip, I fell in love with this young man. I wrote, "I'm having a wonderful time, and I think Paul is the neatest person I've ever met."
The word "wonderful" was underlined. Well, this trip determined the trajectory of my future, and I thought of it often when I was living in New York City many years later.
My most consistent journaling was inspired by Julia Cameron and her book, The Artist's Way. I found this book at a garage sale. The Artist's Way is a 12 -week course to inspire artists.
But what I liked about it the most was that it introduced me to something called "morning pages." Morning pages allow you to clear your mind so that you can bring your attention to what's coming next in your day.
It's like dumping all the stuff bouncing around your head to make way for constructive and creative thinking. I have the fondest memory of doing morning pages at our old farmhouse.
I sat at a cherry wood desk in front of a big window with a beautiful view of the color changes in the sky as the sun came up. I used unlined copy paper and a blue ink pen.
And when I finished filling up three pages, I put them in a large envelope and then I put that envelope in the drawer and I floated off to start my day.
The thing about morning pages is that you don't have to ever go back and read them again. They've done their job and served their purpose as you write. I was the most consistent about doing morning pages when the night before I I opened the desk and set out sheets of paper along with my favorite pen.
I would fall asleep with the intention of getting up, making my cup of tea, and writing those three pages before doing anything else.
I also remember a time when it was difficult for me to journal.
I felt overwhelmed and my mind felt blank. It was almost like my brain had turned off. One day, at a local cafe, I found an interesting self -help book on one of those swiveling displays.
It was called "Switch On Your Brain" by Dr. Caroline Leaf. Well, it sounded like something to try, so I brought the book home. I learned that Dr. Leaf is a neuroscientist and she developed a process called the NeuroCycle.
She studied the brain extensively in order to help people get to the root of their toxic thinking in order to transform their thoughts into healthy ones. Well, that sounded good to me.
And at that time, Neurocycling gave structure to my journaling. Here's a brief overview of the Neurocycle. It has five steps.
Number one, gather your awareness of a toxic thought.
Number two, reflect on it.
Number three, write about it.
Number four, reread what you've written and edit to summarize.
Number five, create a statement or action to help you throughout the day.
Well, this is a very simplified explanation, but Dr. Leaf has created an app called NeuroCycle that walks you through the details.
I like the description she gave of step one. Pretend you're behind a camera in a big sports arena searching the audience for one person to focus on and put their face on the Jumbotron.
But instead of being a person you're looking for, it's a toxic thought. You're searching your brain to find one you want to change and you want to put it up on a jumbotron so you can get a closer look at it.
Well, your toxic thought might be something about your relationships or your finances or maybe your health, whatever is forefront in your mind. An example is, "my relationships are a mess!"
And after reflecting on it, you write about your behaviors related to that thought. It might be something like, "I can't tell people how I feel." After you have reread and edited what you've written,
you could decide on an action you can take. And that might be, "I'm going to tell someone how I feel today." And it can be something simple like,
"I feel like my allergies are acting up," or telling a friend that you like their shirt. It doesn't have to be life -changing, but you keep working on it. I think the NeuroCycle process has been very helpful for me.
I was doing NeuroCycles when my son and I stayed at the Ronald McDonald House for his treatment. And I want to share one of my memories from journaling there.
I usually woke up before my son and I would go downstairs to an empty dining room in the early morning hours. I like to sit at the table next to this large poster with a picture of a beach.
It was filled with colorful beach umbrellas and blankets and a bright blue ocean with white foamy waves that were washing up on the shore. I would FaceTime my friends from there.
I'd send a text that I was heading to the beach and I would give them a call. This is also where I would journal and spend time alone.
This particular morning, I had been sitting at the table for a while, writing and sipping my tea. A pretty young girl with dark hair and pale skin came into the room with her mother. The little girl stopped at my table.
"Are you journaling?" she asked. I told her, "Well, yes I am, and I try to do it every morning." I found out her name was Beatrice and she was nine years old. "That's wonderful," she said.
"It's good to write down your mistakes and let them go. Just send them to the Book of Mysteries," she said. "Journaling is important. We need to spread the word."
I was so touched by what she said and her sincerity and I'll never forget it.
So well, Beatrice, I'm Spreading the Word!
As always, you can find links to more information about these journaling methods at Caregiverteatime.com.
I'm amazed to find that we're at the end of Season 1, Let's get it together!
Over these four episodes, I've shared my experiences with emotional brain training,
emotional freedom technique, cognitive behavior therapy, and journaling. I'm looking forward to working on season two. It will be called "Let's Get Physical," and I'll talk about eating,
breathing, sleeping, and staying active.
And speaking of staying active, have you ever seen someone walking with two walking poles? I was recently hiking with a friend who told me they make her feel more secure so she can look up instead of looking at her feet as she walks along the trail.
As I thought about it, I realized that this is what I wanted the Tools of Season 1 to be like for you, Walking Poles. Tools that support you so that you don't have to be looking down to feel safe.
You can look up and enjoy the good things along the way. Which brings me to our cheer.
Let's raise our cups and say, "Here's to the good things."
One, two, three. "Here's to the good things!" Cheers!
Nothing but the good things in this world living in my heart Nothing but the good things,
nothing but the good things In this world living in my heart Living in my heart "Living in my heart"
Caregiver Tea Time was recorded at The Koop Studio,
Irvington, New York, engineered by Sammy Wags and produced by Bianca Grooves.