Journaling Prompts for Mental Health and Introspection This Winter
There is a point in the grieving process when they say you need to absolutely crumble to pieces and let everything come crashing down. In May I landed very quickly on my feet and was seemingly onto my next adventure. Before I knew it, I was dating again, having a good time and watching myself expand into a new place of confidence.
But what happens when all of the external things that brought you confidence are stripped away? You are brought back to your center. Sometimes you have to burn everything down completely in order to find the solid core of what exists and what wants to exist; releasing everything that no longer has significance.
This winter has been about me shedding all the remaining layers of grief around losing my dad, losing my partner, losing the family farm as it once was, and underneath all of that shedding a need for external validation and approval and coming home to myself. Surrendering to the present moment, realizing that I am enough and I’ve always been enough, but it doesn’t always feel that way.
Sometimes we have to become naked with life, completely vulnerable and surrendered in order to realize our own strength and accomplishment, in merely surviving all the heartache that we maneuver throughout our time here on earth.
Yin Yoga is a specific type of yoga that targets the release of deep connective tissue, myofascial and an overall gentle “melting” into the body. The goal is to stretch and lengthen the muscles and tissues by holding poses, or “asanas” for a longer period or time. Because a lot of holding and sitting is going on, yin tends to be inwardly difficult. Sitting still is typically our most challenging task, especially when the mind is running a mile a minute. During a yin yoga class, students have the opportunity to create space to tune into the mind and body by sitting and breathing through physical discomfort and unruly thoughts.
When we face stillness in these positions we are actually training the muscles and the nervous system to go back to their original state of relaxation, not constriction. Isn’t it funny that we learn to constrict? We learn to hold stress. Our bodies and minds and spirits aren’t naturally meant for it though.
In my opinion winter is the yin yoga season of our souls; a time to unlearn stress, accomplishment, and achievement and simply let go so we can focus on that blissful state of present awareness.
Journaling prompts for grief, introspection and releasing and what no longer serves you this winter
Here are a few journaling prompts for you to consider in this current season…
What is feeling uncomfortable, like it no longer fits just right? Is this something that you need to let go of? This could be a physical item, a relationship, a routine or habit, or anything else that comes to mind.
When you think about the fact that you have learned to pick up stress and constriction throughout your life, what comes to mind? How can you take steps to unlearn this physical and mental conditioning?
What do you want to let go of between now and the end of the year? How will this make you feel? What will be the longer term benefits for you?
Is stillness threatening for you? Try taking deep breaths through moments of discomfort. Allow the pain to move through your body as you retrain your nervous system to relax, release and just be.