Autumn is a Great time to start a Journal
Matt Young 
With the changing of the seasons comes an excuse to reflect, slow down and take stock. Journaling can be vital for this very exercise.
Autumn Blog
Journaling… I want everyone to give it a go, naturally. Why? Because it has been the one thing that has single-handedly changed my life, for the better.
So how do you get started and when is a good time to start? Well, it’s just like the tree planting analogy. When is a good time to plant a tree? 20 years ago, or today. I want everyone to experience what it’s like to keep a journal. I mostly want men to do it though, as we as a group are the least likely to do this.
Language Barrier
It’s the language that mostly scares men away though. “Keeping a journal”, what does that mean? Is it like one of those diaries that little girls kept, with a pink lacy ribbon around it and a tiny heart-shaped lock, for their deepest secrets? NO!
Equally, if I ask you to write emotionally or to keep a note of your thoughts and feelings, you’d probably want to run a mile too. But in all honesty, that is EXACTLY what I want you to do. You see, men are generally pretty rubbish at talking about how they feel with other people… generally speaking. So, if that is a problem, then writing about it is a solution.
Why Journal though?
“Hey Matt, why do us men NEED to talk about this stuff anyway, I’ve not done it all my life, and I’m fine”. Firstly, is FINE good enough and secondly, how do you know how you’re going to feel unless you give it a go?
It has been scientifically proven that by speaking or writing about those thoughts that you’ve kept to yourself, you WILL feel better. You will feel physically better too, because by writing about those things, you will relieve yourself of stress, and when you do that, your heart rate drops, as does your blood pressure and your white blood cells stop fighting the stress you’re feeling and go back to helping your immune system fight off the diseases that attack it daily.
Processing your Thoughts
Writing about your thoughts not only makes you feel better, but it will also help you make sense of those thoughts. You’ll process things differently by writing about them, rather than if you simply think them over, again and again, in your mind. You can learn from writing, reflect and change your behaviour to help you stop feeling that certain way, again.
It really is life-changing stuff, and all from simply writing about your day, what happened, how it made you feel and possibly how you might change it if that situation raises its head again.
Autumn is THE time
Now, Autumn is here and for me it’s a season of change… as the days grow shorter and the air turns fresher, it can feel like a fresh start. It's a season that invites us to slow down, reflect, and embrace change. Just as trees shed their leaves, we can shed old behaviours which are not beneficial and embrace the opportunity to grow, learn, and live better.
In your journal, you might want to reflect on the year so far and see the progress you’ve made. Some will be delighted, some not so. Both of those groups can learn from this exercise though. Without getting into the nitty gritty of it here, your reflection work can look back over your career this year, relationships, and what work you may or may not have done on yourself.
Journaling can be so much more, but if you ever needed an excuse or even a reason to start, make Autumn it. At this time of the year, we tend to ease back a little. As much as summer is a time to holiday and rest up, it’s often far from relaxing. Airports or campsites can be hectic, but Autumn offers us a reason to get outside and see the changing of the season, reflect on the Spring and Summer and take stock before the cold winter has us in its icy grip.
Be Intentional
I for one, will be Journaling very intentionally this month. I will reflect, I will look forward and I will always be honest with myself and with what I’ve written. This is one of the key elements to Journaling, honesty. But that’s for another blog. Until then, get writing and shed those seasonal leaves… Matt