I truly believe that each of us has all the answers we need inside of us but how do we access that? If I was to sit down and try to access my “wisdom” all I’d hear would be thoughts, so I have a few tricks that help me side-step my overthinky brain and tap into the part of me that’s far wiser than the face I show the world. It starts with a piece of paper and a pen.
Without a doubt journaling is one of the fastest ways to get to know who you are on the inside. You can use paint and collage, write gratitude lists, use prompts and keep five-year diaries — and all of that is fantastic — but the method I return to again and again is the simple act of writing stuff down, stream-of-consciousness style, in a notebook. I write the date at the top of the page and then scribble down whatever is on my mind. It might end up being three pages of hormone-fuelled angst or a paragraph outlining an idea that came to me over breakfast. I don’t journal every day but I’ve made it my practice to check in with myself in my journal at least once a week, usually more. I don’t write anything particularly profound — most of my journaling reads like a messy brain dump.
However.
Getting into the habit of journaling — however that looks for you — is the doorway to accessing your inner wisdom. In that way it’s a bit like meditation: for the first few minutes after I’ve closed my eyes I’m like a dog trying to get into a comfortable position. My neck suddenly itches, my hands feel cramped. My head immediately fills with everything I must do and my monkey mind starts jumping around. But after a few minutes of letting myself settle, things quieten down and I can bring my focus to the mantra, if I have one, or I simply ‘sit back’ in my head and pay attention to the space inside me (best way I can describe it). If I’m lucky that’s the point when I start to feel more connected to the bigness of everything, but even if I don’t get there, I still feel calmer when I eventually open my eyes.
So if we translate that into journaling, first you get everything out of your head onto the page. Concerns, worries, half-baked ideas, preoccupations. He said this, she said that. The what ifs? The resolutions. Get it all out. And then keep writing. Start asking the questions and see what you come up with. Once I’ve dumped everything out of my brain I find it’s much easier to start looking at things from a different perspective. Sometimes I’ll keep my notebook by my side all day, adding more notes as they occur to me. What started as chaos in the morning might look very different by the evening.
Another journaling technique I use a lot is letter writing. You can write letters to people, places, things, feelings — anything and everything, really — but it’s especially powerful when you write a letter to yourself as yourself. Try writing a letter as your future self, one year older than you are now. Or five years older. Or as your 80-year-old self. What does she have to say? What clarity can she share about your current situation? I like to imagine that my future self knows a heck of a lot more about the world than I do, so when she writes me a letter I feel I’m accessing the part of me that’s wise and loving. Doesn’t matter that it’s the me of today who’s writing it — I’ll often read a letter back and wonder where did that come from?!
Checking in with my inner wisdom and intuition is how all my decisions and plans are made these days. We live in a noisy world filled with people telling us what to do and how to live but the fact is nobody knows YOU like you do. You are the ultimate authority on your inner and outer world but it can be hard to hear yourself think let alone listen to anything more subtle! And intuition is really beautifully subtle, so I’ve created a new course to help you not only hear your own inner wisdom but to act on it too. Think of it as your sense of knowing — just like your others senses it’s possible to strengthen your intuition through daily connecting and creative practices — and yes, journaling plays a big part in that!
Your Soul Speaks feels like the next evolution in my teaching. In all my courses I want to empower you to be able to know, trust and express yourself better. It’s time we tune in to ourselves to become fully empowered to steer our own ship. A world full of people who trusted and followed their inner guidance would be a world that changed overnight! And it starts with us.
The giveaway
To celebrate the launch of Your Soul Speaks I have six special journal packs up for grabs! Inside each pack is a gorgeous OLA journal, a copy of Project Calm magazine, a stick of palo santo and a pack of my absolute favourite incense.
There will be 12 winners in total — 6 peeps get a journal pack and a place in class PLUS! another six peeps will also get a place in class.
** If you win and you’ve already enrolled in class I will send you a refund! **
I’m happy to mail the packs anywhere in the world, so this giveaway is open to everyone.
How to play
You can enter up to five times in the following ways:
1. Leave a comment on this post sharing something that has already made you smile in 2018
2. Pinterest: Pin one of the images in this post (and include a link back to this post) then leave a comment saying you’ve pinned it
3. Instagram: Share any of the images in this post and include a link to my IG profile @SusannahConway and the hashtag #yoursoulspeakscourse (then leave a comment saying you’ve shared the pic)
4. Facebook: Share this post on Facebook (then leave a comment saying you’ve Facebooked it)
5. Twitter or anywhere else: Tweet/share this post with your peeps (then leave a comment saying you’ve tweeted/shared the post)
Comments will close on Friday February 23rd at 11:59pm GMT and I’ll contact the 12 winners on Saturday 24th (please make sure you type your email address carefully when leaving a comment) The winners have all been notifed x
Good luck and thanks for helping me spread the word about Your Soul Speaks! xo
Pinned w/ a link.
Happily shared a link on my Facebook page.
I love snow. Walking in the snow, when everything that is dead or resting is covered in a beautiful blanket of white, makes me smile huge!
I also pinned this on Pinterest! YAY
Watching my seven-year-old son tackle parkour this year with so much enthusiasm and excitement always brings a smile to my face.
I was so smiley when I heard that there are Border Collies (my absolute favourite dogs in the whole world!) in Chile doing what they love the most in the whole world-Running fast- to help plant tree seeds so a new forest can grow. <3
Just saw two of my former students in full wedding attire. They had met here as undergraduates, got married in China, and flew back for post-wedding photos to document where they fell in love. Sweet! definitely made me smile!
my husband makes me laugh and smile every day. We make a point of it. My V-Day flowers are the latest smile
celebrating my 93 yo mum’s birthday with TWO parties, and seeing her delight (lemon poppyseed cake!! lots of friends!! even more good wishes!!)
Shared on facebook. And what made me smile a lot already are my 3rd graders, they are just lovely in all their wild crazy eight year-ness.
Although I’d love to win of course I’m grateful anyway because reading the post reminded me of how much I always enjoyed journaling. I just forgot about it. But now I remember again ?
Thank you
Shared on Facebook.
What made me smile was my little 5 year old daughter saying. The only thing we need to learn is….’There is only love’ x
What has made me smile this particular day–knitting a brain hat for my adult son. I was able to finally conceptualize the design and then attach the “brain” matter onto the hat.
I pinned an image.
I facebooked the post.
Oops~~~I twittered as well.
smiled and heart overflowing with love on jan 10th – my granddaughter’s birth?
Thank you for this generous offering. Would love to join you for this sacred journey.
Something that has made me smile this year: witnessing children (mine and others) in their bliss. That shine is absolutely infectious!
Just posted it with a comment on Facebook.
I smiled–and smile every time–when I hear a cardinal’s call on a summer evening. ‘Sounds like joy bubbling over.
What made me smile so far in 2018 was getting a Valentine’s Gift sent to my office for the first time ever :)
Pinned to my “Inspiration” board.
My Instagram is connected to my Facebook Page and Twitter, so I got them all in one sweep :)
So many things have made me smile in 2018 … my family, my children, my career as an L&D RN, my photography, blogging … but if I had to choose just one, it would be the quiet moments my husband and I carve out of our day to just be with one another. I feel like after more than 11 years together, we finally “get” each other in a way nobody else has before and that connection means the world to me.
Seeing one of my full-length plays produced in a theatre for the first time has made me smile every day!
Pinned with link!
I co-teach an Adulting class in our local jail and sometimes i bring in treats for the inmates. They are so thrilled to get treats, they actually applauded the day I brought in a package of oreos. Made me smile (and determined to continue to bring in the small things that make people happy.)
What made me smile was…participating in Gentle January every day. It helped me so much get through the month. Photographing every day for the prompts and checking out what other participants posted was fabulous and positive for a long cold January?
What made me smile was…participating in Gentle January every day. It helped me so much get through the month. Photographing every day for the prompts and checking out what other participants posted was fabulous and positive for a long cold January?
Posted on: Pinterest, Instagram and FB
This sounds so awesome!!! I have come a long way in the last three years tuning in but still struggle to KNOW for sure what is my inner knowing and what is my brain that has many layers of “education” that are misleading to what is best for MY journey.
Pinned on Pinterest but think that account is under mkhepburn@gmail.com if you are reviewing
Shared on Instagram. My children make me smile everyday! My Instagram account is also under M.J. hepburn@gmail.com
Seeing the cherry bossoms blooming in February made me smile because the spring is near!
Shared this post on Facebook!
I volunteer with in a home for orphaned and abandoned children in Delhi (India). Every time I arrive, I am greeted with such joy and excitement, you’d think it was Christmas. Their love and generosity and hugs always makes me smile – and feel great joy.
Spending time with my friends and reconnecting with old friends is a grand thing and had made me smile mire times then I can count.
What a faaaabulous idea! My 2 year old makes me smile, constantly. The way he gives his 6 week old sister super slobbery kisses; the way nearly any song can bring on his goofy dance moves; the way he sings out of tune at the top of his lungs; the way he treats everyone like his new best friend… x
Sticking to Dry January 100% and really feeling the difference being teetotal has made to my body and mind. That really made me smile!
Shared on Instagram
Returning to belly dance class after having to take two months off due to severe illness made me smile early in 2018. My classmates always make me laugh and it feels great to dance. Also, pinned on my Inspiration board on Pinterest, as well as, tweeted and shared this post.
Just shared on Pinterest !
Pinned it! https://www.pinterest.com/sarah_kersh/authenticity/
Your little kitty has made me smile! I was also adopted by a cat later in my life. I thought I wasn’t a “cat person” but my little black Kitty showed me how much I had to learn about *myself.* Now I am devoted! I love to see someone else discovering what a cat friendship has to offer. :-)
This class sounds so exciting, Susannah! One thing that made me smile this year was opening Instagram one day and seeing that my mom had left comments on a bunch of pictures of my children I had posted months ago. We live in Canada, and she lives in Belgium, and I know she misses us, but on that particular day she seemed to miss us extra. It was lovely to see all the sweet messages she had left :-)
I pinned an image from this post!
Seeing the forest covered in freshly fallen snow made me smile last night, magical. Shared on Facebook and pinned.
Giving my dad his first hair cut in 4 months made me smile.
Pinned! :)
Pinned with a link on Pinterest :)
Shared with a link on my Facebook timeline :)
Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, all done ! (should I have made 3 separated comments?)
Now moving onto those requiring more words, more thoughts!
Made me smile: being open to kindness.
Pinned it!
Tweeted it!
Our two cats Zorro and Tao makes me smile everyday! <3
I have shared with links, hashtags on facebook, pinterest & twitter (carinamarianne is my account name) but have not been able to figure out how on earth I can share your picture on instagram. Maybe I´m missing something obvious… anyhow win or not I will join your course! :-)
Now shared on Instagram!
It’s strange, up to now I’ve believed that I’ve had a really hectic, difficult start to the year – and yet your prompt to write down something that has made me smile led to an avalanche of thoughts about things that have made me smile… so thanks for that! Your prompt made me smile :-) and my dogs, my cat, my grandchildren, my husband…..
pinned it!
I have made ME smile several times already in 2018! ;-) I was going to say my son, but that’s pretty standard as a mum (although not to be taken for granted). Now making myself smile… well, that’s one I maybe have never paid too much attention to. My musings, my insights, the way I can still surprise myself! I am soon turning 44 and I realise there is still much about me I don’t fully own up to – like the joy within, the desire for fun and a very hedonistic penchant!!!! Viva yo! <3
Shared on instagram
Shared on FB
One of the biggest things that has made me smile so far this year is that I have just purchased a new house! This process was certainly no without a few tears first, but after looking for months (and having to move in with my parents after selling my old house) I can now start to look forward to the fun part of settling into a new space.
I also finally found that my word for the year is ‘curation’ and funnily enough, I’d just come to this realisation when I read Susannah’s latest love letter and it all of a sudden just felt so gooey and right. ‘Curation’ suggests intention in what I welcome into my life, as well as what no longer serves in my life.
I simply love that you created this! It’s so needed. One of the big things that made/make me smile all the time is my little person’s drawings. A 4-year-old’s drawings is a reminder of how perfect the imperfect can be (stick people for example), also it reminds me I must draw more too and of course smile all the time :-)
This year I’m learning to smile at the sky on sunny days, bask in the warmth. It makes something relax in my chest, helps remind me that I’m strong enough. I mostly practice on my way to work because work is stressful these days.
My latest reason to smile though, is related to some wonderful development that happened to characters I love in a tv show (The Magicians, if you ask). It’s something I’d hoped for but not truly believed could happen and then… it was pure bliss and a smile for days just thinking about it!
Shared on Instagram for you!
There were so many things that made me smile this year… I was wondering for a long time and couldn’t decide what to write.
So I did something that always unblocks me: I simply paused, took a deeper breath and looked around.
And I can’t stop smiling – I’m surrounded by beautiful radiant yellow daffodils, delicious smells coming from the kitchen where my husband is showing his love by making us dinner, a warm little foot of my boy snuggled next to me quietly reading his book (all on his own!). My heart is full.
Pinned to my “words words words” board:
https://pl.pinterest.com/elizka/words-words-words/
And shared on instagram too.
Thank you so much for this inspiring opportunity, Susannah…
My kids have learned to ski this week. And they are so full of delight every day when they come back from their lessons that I love to just sit and listen and watch them.
I shared this on facebook and Pinterest (/curiouskitten/being-inspired/)
:-)
also decided to share it on twitter because there’s different folks over there who should be interested – twitter.com/igoggi
Really looking forward to this…
Shared on Facebook :)
Pinned :)
Shared on Pinterest xx
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/753578950122946903/
Something that has made me smile this year is getting back into sewing! I started a class last week and am having so much fun creating in this form again.
For the last few days on my way to work, I’ve been driving under the long lane of snow covered tree branches. It’s like driving through the most beautiful, glittering white tunnel and it makes me smile every morning.
Shared it on Instagram and Pinterest, too.
Something that made me smile in 2018: my two cats, they are the sweetest and each have their own unique personality and are especially snuggly in this time in their life.
Posted on Instagram!!
The snow! Falling gently (is very rare here in La Rochelle (France) only 3 times in 12 years. So beautiful. I love snow. It gives me an “interior” smile. It is my soul singing
The tulip tree blooms outside my office make me smile – and when I see them I seem to breathe a little easier, too.
Pinned on pinterest! <3 <3
Posted on instagram
Posted on Facebook
Posted on Twitter
Posted on Pinterest
What’s made me smile this year?
My daughter! She’s 13 and growing into such an amazing young woman with a wicked sense of humour. She makes me laugh every single day with her sarcasm and sharp wit. She’s so wise beyond her years and such a free spirit. I’m so proud of her.
Also, seeing your cat on Instagram! She’s pure love! I lost my 15-year-old cat a couple of months ago to a blood clot. They’re such special creatures and it’s true when people say they own you rather then you owning them. It’s beautiful how she found you and how you’ve become bonded together. I just love seeing her pictures on Instagram. They really brighten my day! They’re little guardian angels in fur coats. <3 <3 <3
Walking home in the beautiful light of dusk ????
This sounds wonderful, Susannah!!! Something that made me smile – happy snuggles in my chair with my 8 year old.
My granddaughters make me smile everyday!!! The one is our Rainbow…. and after the storm, she truly makes my heart smile…..
this is such an amazing giveaway! – a few somethings that made me smile lately: sweet, love notes from dear friends + daily cuddles from my awesome cat, bella.
i have also shared on the following:
pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/137219119880499346/
facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mary.pattersonezzell
and instagram – mpezzell
thx + hugs, m-
Shared the pic on instastory @pencil_pencil
Pinned under new board “Self as Source.”
This sounds amazing, Susannah! Something that’s made me smile so far this year…writing semi-consistently again. I feel like I’ve been floundering for so long in a multitude of ways; I’m trying hard to focus (my 2018 word!) and get back on track, and while I’m finding it difficult in a lot of ways, I’m celebrating my successes and being gentler with myself when I feel like I’m not doing all I could/should be doing. I’m having fun with my writing again, and it feels AMAZING. Now I just need to get out of my characters’ heads and into my own and start journalling, haha.
Shared on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. Thank you for the chance! <3
I shared (again) on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Thanks so much!
-Lynn
Hi Susannah, Thank you for being and doing what you do. In 2018, I smiled at my cats about a thousand times.
Shared at Pinterest. Thank you!
Shared at Twitter. Thank you!
Shared at Facebook. Thank you!
Shared at IG. <3 Thank you!