OK to talk to yourself negatively- when journaling?

M

mcplums

New Member
So I am on board with the idea of you should never say to yourself something you wouldn't say to someone else.

But when I am journaling, I often find myself just writing down whatever comes to mind- and holding nothing back- not analysing it or whatever. And when I do this, I have a huge amount of negative talk, for example calling myself worthless and having achieved nothing in the past X years etc. This kind of talk.

I am confused as to how to approach this. It makes sense to not say things like this to myself- but then these are my inner thoughts and the whole point of sarno is to get them all out on paper? Do I 'suppress' this kind of talk?
 
Have you seen Nicole Sachs on YouTube? She has videos up about journalling, she takes you through the process step by step, I'm afraid I don't know the answer but just keep at it because it's helping, even if you can't see it yet.
 
Thanks for your reply, I will check her videos out!

While I have you on the line I have an unrelated question :)

Is it common- after you start journaling- that emotions (negative ones!) start coming much quicker and easier!? I have noticed this- it isn't very nice really- but to quote Shrek "better out than in" I suppose!
 
Yes I suppose so, I mean it's a way of dredging up old and often painful memories, guilt, humiliation, anger etc. But weirdly writing about them is like dealing with unfinished business, it's as if you've declutterered a room that you've shut the door on for years. All the rubbish is out and you can finally get rid of it. It's very cathartic. For me the writing was fast and furious,I have to say the first few times it feels whacky and pointless but forcing yourself to deal with the buried stuff, even if it's horribly negative, is like an emotional detox. Don't vex about it not feeling pleasant, you're raking up rage, which is never going to feel nice but it's replaced with a calmness, for me anyway.
 
mcplums said:
So I am on board with the idea of you should never say to yourself something you wouldn't say to someone else.

But when I am journaling, I often find myself just writing down whatever comes to mind- and holding nothing back- not analysing it or whatever. And when I do this, I have a huge amount of negative talk, for example calling myself worthless and having achieved nothing in the past X years etc. This kind of talk.

I am confused as to how to approach this. It makes sense to not say things like this to myself- but then these are my inner thoughts and the whole point of sarno is to get them all out on paper? Do I 'suppress' this kind of talk?
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I suggest when journaling to write " I feel ....." or "I think......." statements. For example, "I think I am a terrible person". This is different than writing or saying to yourself "I am a terrible person".
 
Ellen said:
I suggest when journaling to write " I feel ....." or "I think......." statements. For example, "I think I am a terrible person". This is different than writing or saying to yourself "I am a terrible person".
Click to expand...

This is gold, thanks very much indeed. A very simple way to change perspective! Already writing 'I think' has my brain looking for counter arguments!
 
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