This morning I sat down with my journal. I had a moment of quiet and needed to hash through some things that have been on my mind.
I wrote.
As I write the thoughts begin to untangle. They unfold their long tentacles and I start to distinguish the problem behind the problem.
I find I often have to hunt for the real problem and it is usually hiding behind the elephant of a problem that I think is the real problem. The elephant stands there like a big lug blocking my view like a brick wall.
photo by brittanyhock
When I finally convince the elephant to step aside for just one moment, I can see what is behind him. It is right there, has been all along but I couldn’t see it.
In my imagination the real problem looks exactly like a meerkat. He is just sitting, looking slightly guilty, his dark eyes blinking at me impishly.
Way too often I grasp, scratch, claw, yell, pick and prod at problems that aren’t the real problem. I think they are, but they aren’t. They are just elephants.
So how do we find the real things. Distill our thoughts and struggles down and sift through life.
How do we:
- gain footing
- gain momentum
- gain confidence
- gain ground
- move forward
- make progress
How do we move the elephant to see the meerkat?
photo by Crouchy69
Well, for me it is a combination of silence, a pen, and a blank piece of paper.
I gain clarity this way. It’s a way to get my elephants out of the way and see the real culprit, the meerkat if you will.
I just write whatever words come into my head. I have no hesitation, no filter, no judgement of what is good or bad, I just write.
All the walls go down and the real stuff comes out.
Usually the words start out random and then slowly start to form something. A common theme or feeling and I am able to filter through and pinpoint the real issue.
Then I am able to get the elephant out of the way and address the problem with clarity. I then make a decision, write down a plan of action, and move forward. This gives me momentum and confidence. I gain footing and make progress towards a solution.
This stuff brings life.
Move your elephants, identify your meerkats.
Question: Have you found a way to move your elephant?
Claudia, a few months ago I was practicing journaling on a consistent basis, first thing in the morning. I was performing a practice termed “Morning Pages” by author and artist Julia Cameron. Have you heard of this? What you describe above seems very similar – just write literally whatever comes to your mind. Last night I met with a girlfriend and she mentioned she was having a difficult time thinking clearly and that her mind always seemed clouded with thoughts. She could never stop thinking. The exercise of Morning Pages came to mind and I shared it with her. Now you mention something similar. I’m starting to wonder if this synchronicity is telling me to get back into it myself. 🙂 Like you, when I journal first thing in the morning, things just seem to become clear. I’ve come up with answers for some burning question in those early morning “brain dumps”.Â
Thank you for this.Â
Alana,
Your welcome! 😉
I have not heard of “morning pages” before, it sounds interesting and you are right – very similar to what I do.Â
I just stumbled upon writing this way when I got tired of not feeling open even in my journals. I wrote what I thought God wanted me to write or what possibly others would read in the future or simply what I thought was “good writing.”
One day I just started to write words. I felt stupid and they felt random and unconnected but it was great to get them out of my head. I read over it later and was amazed at the connectedness I hadn’t realized was there.
I have since embraced this style of writing and love it.
Hahah, so yes it sounds like journaling is calling you back! Do you have particular journals that you like to write in? I know the right journal and pen combo is pretty much irresistible to me! I love Moleskines.
Claudia – I LOVE your analogies! That meerkat is way too cute to be a problem lol! I happen to do very much what you do – in order to gain order in my thoughts and gain clarity about anything – I have to write. I even write my prayers out in the morning. I find it SO effective to put thoughts and feelings into written words that I can then look at and think about. God seems to reveal things I never would’ve thought were problems or issues for me.Â
Ann,
Hahah, he is pretty cute isn’t he?! Thats why we often don’t see him! ;)I know what you mean, about God revealing things during writing! The words that come and form themselves on paper give such insight to what is going on in my heart.Â
I applaud your writing persistence. I think it gives amazing perspective and it is so valuable for you and those in the future that will benefit from your wisdom.
I also think it is simply cool to track a life. Washington journaled avidly and that is why we know so much about him 🙂
I write to. And run. Running untangles me enough to write
Angel,
Hahaha that is awesome!! Love it.Â
Keep running and writing cause the combo is working for ya 😉
For me, it’s just always realizing there is generally more than one option or “elephant”, though it doesn’t seem possible. Â Forcing myself to being more creative in identifying those solutions can prove insightful.
You’ve got a heard of elephants Michael?! hahaha that is a funny thought in my head, but I agree! Our lives and minds are so complex. Sometimes it is not just one thing. And doing something creative is huge for clarifying!
Blessings as you persist in seeing through the herd 😉
[…] – My friend Claudia posted about how journaling first thing in the morning helped her to untangle her thoughts. I responded to her post asking if she was referring to Morning Pages and that I had told a friend […]
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