Valentine’s Day is an important day to make time for loving yourself too! All journal writing is a form of self-care, but one method especially stands out. It also draws out your own inner wisdom in a delightfully surprising way: the AlphaPoem.

The technique is simple, just write an inspirational word or phrase down the side of your journal. Try a word or phrase of about 10-15 letters for the best results. Reflect on the word for a few moments, then write quickly. Just follow your pen, as a rhythmic paragraph unfolds. Perhaps each line starts a new phrase or sentence, maybe not.

You can close your eyes to see what stands out, or try a current theme like:

L

O

V

I

N

G

 

M

Y

S

E

L

F

AlphaPoem can be especially insightful if you use it to wrap up a series of journal writes on a related topic. Use the word or phrase that captures the theme of what you are exploring or where you are moving.

The practice is a bit trickier. A few tips – be sure to write VERY fast and be VERY imperfect. Set a timer for 5 minutes, take a few deep breaths and then just follow the pen.

AlphaPoem is my favorite way to close my Journal to the Self workshops. My next online class starts March 4th. Join me! Learn more on the Workshops page, download a free sample first, or schedule a no obligation phone call to chat about how I can support your own change journey.

Photo credit to photographer.