The Healing Power of Journalling, Part II
“I have learned that bad feelings are inevitable… speaking with fierce candour, not to others but to ourselves, sometimes absolutely saves us.”
— Elena Ferrante
They say the only way out is through. There’s a positivity platitude with a nice ring to it — one I’ve been quite fond of myself. I might have even said it on a few occasions to friends in need of comforting. This week, however, as I fought tooth and nail to claw out of an emotional blackhole, I couldn’t help but wonder: “What exactly is the way through?”
Several text messages to friends and zero revelations later (perhaps they just weren’t answers I was looking for), a little voice in my head whispered: “Psst. The only way through is in.” You don’t need to be a mathematician to work this out: If the only way out is through, and the only way through is in, then, actually, the only way out is in.
So often, we look high and low for the answer to our problem when the answer is right here within us all along. If only we choose to return to stillness, to come home to our selves, where we can be honest — without censorship, without judgement, but with kindness, compassion and love — then I think there’s a very good chance we will re-connect with our inner wisdom and see the way forward to an extraordinary new day, new way, new existence.
What we believe, as Oprah says, we become. In the end, our reality comes down to the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.
When Winnie invited me to guest-write this newsletter for Bynd Artisan, I said “yes” without hesitation. The journal is where I go to meet my self. It is my way in, my way through, my way out of difficult times. I'm an ardent advocate of it, and it gives me great joy to discover and share with you the journalling journeys and methods of a few other women who inspire us.
Last week, in the first half of “The Healing Power of Journalling”, we invited Hanli Hoefer, Tracy Phillips and Olga Iserlis to join us in this conversation. Today, I’m grateful to share this space with Renyung Ho and Velda Tan to ruminate on our relationships with our journals.
I hope our stories either encourage you to take a leaf out of our books — if you're new to it — or offer you a toasty feeling of togetherness / companionship if journalling is already a part of your self-care ritual. If nothing else, may these words be exactly what you needed to read today.
Inwards and upwards,
Karman Tse
and the Bynd Artisan Team
Several text messages to friends and zero revelations later (perhaps they just weren’t answers I was looking for), a little voice in my head whispered: “Psst. The only way through is in.” You don’t need to be a mathematician to work this out: If the only way out is through, and the only way through is in, then, actually, the only way out is in.
So often, we look high and low for the answer to our problem when the answer is right here within us all along. If only we choose to return to stillness, to come home to our selves, where we can be honest — without censorship, without judgement, but with kindness, compassion and love — then I think there’s a very good chance we will re-connect with our inner wisdom and see the way forward to an extraordinary new day, new way, new existence.
What we believe, as Oprah says, we become. In the end, our reality comes down to the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.
When Winnie invited me to guest-write this newsletter for Bynd Artisan, I said “yes” without hesitation. The journal is where I go to meet my self. It is my way in, my way through, my way out of difficult times. I'm an ardent advocate of it, and it gives me great joy to discover and share with you the journalling journeys and methods of a few other women who inspire us.
Last week, in the first half of “The Healing Power of Journalling”, we invited Hanli Hoefer, Tracy Phillips and Olga Iserlis to join us in this conversation. Today, I’m grateful to share this space with Renyung Ho and Velda Tan to ruminate on our relationships with our journals.
I hope our stories either encourage you to take a leaf out of our books — if you're new to it — or offer you a toasty feeling of togetherness / companionship if journalling is already a part of your self-care ritual. If nothing else, may these words be exactly what you needed to read today.
Inwards and upwards,
Karman Tse
and the Bynd Artisan Team
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The Healing Power of Journalling with Olga Iserlis
Olga Iserlis Founder & Director, Adagio Events Bynd Artisan: Everyone who journals, journals in their own unique way. What is your way, and when did you start journalling? Olga Iserlis: I...
Read moreCommunity
The Healing Power of Journalling with Olga Iserlis
Olga Iserlis Founder & Director, Adagio Events Bynd Artisan: Everyone who journals, journals in their own unique way. What is your way, and when did you start journalling? Olga Iserlis: I...
Read more