Journal Guide: Understand Where Your Beliefs Come From and How to Heal From Them
Learn where unwanted emotions, intense reactions, and negative self-beliefs stem from.
Do you ever experience an unwanted emotional response to a seemingly harmless interaction?
I created a journal guide linked here to guide you through how to identify where those emotions come from and how to change them.
But for more explanation…
I’ll tell you a story.
My first job out of college was working in construction.
Not project management, construction. Like I was literally swinging a hammer.
Why did I go into construction after getting a college degree? That’s a whole other story.
Anyways, I was eating lunch with my boss one day on the job site, and he began to ask me about how I was doing.
We had previously had open talks about my mental health, so I felt comfortable being honest with him.
I shared with him that I was honestly struggling. That the trauma I carried from childhood was showing up in my day-to-day and I was finding hard to completely part from that experience, to heal from it.
He shared his opinion on what I should do: “you just trust God and surrender to Him”. It was a well intentioned response, him trying to support me, but I immediately shut down.
The rest of the day I was barely functioning. I felt depressed, like a heavy blanket was not only draped over me but inside me as well.
Why did that comment make me so depressed? he was just trying to help.
I mean he clearly has no idea that trauma is way deeper than a trust issue, and you can carry PTSD symptoms long after even accepting your own story.
But I knew he meant to help. So again, why was this so debilitating for me?
This is a simple example but I am sure you have your own.
How often, in your day-to-day, do you get triggered emotionally, shut down, or experience some other unwanted response to a seemingly harmless interaction?
If this happens to you but you are not sure what to actually do about it, keep reading.
I put together a short journal guide that will help you identify the root cause of where those emotions are coming from and a few steps you can take to start healing and creating change in your life.
You can download that here:
Why is this important?
Your beliefs are the foundation of who you are. Whether you are aware of this or not, your beliefs about yourself are dictating everything.
The job you work, how you show up in that job, how you show up to your relationships, how you interact with others, the husband you are, the person you are…
What you believe about yourself literally impacts your ability to show up in life.
Low self-beliefs lead to low confidence, less satisfaction in life, and weaker relationships.
Strong and healthy self-beliefs lead to increased joy, fulfillment, and increased confidence.
This all directly impacts how you show up in your life, your work, and your relationships.
This is why this exercise is important.
It will help you map unwanted emotions - which are usually hints of something deeper - back to a memory or experience.
And then understand what that experience led you to believe about yourself.
You can’t change a self-belief you aren’t aware of. So this is the starting point.
Identify the belief —> change the belief —> change your life.
That is a simplified process of how to change your life, but it is the process.
Lastly, this is just a journal prompt guide. It’s up to you what you do with it and what you do next.
Final thoughts
Take these prompts and talk them through with a trusted loved one, talk them through with a counselor, talk them through with a coach ( like me:) ), or journal about them more.
The point is just starting. Facing your past is hard. But so is being stuck in a present you are unsatisfied with.
Choose your hard. Equip yourself with the tools you need for the journey (community, professional support, your journal, etc.), and take the first step.
This could be your first step.
Do you know someone that this exercise could help? Take an act of courage and share it with them:
Do you mind helping me with ideas to write about? Leave a comment and let me know.