Reflective journaling
I'm speaking on reflective journaling — diary-keeping, really — at the midyear convention of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists of the Philippines that will happen sometime this week in Gensan. I simply couldn’t say no to Dr. Myra Maduramente, one of the chief organizers of the event.
To get invited, one should at least possess the credentials, the formal training, and the certifications; but I have none of those. What I have is some history: I have been keeping a journal — both offline and online — since college, not as constantly as I would have wanted but consistent enough to make journaling a part of the way I live. When I write I’m able make sense of things. Putting words onto paper, or in a screen, helps me metabolize my experiences, realize my lessons, and organize my prayers.
I have 30 minutes to squeeze in a brief talk and a workshop of sorts. I might start with data on why keeping a journal works: how it focuses an otherwise chaotic day into a less chaotic narrative. Stories are powerful: we tell ourselves stories all the time. Then I might launch into guided reflective journaling — trigger, meaning-making, and forward integration. I might also discuss some barriers against this exercise — lack of time or work overload — and conclude with a guided workshop. I might even add practical ways of doing it — finding the right notebook or pens, or even the background music. The outline is brewing in my head.
To get invited, one should at least possess the credentials, the formal training, and the certifications; but I have none of those. What I have is some history: I have been keeping a journal — both offline and online — since college, not as constantly as I would have wanted but consistent enough to make journaling a part of the way I live. When I write I’m able make sense of things. Putting words onto paper, or in a screen, helps me metabolize my experiences, realize my lessons, and organize my prayers.
I have 30 minutes to squeeze in a brief talk and a workshop of sorts. I might start with data on why keeping a journal works: how it focuses an otherwise chaotic day into a less chaotic narrative. Stories are powerful: we tell ourselves stories all the time. Then I might launch into guided reflective journaling — trigger, meaning-making, and forward integration. I might also discuss some barriers against this exercise — lack of time or work overload — and conclude with a guided workshop. I might even add practical ways of doing it — finding the right notebook or pens, or even the background music. The outline is brewing in my head.
The time isn’t sufficient, of course, but hardly anybody complains of brief talks. Let’s see how things play out on Thursday afternoon.
Writing about my preparations for my talk on reflective journaling is my preparation. How meta is that!
Writing about my preparations for my talk on reflective journaling is my preparation. How meta is that!
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