Have you ever noticed that, when you write without thinking too hard about it, some pretty amazing stuff pours onto the page?
That’s because automatic writing (the kind of writing we usually practice when journaling) gives us direct access to our inner genius. Somehow, the act of putting pen to paper bundles our conscious mind into the backseat, and brings our higher self―our most creative, insightful, genius self―to the fore.
Of course, not every journaling experience creates this connection. Sometimes, when we’re struggling, we need to vent our woes onto the page. There’s nothing wrong with that; in fact, it’s a healthy way to process. However, when we’re focused on what’s wrong, we’re energetically closed down. There’s no space for anything but the problem at hand.
If we want our inner genius to come out to play, we need to shift from writing about the problem to asking for the solution.
Why does it work this way?
When you ask a question, a switch flips in your brain. You become receptive. You know that there is information you want to learn, and so you open yourself to receive it.
And, when you ask a question in your journal, you open yourself to receive answers through that same medium.
Therefore, if you want to unleash your inner genius through journaling, all you need to do is learn to ask the right questions in your journaling practice!
“Okay,” you might be thinking. “That’s great. But how do I know what the right questions are?”
Actually, that very question is a perfect place to start!
Great questions will create a feeling of expansiveness, lightness, or increased energy in your body. They will feel open, like doors leading out into a sunlit field. By contrast, unhelpful questions will create a sinking feeling or heaviness in your body, and will make you feel closed, or boxed in.
Here are some examples to help you get started.
Closed: Why do I feel so afraid today?
Expansive: What would it take for me to feel empowered today?
Closed: Where has my creativity gone?
Expansive: What is the best thing I can do right now to feel more creative?
Closed: Why do I feel so sad all the time?
Expansive: What steps can I take right now to invite more joy into my life?
As you can see, the “closed” questions tend to bring your focus back around to the problem, while the “expansive” questions tend to invite action.
The good news is, even if you start with a closed or heavy question, you can easily flip it around to be light and expansive. Again, pay attention to the cues your body provides.
Once you’ve identified a “light” question, put your inner genius to work.
Write your question at the top of a clean page. Then, pause for a moment, and imagine the doors of your mind opening up so that your inner genius can step through. Envision yourself bathed in the bright light of your divine self. Feel that light spreading from your head, down your arm, all the way out to your fingertips, and into the pen you hold.
Then, without thinking too much about it, write whatever comes into your mind.
Don’t stop writing until you’re completely finished. Don’t reread, self-correct, or try to force the information that comes through into any kind of structure. Forget about paragraphs and sentences: you’re not writing for an audience. Just let your inner genius take hold of your pen and answer the question you’ve posed.
With a little practice, your inner genius will begin to feel at home on the page. She may even emerge uninvited! However, continuing to ask light, expansive questions is the most direct way to make use of her creative superpowers, and invite her “up-leveled” thought patterns into your daily experience.
Of course, there will be times when a problem will seem too big, or too unsolvable, to wrap a question around. When you have no idea what question to ask, simply start with a question about your question―like, “What question can I ask right now to unleash my inner genius?” or, “What is the most expansive question I can ask right now?” Then, write out all the questions that pop into your head, and work with the “lightest” one first.
Happy writing!
