This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Erin Galioto. Find her on Instagram at @eringalioto. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
My entire life a faint anxiety ran through my body, an anxiety that I was forgetting something. I am a born over-thinker and constantly have tasks, memories, calculations, dates, and daydreams swirling in the endless abyss of my mind. I often miss my exit on the freeway because I am so lost in thought. It is not unheard of for me to leave the shower without rinsing my shampoo for the same reason. Even when I recall something that makes me feel shame or guilt, the thought gets buried, but the feeling stays. I am left thinking, “Wait, why do I feel like this?” I can’t trust that important information will be at the forefront of my brain when I need it.
To help alleviate my fear and anxiety around forgetting, I became a chronic to-do list writer. Over time, my to-do lists became more and more compulsive. My lists even featured seemingly simple tasks like “Make bed” or “Brush teeth” just to keep me on track.
While these lists kept my daily tasks and priorities organized, there still seemed to be no way to keep track of more abstract thoughts: how I felt about that fight with my best friend, whether I needed to set more boundaries with my mom, creative ideas for projects I wanted to start, or what my long term goals and values are. Everything changed when I discovered the concept of “Brain Dump Journaling” from a podcast I listened to last winter.
What is Brain Dump Journaling?
Brain dump journaling is the writing technique in which you sit down and transcribe your stream of consciousness. Every thought that pops into your head you write it down. Do not fuss about poetic language, paragraph structuring, or consistent narrative. The contents of your brain dump are not meant to be read by anyone else, not even yourself. The idea is to promote freedom of full, honest expression without shame or pride.
In the book The Artist’s Way, author Julia Cameron dubs the ritual “The Morning Pages.” She describes the exercise as a daily grounding practice that connects artists to their creative flow. Elizabeth Kott from the Too Niche Podcast relates the mind-clearing exercise as “collecting the leaves that fell on the pool.”
Best Practice Guidelines
As the name suggests, Cameron recommends doing your morning pages first thing in the morning so you can start your day with a clear head. Elizabeth Kott says she does hers every day right when she gets up out of bed. The traditional length to translate your thought stream is three pages. That’s the front of the page, the back of the page, and the next page.
Personally, I find the best practice is to brain dump at least once a week, but three times a week feels the most productive. When I tried practicing every morning, I noticed I didn’t have enough to write about for the three-page length. This experience speaks to the housekeeping brain dump journaling does for my mind, but overdoing it made the process a bit counterintuitive. The practice of digging in my brain for more juice often led to overthinking things that weren’t that serious. I’m also not a morning person, so finding time before work to dump my thoughts only led to a more rushed experience. Play around with choosing different times of day and consistency levels and see what works best for you before committing to a routine.
Out of my Head and onto the Page
After practicing brain dump journaling, I feel clear-headed for the first time in my life. I don’t have to rehearse that argument over and over in my brain because I already transcribed the script. I don’t have to transcribe my to-do list 5 times because my daily priorities have my full attention. My fear of forgetting subsided because all my thoughts, from my most pervasive to my most trivial, were logged in my book.
Additionally, putting my strongest emotions in words helps me identify their cause and next steps. For instance, when I’m angry, I learn whether or not I was wronged, or if I just failed to set a boundary. When I’m overworked, I analyze whether my burnout is from the work itself, or lack of sleep and poor diet. When I’m happy, I can see and appreciate what structures or connections gave me that feeling and remember to honor them.
Reconnecting to Your Inner Voice
The most meaningful outcome of the writing practice was the new direct connection to my intuition. My procrastination has decreased almost entirely because decision-making is suddenly so much easier. Since brain dumping allows me to reveal how I really feel, I make choices that are best suited to me. When moving through life fully connected to my inner voice, I feel more energized and in flow than ever before.
This past April, I wrote during my brain dump session that I wanted to try living in Los Angeles to expand my career. Previously, I was so scatterbrained I could scarcely identify with my career goals at all. Even if I had the presence of mind to realize it aligned with my aspirations, I would have never had the patience or the confidence to start the planning process. Throughout my practice, I answered the call from my subconscious and systematically planned out the steps. Five months later, I am here in California, living and working in LA.
Not only has brain dump journaling benefited my personal life, but it has also significantly improved my relationships. My emotions are no longer misplaced or misinformed. I pursue boundaries and conversations with care and not as an emotional reaction. Stream-of-consciousness journaling also reminds me of everything I love about my family and friends and how they enrich my life. The mindfulness I have when interacting with others helps deepen my connections and appreciate the abundance around me that I may have otherwise lost.
What mindfulness exercises do you practice to stay grounded? Is brain dump journaling something you want to try? Let us know in the comments below!
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