Sometimes we need to clear the muck, negativity and fear out our thinking brains so we focus on the good, happy things in life. Well, okay. Not sometimes. A lot of times. One perfect way to do that is with brain dump pages.
It might be a funny term, but this method works like gang-busters. Especially when you do it on a regular basis. Actually, the more you do it, the more you will get from it. I'm getting ahead of myself though.
Brain dump pages are when you sit down with pen and paper and write. You write whatever comes to mind, and you don't stop for about 30 minutes or until 3 full pages are written. I hear and understand the objection that 30 minutes is a long time to write, especially when you don't think you have anything to write about; but that's where the beauty of this method really shines.
It doesn't matter what you start writing. Maybe you don't really have anything on your mind (or so you think), so you start with, "I'm not really sure what to write about today. That's okay. I'll keep writing to see what comes up. There's a chance we will get rain today. Truthfully, though, I doubt it. It hasn't rained in months. It makes me feel bad because my plants are dying and I don't have the time to water them like I should. Is that true though? Do I really not have the time? I seem to have plenty of time to play my phone games. Am I avoiding something big? I am not quite sure what that could be, but perhaps if I keep writing, I will know. Maybe I will figure it out..." And that goes on for 30 minutes! I guarantee you that you will uncover something that needs to be brought to your attention!
Then, there are the days when you know you have something to get off of your chest! It might go like this, "Yesterday, Denise really upset me while we were shopping. She made a snide comment about my clothes and how I don't dress how I should. How dare she throw such shade at me when she is always complaining about how unhappy she is?! I don't throw THAT in her face! Well, I just saw it. Damn. What if she is taking her unhappiness out on me? I have known her since we were 5 years old. I need to be a safe place for her. I don't, however, need to be her punching bag. I'm going to talk to her, tell her what she said hurt my feelings and gently create a new boundary while also allowing her to talk through some of her problems. It's time for me to be the bigger person."
A BIG thing to remember while doing dump pages is to NOT STOP WRITING! Keep going for the entire 30 minutes, even if you have to write, "I don't know what to write right now." If you stop writing, you allow your thinking mind to take over and censure what you write. You want to keep that thinking mind out of this exercise, and allow the essence of you to come through.
The more you do brain dump pages, you will astound yourself! Solutions to problems will easily come through as well as new ideas!
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