My revelatory journey
As someone who has been on the path of self-exploration and development for some time, Lea came to me curious about how the Journey Book Experience works and what support it offers. I invited Lea to try the Journey Book in exchange for sharing some of her experience here, to give others a real sense of what the Journey Book Experience has to offer.
Lea shared that, despite lockdowns, life had many positives. She had multiple "tabs" open in her mind, though, and was concerned about her tendency toward the edge of burnout. Continuing her mindset work and connecting with kindred spirits was essential to her. Lea had a history of anxiety, panic attacks, chronic illness, and frustration with societal expectations that seemed to want her to fit into specific boxes. One of her biggest challenges was focusing on the "then" instead of being present in the "now."
I allowed Lea to set her own pace with the Journey Book, and her tendency toward a rapid, even overwhelming, pace soon became clear. Her speed in completing her “weekly” installment in a single day highlighted this pattern. I pointed out how this fast pace led to missing out on being in the now and sitting with questions a bit longer. This gentle nudge helped Lea return to self-care and savoring each moment.
Once we established a deeper level of trust, I guided Lea to reflect on past experiences that had shaped her, contributing to the patterns that now held her back from living a freer, easier life.
Here is what Lea wanted to share about her Journey Book experience:
“The Journey Book Experience is a thing of beauty. When Solas invited me to try this, I was unsure of what the journey involved or what I might gain. My intention was to amplify the work I was doing in a group program elsewhere and focus on an abundance mindset during a time of restriction. To me, the Journey Book is like having a diary that talks back to you. Some might compare it to a benevolent version of Tom Riddle’s diary from Harry Potter. Others might see it as intense, guided journaling. It’s even a bit like automatic writing at times—are those words really mine? I had no idea I was feeling some of those things until I read them back!
As an introvert who has tried various talking therapies over the years, having a mindset tool that I could use at my own pace, without having to push through struggles with verbalizing feelings, was absolute GOLD. I got to dig deep into what I REALLY want for my life, and I realized that ease, simplicity, and quiet were what I was seeking.
I had thought I was a reflective person before, but the Journey Book gave me a whole new level of insight! This experience highlighted areas I still need to work on and offered a space to express parts of myself that I wouldn’t usually. Asking for help isn’t something I find comfortable, and accessing it this way made it easier not to feel like I was somehow lacking.
I hope to be more open to unexpected support in the future. I know I’ll revisit this work regularly and look forward to seeing where I’m at when Solas checks in with me in six months—that ought to keep me on the path!”