The Reciprocal Effect

What is the Reciprocal Effect in journaling?

 Imagine you're looking in the mirror as you get ready for your day.

 Now imagine you are cleaning your mirror.

When you're getting ready, you see yourself.

When you are cleaning, you see the mirror and a reflection of yourself.

These are very different ways of interacting with a mirror.

In one, you see you. You aren't considering that what you see is a reflection. It simply is you.

However, when you are cleaning, you become aware that the mirror is just an object that shows you a reflection.

As you clean the mirror, you toggle between the two perspectives. Your awareness is on the mirror as you wipe; your awareness is on yourself as you check that it's clean.

This "toggling" is the Reciprocal Effect of journaling, where you use one perspective to inform the other and make adjustments accordingly.

Why does the Reciprocal Effect Matter?

Reciprocity is a state in which your journaling practice is actively growing; it is applying what you have learned from reflecting on your journaling practice.

This is an investment and reinvestment cycle that has benefits beyond improving your journaling practice.

Investing and Reinvesting in Yourself is an Exercise of Self-Trust and Self-Love

When you make adjustments to your journaling practice, you are adjusting how you respond to your needs.

That act has prerequisites:

1. You notice your needs.

2. You name them.

3. You tend to them.

4. You listen to yourself and

5. You respond accordingly.

In this practice, you demonstrate to your body that you are reliable and responsive. Reliability and responsibility is trust, and trust is a byproduct of love.

Underneath what appears to be "just journaling" is a communication between every part of you that makes you who you are.