Today, I have the great pleasure of interviewing Jodi Chapman of Soul Speak.

Welcome Jodi. Thank you for sharing this healing information with us.

1. Jodi, tell us something about yourself and your blog, “Soul Speak.”

First, I would like to thank you for sharing your space with me, Angela! It’s such an honor to be here.

I began blogging just over a year ago after I experienced a spiritual awakening. In that moment, my entire world opened up, and I was forever changed. I used to be a skeptic and purposefully shut out anything that couldn’t be proven through the scientific method. And then in this moment of awakening (which I write about in detail in my upcoming book, Coming Back to Life: How An Unlikely Friend Helped Me Reclaim My True Spirit), I remembered that I had a soul.

I remembered that I was so much more than my mind and body. I remembered that I was a part of something so much bigger than myself. And I remembered why I was here: to inspire others and share my message of love through my writing. To remind each of us that it’s never too late to open up to all that we are – all that we always have been. So often (as was the case with me), life has a way of piling its pain and hardness on top of us, and we forget that we’re all here for a reason. We forget that we chose to be here. And so when I write, I do my best to be a clear channel and let this universal energy – divine love – flow through me and spread this love throughout the world.

I absolutely love my blog, Soul Speak! In just over a year, it’s grown into a beautiful community where we support each other in getting in touch with our spirit and spreading our wings to fly. I love that even though our external circumstances may not be exactly the same, our internal struggles are universal. And because of that, we’re able to help each other along this journey. I love that. We are able to get to the heart of it all and provide a space for authentic sharing and growing and supporting.

2.You are the creator of a best-selling series of journals titled, “Soulful Journals.” How did you come to create the “Soulful Journals?”

My husband, Dan Teck, and I started a gift business in 2005. Our very first products that we made were journals, but they were blank inside. Our customers used to tell us that the blank page was a bit too intimidating – they didn’t know what to write or where to start. We are both writers, and so we had the idea to come up with prompts and get them started. And so, Soulful Journals were born! The first book in the series, Journaling Within, flowed out of me almost faster than I could write it down. It contains 50 prompts to help you get to know your deeper self – your soul.

We have since created 10 other journals in this series – some focusing on gratitude and others on manifesting your ideal life. We have one for anyone who is currently facing a life transition – such as divorce or a move. We have two journals to help couples get to know each other better and share their love and gratitude for each other. We have two journals for teens who may just be starting to journal and would like a place to start. And we have one that helps you keep your commitment – it’s a 4-step program that really works! I followed the program when I started my blog, and I’m still writing over a year later.

The one thing that they all have in common is our belief that all of life’s answers have always been inside of each of us. And when we take the time to slow down and breathe, the answers will come. Our journals are a way to help get to those answers. They are soulful, fun, and great tools for self exploration.

3. Do you journal and when/why did you start?

I’ve been journaling all of my life. I recently found a journal that I wrote in when I was nine or ten. It’s so fun to go back and read what my heart cared so much about way back then.

I can’t even remember how I first started, but I do remember that I felt a strong urge to write my feelings down from a very young age. I have so many memories of sitting in my bedroom as a child pouring my heart out into my journal. It was the one place where I could share anything and everything. It was a place where I could truly be me. Oftentimes, I would write when I was too upset to even think – journaling allowed me to process it all in my own time. And it seemed like even when I didn’t figure it all out through writing, I always felt a release and could handle everything better.

5. Why is journaling important?

Journaling is such a wonderful way to get in touch with our feelings. Sometimes I have no idea what I’m feeling inside, and after I spend a few minutes writing in my journal or typing on the computer, the answer will come. Journaling is also a great way to get in touch with our soul – it’s our direct line. We can bypass our mind and go straight to our source. It’s a great way to get to the heart of what’s really going on. It’s also a place where we can be completely ourselves – it’s a safe place to go to.

   Soulful Journaling Set

6. How has journaling changed you and/or affected your life?

I wouldn’t be where I am today without journaling. Not only has the practice of journaling helped me get in touch with myself and who I really am at my core, journals have become a large part of my professional life as well. It’s such a great tool to help us get straight to the soul level – I truly recommend it to everyone.

8. What advice do you have for “would be” journalers?

Just start writing. Don’t think about what you’re writing – don’t ever censor yourself. Write in the “stream of consciousness” style – keep your pen flowing or fingers typing.

Sometimes journals can turn into vent books – we tend to go to them when we are angry or sad, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. It’s a great way to get to the bottom of how you’re feeling about something and sort it all out.

However, when I went back through many of my journals, it seemed as though my entire life was horrible. Each journal page recounted another terrible event that had taken place. I always seemed to be hurt or angry or sad. And because I knew that my life wasn’t always this bad, I wanted my journals to be more representative of my actuality. This is where a gratitude journal and what I call, Soulful Journaling, came in. It’s where we look at the good in our life and write about that. It’s the practice of allowing our higher self to take the wheel when we’re writing rather than our ego. It’s a matter of letting the divine flow through us when we journal rather than staying in our human self and writing from there.

So if you, too, find that your journals are more like vent books, I would try Soulful Journaling. When you sit down to write, ask your soul what it needs you to know. Close your eyes, and start writing or typing. The truth will always come out. And listing 10 things each day that you’re grateful for is an amazing habit that will transform your life – guaranteed!

9. What’s next for you? Last words?

I would love for everyone to join me for A Month of Meditation on Soul Speak! Each day for the rest of the month, many of us are joining together to meditate. No time limits. No set way to meditate. We’re just promising that at some point in the day, we will take a few moments out to be still and go within.

There are so many paths that lead us back to our soul – journaling and meditation are two that work well for me. I truly believe that when we take the time to go within, we open up to the magic that is all around us and allow our souls to truly shine.

Thank you Jodi for this marvelous interview – Angela

If you enjoyed this post get PBI posts delivered straight to your inbox for free~

Tell your friends about PBI – share this post Twitter & Facebook – thank you!

P.S. To learn to hear what your soul wants check out these books here.

Jodi Chapman is the author of the inspirational blog, Soul Speak; the upcoming book, Coming Back to Life: How an Unlikely Friend Helped Me Reclaim My True Spirit; and the bestselling Soulful Journals series, co-authored with her amazing husband, Dan Teck. She would love to connect on Facebook and Twitter. Click here to receive her free ebook: As If: 50 Prompts to Help Manifest Your Ideal Life.

Jodi created a special offer exclusively for PbI readers. Check it out here!

 

Comments

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments