Article: Journaling with Sanctus

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Journaling with Sanctus

During our first episode of Series 2 of the NAKED podcast, we spoke to James Routledge about his decision to step down as CEO from Sanctus. We talked about journaling as a practice to help with your mental health, something that our co-founder Nektarios was initially reluctant to try. But he has since given it a go & shared his experience:

”I started journaling with Sanctus very reluctantly. The thought of being in the same room with a bunch of people, albeit virtually, felt very off-putting.

And then, one morning, driven by curiosity rather than conviction, I dialed in and found myself surrounded by 50 people on zoom who looked somehow welcoming. I can’t describe it.

My first session was brief. I jotted down some thoughts, guided by the prompts of the process and then I logged off again. The second one was a little bit longer, I actually took some time to check how I felt, what the day ahead looked like, and what I was most worried of. And by the end of it I looked up; I looked at the faces of the other people in the session,and I felt a sense of community, of dare I say comfort?

The next day was difficult. I was tired and really reluctant to get up and dial in. But I remembered the words of one of our podcast guests who lived by "you have to show up" so I did. I logged in, recognised some of the faces in my newly found family and started writing: the prompt I chose was "my intention for the day". And by the end of it I felt calmer and in a much better place to face the day.

Who would’ve thought that one week in I am now at a place where I’m looking forward to it, where journaling becomes part of my daily ritual? I never thought this would be for me because I had all sorts of images in my head of what journaling looks like. Using a web form, having the faces of people in front of me, being able to say hi in the chat room… All this makes a difference. I’ve definitely found a new way to look inside and to centre myself every morning.”