The art of journaling is the art of discovering what you think, feel and believe. Writing down your observations, private thoughts and ideas, helps you gain valuable insights into who you are. It can help you interpret what is happening around you. Keeping a journal allows you to change your life from a seemingly random succession of events into a well-defined school. You begin to look at the lessons in your life and put them into practice, which leads to self improvement. A journal can help you express yourself more clearly, when you're in touch with yourself, you stop taking others' comments and behavior personally, which allows you to experience more peace, freedom and joy.
You too can benefit from journaling, so I have listed some of the ways journaling can add dimension to your life.
1. Journaling is a form of self expression and even though self expression doesn't alter the course of the world, journal writing and self expression are powerful tools, they have the power to change you and how you view and experience the world. Self expression allows you to share your thoughts, feelings and beliefs with the world around you, and by doing this you connect to your surroundings and the people in your life.
2. In your journal you can express yourself truthfully and not be judged. It is a place where you can say the words you have a difficult time saying out loud. Journaling aids you in working through stressful situations without fear of social consequences. You can easily write about things you don't want to discuss with family and friends.
3. In some instances journaling can be an inexpensive form of self-therapy.
Journaling is a remarkable tool for nurturing your spirit. Pain, disappointment, hurt and anger, you can vent these feelings in your journal, it allows you to process these feelings and put things into perspective.
4. Planning, a journal can be very useful in helping you organize and plan your life. Use your journal to gain clarity when you plan to tackle a difficult task.
Write out your plan, execute it and evaluate the outcome. Journaling can increase your effectiveness and productivity.
5. Use your journal to leave something behind for future generations. Journaling can provide a link to a time that some can only read about, all the same a link many yearn to have. Journaling is a great way to keep your treasured memories and family traditions alive. By keeping a journal you can trace what happens in your day.
6. Journaling is a frugal way to keep memories alive and right at your fingertips, not packed away in boxes or dusty albums that you must search through for hours. I've gone back through my journals and read where I'd written things down that have happened in my life. Things I had forgotten.
These memories would be lost forever had I not written them down and preserved them. Don't rely on your memory to preserve special events and occurrences, use your journal.
Hopefully by now you're seriously thinking about keeping a journal, if you are here are some strategies to get you started.
Set a time to write. Try to allow 15-20 minutes each day for journal writing, preferably during a time when you're fresh and energetic.
Choose a book to write in. You may keep more than one journal. I keep a journal for my writing, my personal thoughts and feelings. You can keep one for anything that is important in your life and everyday is important.
The overall purpose of journal writing is to allow you to return to it someday and relive the peaks and valleys of your life. Your journal will act as a powerful tool for you in your life, it can add new dimension and meaning to it. It can provide a powerful healing of the mind, body and spirit; I believe journaling is a personal treasure.
Copyright 2004 by Rashun Jones
Rashun Jones, a professional speaker and registered nurse, is the author of Power of Life Use It or Lose It. She is the founder of the Nushape News, an online report dedicated to helping people improve their outlook and direction in life.
E-mail Rashun at: rashunjones.cox.net
