Field of Dreams About Journaling
About Journaling - A Monthly Feature
Keeping a Journal
By Doreene Clement
Writing, expressing can heal us. It can focus,
support, and enhance our lives and well-being. Whether we laugh
or we cry, whether through sorrow or joy, we can understand more about
ourselves, and each other, through keeping a journal. Some Benefits
of Keeping a Journal
· Reduces stress
· Sets goals
· Organizes
· Helps focus
· Can improve well-being
· Makes time for you
· Creates a personal reminder
· Becomes a treasured keepsake
Journaling
On a piece of paper, write your answers to the question,
"Which 3 words best describe how you are feeling right now?"
When you are done writing, you have just journaled.
Writing about whatever is important to you right then and there
is journaling. Tracking what you have planted in your garden is journaling.
Writing about the family holidays together, or coffee with a friend is
journaling. There is no set amount of words or pages that constitutes a
journal. There can be a set theme or topic in your journal, but there does
not have to be. I have written about soup, the weather, myself, my
friends, and my dreams for the future, in my journal. A journal, which
is the same as a diary, is a place where you choose to store what is important
to you.
When to start journaling
Any day of any year is a good time to start your journal. The
day you feel you want to start recording your experiences and thoughts
is the perfect day to start - Whether on January 1, November 3, or today.
There is no set time of year to begin a journal or to start to journal
again. Some people like the idea of starting their journal
on January 1. They write their goals and ideas starting at the beginning
of the year. Others like the idea of starting the very day it occurs to
them that they want to write about their lives in a journal. Whatever
you choose, it is the right way for you, and that is all that matters.
What to journal in
There are a lot of choices of where to record all those thoughts,
feelings, ideas, dreams, and desires. What you will write in and what you
will write with again is up to you. Try several choices, several
types of books, and several types of pens or pencils. Find the tools that
fit you. You can also record your journal on tape, video, or
the computer. Writing a letter can be another form of journaling
your experiences.
What to write about
I know of a woman who wants to be a comedian. In her journal
she writes a joke a day. Another person had been stuck for several
years writing her novel. She started to journal about writing her
novel and gained the focus she needed. She finished her novel within a
few months. Another person tracks every penny he spends in his
journal. The beauty of keeping a journal is that it is
your book. You get to choose not only when to write, but what to write.
How much I write in my journal
Journaling is about what you want to express that day so, you
can write as much or as little as you want - A word, a thought or two,
pages, you choose.
Remembering to journal
Place your journal where you will see it every day. I do not
mind taking vitamins, but if I do not see them I do forget to take them.
Place your journal on your nite stand or where you have coffee in the morning.
I keep mine on my desk, where I will see it everyday. Part
of keeping a journal, for me, is skipping a day, or maybe four. I
usually write every day, but some days I do not. I forget to write or I
do not get to it, or I have nothing to say that day. Skipping a day is
a part of keeping a journal.
Keeping your journal safe
You may want to have a special secret place for your journal
so no one else can read it. You can keep it in a locked box, or tuck it
away. You can also ask the people around you not to read your journal.
It is private and only concerns you. As you journal about specific events
or people you can also use code words for those experiences. It is
important that you feel safe writing about your thoughts so, think about
how you can create that for yourself in your own environment. With
the passage of time, we gain a different perspective. Time is a healer.
What was once hard, or unbearable, can now make more sense, giving us a
clearer picture. Recording and tracking our lives, by keeping a journal,
can actually bring relief, clarity, joy, and laughter.
Doreene Clement is the creator of The 5 Year Journal, a journal
where you can write about your life in one book for 5 years.
You can tour the book at www.the5yearjournal.comdkcomni@aol.com
480.423.8095
Copyright 2001 Doreene Clement All Rights Reserved
Deb Nyberg, Webmistress
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