I'm a firm believer that everyone should keep a journal of some kind on a frequent (daily?) basis. I've been writing in a paper journal for twenty-one years and keeping a blog for four years. Which do I like better? It's hard to say, but I do know each journal plays an important role.
My paper journal is where I explore my innermost "workings" and can freely express myself without the worry of wondering eyes. Everything I'm experiencing (from love to life to anger to grief) is contained on these pages in one way or another. Some days I'll ramble on for pages and pages, while others are just a single sentence.
My blog is a different story. That's where I go when I want to discuss matter requiring advice, feedback and criticisms. This isn't always easy to do because the truth is bold and staring you straight in the face in black and white. Words on a screen have just as much impact as word of mouth discussions to some, so be careful with this decision to open your self up to strangers.
Each journal, though, allows me to process what's important. Some things going on in life (a death, a health issue, a family problem, etc.) need to be thoroughly examined, written out and examined later. The act of purging through the writing process (be it with a pen or a keyboard) offers a type of cleansing that discussion doesn’t seem to solve. Don't get me wrong, talking to a trusted circle of friends is an important ingredient in anyone's life. This method of "getting it all out," though, allows you do purge without the worry of judgments or offending anyone.
Like I mentioned in the description of this article, this is the practice of revisiting an old idea. Journal writing has been in people's lives in various forms throughout history. So, how do you go about keeping a journal? Here are some tips to consider in this effort to reconnect with your self:
1. Pick a book that isn't "too pretty," otherwise you may feel too intimidated by it and worry too much about messing it up. For random, stream of conscious writing, I use a spiral bound notebook. For other types of entries (about specific topics, etc.), I use a hardback 8x10 ruled journal. I've experimented with smaller spiral bound hardback journals without lines and had excellent experiences with them.
2. If you've chosen to keep your journal primarily on your computer, there are several sites out there that you can use for free. I've used livejournal.com, blogger.com and the blog on myspace.com with a lot of success. Others I've tried include wordpress.com, the blog on lulu.com and the blog on ebay's myworld page. The ability to customize these online journals is particularly appealing because it allows for personal touches to go along with your personal writings.
3. Do you prefer writing letters? Unsent letter writing is another form of keeping a journal that is extremely cleansing. You can achieve this through various methods, but ultimately choose what is best for what you're trying to achieve. Some writers enjoy housing all of their letters in the pages of their journals, while others prefer going through the traditional process of writing it out on separate papers and enclosing them in envelopes. I've used both methods and enjoyed each. For the envelope method, I started out keeping them in a decorative box and later affixed each envelope on to pages of a handmade book.
4. Keeping a gratitude journal is another method, though it involved far less purging. Some writers enjoy the act of addressing what they're grateful for in one journal before expressing what is bothering them (or other thoughts) in another journal. I've worked in this manner in the past with very positive results. This allowed me to focus on the positive and reflect on the negative things in my life with more perspective.
5. A learning journal is another method of writing that is reflective and builds self-awareness, but it doesn't allow for stream of conscious writing. The act of keeping a learning journal is for those who are plagued with many issues requiring thorough research. For example, you may be caring for a loved one with a disease you don't quite understand. Write out all your research along with your personal thoughts in your learning journal. You may also be battling an eating disorder, trying to figure out what you want to do for your career or deciding to get pregnant. Any one of these things (and so much more) can be explored in the pages of this type of journal.
I've touched lightly on this topic in hopes of planting some seeds of interest. The practice of keeping a journal doesn’t have to be merely writing about the activities of a particular day or a "laundry list" of things that need to be done. Your journal truly can be a tool to help unlock your "inner you" and come to grips with the world around you.
Jenn Greenleaf - Jennifer Greenleaf Editor-in-Chief: Frugalarity.com Sub Teacher: Regional School Unit #2 Selectwoman: Richmond, Maine
