Keeping a journal is becoming “in” again. Just a few days ago, while cleaning my children’s school bags, I noticed that my Middle School kids each had a journal for their Language Arts class. Online, many self help websites and personalities encourage the practice of putting into paper one’s feelings, aspirations and goals.
As I sneakily read their “school work”, I can’t help but smile and recall all the journals I had throughout the years. Okay, I used to call it Diary. What started as a school requirement from the nuns, (I’m a product of Catholic Schools) journal writing had become a daily habit until the early part of my married life.
After I had my first child, the new demands of motherhood interrupted my journaling habit. While I continue to write for newspapers and some magazines, I stopped my personal reflections. Surprisingly though, when I had Child#2, I started writing again. Though not as frequent, I made it a point to jot down my deepest thoughts. I guess it was a coping mechanism as I struggle with postpartum depression. Yes, I had to cope with PPD not once but twice. Folks, I’ll save that topic for another post okay.
Then, this so called “life simply happened” — two more kids, moving to a different town, starting a jewelry business, children going to school, getting my real estate license, food allergy diagnosis, blogging and everything else in between. With all the To-Do’s, my personal time took a back seat. While I’ve been running a blog for almost 7 years now, I have to say, I still miss that pen and paper writing. There is really something special about writing specifically just for me.
Anyway, earlier this month, I came across this book by Mari L. McCarthy entitled Heal Your Self with Journaling Power. Here, the author shared not just her personal experience on how journaling helped her heal her own emotional and even physical pains but also stories of individuals who benefited from journaling as well.
With only 136 pages, I found this book really enlightening, powerful and inspiring. It challenges me to go back to my roots and look deeper into my real, unedited thoughts and feelings. I like how Mari stressed that having a journal is the least expensive hobby one can have and the results are beyond imaginable.
As I went through each chapter of the book, which is about 4-5 pages long, I felt like there are so many things waiting to come out of my head and heart. Thoughts that I have kept within and forced to be buried. It really made me excited to start my “diary” again.
Hugs,
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I journal every night before bed. I always love reading back from years past.
That’s awesome. Any tips on how to be consistent?
I used to journal, but then life got too busy and I haven’t done it in a few years now. Would love to get back into it and this book sounds like a perfect way to do so.
Journaling has been a very useful tool for me. Writing things down makes me focus on issues.
I think journaling is a very healthy way to take stock of your emotions, encourage yourself by seeing your written progress over time, relieve stress just by putting pen to paper & describing what you’re feeling, and most importantly, find things your grateful for daily. I too ran into “life” and stopped writing. It is a void I very much intend to fill. As a rape survivor with PTSD, I am very excited about the positive impact of this encouraging book on the positive impacts of journaling.
I think journaling is a very healthy way to take stock of your emotions, read ypur progress over time, relieve stress just by writing what you’re feeling, and most importantly, find things your grateful for daily. As a rape survivor with PTSD, I am very excited about the positive impact of this journal.
I journal every evening before I go to bed, I have done this now for almost a year as part of my plan to care for my mental health.
I’m not into Journaling yet.
Let’s get started. Have you been in the email list?
Yes, I’m into journaling.
That’s awesome.
Thank you for the awesome review Rozelyn. Can’t wait to share Heal Your Self With Journaling Power with your winner! And now that you’ve rejoined the Journaling Power Revolution, I’d love to share your Journaling Journey guest blog post with the world. Here are the Journaling Journeys I run every Monday: https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/topic/journaling-journeys
#JustWriteON!