by Tracey Cozby

Created on: July 15, 2008   Last Updated: July 18, 2008

I started journaling in 2003 after moving in with a man I was supposed to marry. You will notice the keyword in that sentence is "supposed". The relationship went south not long after moving in together. I couldn't talk to him as he was the type of man to avoid communication at all costs. I found a little site that offered a way for me to write and yet remain private. I was not fond of the layout and did a Google. How did we ever get through this internet thing without Google? It was through my google'ing that I found BlogSpot. It is through sitting at my keyboard daily, typing out my innermost feelings, that I slowly gained the knowledge that I was not in a healthy relationship. How is it possible that something as simple as a journal could have such a profound effect? You would think I would have known it just living there. That was not the case. I was too close to the situation to truly "see" it. Interesting I could say that. The journal was still me and the situation. Maybe it was through journaling I was able to view my situation from the outside in. By journaling my experiences and then going back after time to read the entries, I gained clarity. Clarity I would have never had if it wasn't for journaling. Through my journals I found a woman in me I never knew existed.

I have been blogging/journaling for almost five years now. I cannot say that I write on a daily basis. I used to as I knew I needed the outlet. My life has changed since 2003. I believe with my entire soul that it was through my journal that I have become a woman I had only dreamed I could be. I stand strong in my faith in who I am. In whom I want to be. Without my outlet and ability to write when life gets to me, I do not know where my spirit would be today.

Do I recommend journals or blogs? Absolutely. It is your way of learning more about who you are. About how far you have come in your own spiritual growth. Your journal is an extension of you. There is no one can write your life story. It is yours and yours alone. You can put as much or as little into it. There are no steadfast rules to follow. Only your imagination and your truth. Being able to see how your life unfolds and seeing your growth through life's lessons is one of the most amazing highs a person can have. Your life. Your own story. How many people can say that? Only bloggers and those who keep journals. I must warn you though. Once you have begun to journal, you may become addicted. But the addiction is to you! The greatest addiction of all.

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