by Starla Ross

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

It took years to give myself permission to write in a journal. Time after time I started, writing a few pages, only to quickly tear it all up to return in a few months.

My mind was filled with negative thoughts. What if someone saw what I wrote? What if my inner-most self was exposed? Who, but me, would be interested in what I had to say? Would I even be interested in what I had written? After all, I was just a mom of three daughters trying to meander through days filled with work, laundry, and dishes. Life was not all that exciting, it seemed.

But always, my mind came back to the art of journaling - for the positive aspects of a journal far outweighed the negative. I realized my daughters were growing up way too fast. I wanted to remember what my days were like while they were young. Maybe one day I would look back and chuckle over the harried, endless loads of laundry or the funny things they would say and do.

And I wanted to leave my legacy - something of myself to show I was here. I contributed, and I did matter. I realized my journal would be a gift to my children when I am gone. What a treasure to find a mother's most intimate thoughts to read on a dreary day.

And so it began. The life of my journal to record my life.

A journal provides an outlet to express your ideas and thoughts, even when you feel you are not ready to share them with others. It's a creative outlet that allows you to look back at snippets of your life - to see where you have been and where you are going. It doesn't need to be professionally written, and it doesn't need to be perfect.

FIND A JOURNAL YOU LOVE

Before you even begin, find a journal you absolutely love. Make it something special - a book you will enjoy. Whether it by a floral cloth cover, or brown leather with gold-tipped pages, find a journal that expresses who you are.

START SMALL

A journal isn't a novel. Start with small blocks of time and begin with just a sentence or two. The grammar doesn't need to be perfect, and the writing doesn't need to be neat. Just write. Write whatever comes to mind. As your confidence grows, your journal entries will blossom also.

ENJOY YOUR JOURNALING TIME

Make journaling a special time of the day. Choose a time when you feel the most contented and can sneak a few moments of quiet time. Whether it be over your first cup of coffee in the morning before the household awakes, in your car at lunch time, or snuggled under the blankets at night, find a time that works. You'll begin to look forward to those few moments alone within your thoughts.

A journal is never complete. Just like our lives, it's a journey through time and circumstance. Enjoy the journey, for your story will continue with each page.

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