by Kate Johns

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

Dear Journal,

Today I did something I never thought possible. I sat outside for thirty minutes alone. It felt so terrific to do something for myself. That's because I did something really different, I got up earlier than the kids, and ate breakfast outside. It felt like heaven to listen to the birds sing their morning songs. I heard two birds calling to each other from across the yard. It felt so relaxing that I just wanted to stay outside all morning and sit and relax alone.

This is an example of journaling. Journaling is writing down your inner- most thoughts and actions. It is a time to think about your thoughts on life, or to work out a problem you are having. Journaling can just be sitting down and writing poetry, or writing down how a co-worker refuses to work as part of the team. Besides all that, keeping a journal has been proven in scientific studies to aid people in cutting down stress in their lives. That's because you are writing your thoughts down and working out the problems on paper.

How to keep a journal:

1.Buy a journal. Remember writing in a journal is your time, so make it special. Buy yourself a new journal that shows your personality. Buy yourself a new pen and new coffee or tea mug while you're at it, to set the tone for a journaling bonanza. Then when the kids say, "Mom what's that striped book you write in? You can tell them, " It's where I write down my feelings."

2. Let your stream of conscience take a walk on the wild side. This will help you work out problems, and will also help you relax. Plus it's a lot cheaper than paying for therapy!

3.Set aside some time when you want to write. If you want to write down your thoughts every day, then set aside the time. Even ten minutes can be a great stress reducing activity.

4.Look over your work from time to time. By doing this you will discover so much about yourself that you never knew. You will find out how stress occurs in your life and how you can manage it. Then you can change your life for the positive, and gain a new perspective on life.

5.This is YOUR journal. Do what you want. While writing, don't worry about proper spelling, grammar or even sentence structure. Write in code if you want to (just as long as you can read it later.) Write in pink ink if the feeling strikes. Grab one of the kids' crayons and write about your feelings on being a Mother.

6.Don't let other people read your journal. Write about what you want, and hide it in a locked drawer. Your husband doesn't need to know that you really don't like his new female co-worker.

Journaling is a brilliant way of creating time for yourself to write down your inner feelings. Imagine all the problems you can work out, and all the stress melting away.

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