by Sandra Petersen

Created on: July 16, 2008   Last Updated: July 18, 2008

Your grandmother may have written a diary of her day to day experiences and activities. As a teen, you may have kept a diary with your private innermost thoughts hidden in its pages. Today, we call the blend of what went on during a day and the writer's reactions to those events journaling. Journaling is a worthwhile activity to begin for several reasons and there are steps to ensure you continue recording your experiences, thoughts, responses, and feelings.

Why journal?

A journal can be a meaningful record of your own personal or family history. Think about historical figures upon which entire library shelves of books have been written. Many times the author has explored journals from the famous person or from family members to discover the depth of the person's character. You or your family may not be famous but someday your children and grandchildren may enjoy reading about your day to day experiences and thoughts.

Use parts of your previous year's journal to write your annual Christmas letter to family and friends. It can be a marvelous reminder of what has happened in your family in the past twelve months.

A journal helps you remember the mood surrounding a situation or event months or years after that particular memory dims.

If you want insight into your own thought processes, record your responses and feelings to daily experiences. When you understand why you think the way you do, real personal growth and healing can take place. You may ask yourself, "Why was I hard on my son today?" Perhaps on reflection you will see what triggered your irritable mood.

A journal can provide an idea of those actions and responses which have worked in the past to solve particular problems. It gives direction for approaching future problems as well.

Record your personal progress through a time of change or healing. Later, when you read what you have written you will marvel at the milestones you have accomplished.

How do you keep the momentum going when beginning to journal?

Begin by purchasing a journal or notebook with a pretty cover and perhaps some fancy pens. If you invest money in your journal and personalize it you may stick with it. For the paper- phobic, the Internet has a variety of journaling websites.

Your journal can be on any topic. Personal thoughts, Scripture meditations and applications, writing prompts and ideas, homemaking, and homeschooling are a few of the possibilities.

If you can not write a paragraph, at least write a sentence or a stream of words describing your mood at the time. Let your thoughts and feelings flow onto the paper. Do not be concerned about spelling or grammar. Just let it out.

Schedule a daily journaling appointment with yourself and keep it.

If you should miss a day, do not feel guilty or give up. Begin again when you have the time.

Journaling should not be a burden but an enjoyable means of discovering yourself.

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