The Joys of Journaling

There’s a difference between keeping a diary and actually journaling. A diary is a “daybook” in which you jot down things that happened during that day: writing and editing jobs, phone calls, visitors, health appointments, and news items (local, statewide, national and world.)

Journaling, on the other hand, is not just writing down what happened but how you feel about these things.

Your thoughts
A journal is a steno pad, a composition book, a notebook, or a fancy book with blank pages in which you can voice your innermost thoughts.

Did someone hurt you that day? Did you get passed over for a promotion at work? Did you have a misunderstanding with a friend? Are you concerned about a health problem you or a member of your family is facing? Journaling provides a safe outlet to express your most heartfelt emotions about a situation or event.

Your decisions
Do you have a decision to make — perhaps a job change, a move, a relationship? Often just writing down the problem and seeing it in black and white clarifies the issue for you. If you’re still undecided, then make two lists of pros and cons, and see which one outweighs the other.

Your dreams
You may have dreams that you haven’t been able to share with your family or your closest friends. But you can write these dreams in your journal where no eyes but yours can see them. Don’t stop there, however. Keep going and write down the steps you need to take to reach those dreams.

Your grief
After the loss of a loved one, often journaling will help you deal with that loss. Writing down happy memories of times shared with that person will help lessen the grief as days go by.

Journaling can help you deal with the past, it can help give you strength and peace for today, and it can help you plan for the future. And men, journaling isn’t just for women; it can help you, too!