Love for Journaling

As a professional listener - a therapist is nothing if not a person that listens, right? – I found the act of writing to be foreign. Not since college had I really written consistently. But all of a sudden, I was being asked by my therapist to start writing. So naturally, I had to find the best pens and pencils and notebook for the assignment. That was the fun part, I assumed, and the work was to come later.

What I actually found once I started writing was that I had a lot to say. Sometimes what we write can give us a new perspective on an idea, a decision, or the way we feel about something that has happened. Even more, it can be a place to work out thoughts that you did not know you were thinking, and perhaps would never consciously think about at all, if you had not set out the time to do it. 

We of course have constant conversations both out loud and in our own minds, but there is something transformational about the written word. That simple act of writing on a page allows for a different process. The choice of word is often more thoughtful. Even your use of punctuation can give new meaning to a sentence. 

Keeping a diary involves a ritual. Opening up to a new page, sitting in a special chair, using those nice pens and pencils that were purchased just for this use. There are often not many chances that we get in a day to have a sacred moment to truly reflect. For those that meditate, that can be one of those moments. Journaling is a great way to work out the words in our head that are sometimes listless, oftentimes confusing, vague. And if you become famous one day, you’ll be really glad you did it.