LET ME COUNT THE WAYS

In last month’s article, I mentioned an interaction I had with my grandson about purchasing a diary, spurred on by the popular tween age book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  It also gave me pause to think about my own journaling practice of late.  In so doing, I pronounced it wimpy.  That’s the Bad News, admitting it. Here’s the Good News; it prompted me to do something about it.

What had happened to my journaling practice?  How had I gotten so disconnected from it?  To a hardcore journal writer like me, that translated to, “How had I gotten so disconnected from myself.”

The usual suspects came to mind---busyness, travel, family, distractions, projects.  You name it; I let it get in the way.

But I did mention Good News.  And here it is.  Once I finally got back to daily journaling, I remembered how good it felt.  I remembered the deep sigh of relief once I got started. I remembered how great it felt to whiz past the “You only have to write for ten minutes” buzzer on my desk. 

I decided to sit down and make a list of what I actually got from my journal.  In a sense I was writing a gratitude list to my journal.

Here’s what I came up with.  Journaling helps me…

• Calm down when I feel overwhelmed
• Untangle thoughts and feelings
• Clarify issues that seem jumbled and confusing
• Prioritize tasks
• Get myself organized
• Work through negative or difficult issues

Generating this list made me think about what other people might put on their own Journal Gratitude list. 

What are you getting from your journaling?

And, if you are not journaling and want to be, what is getting in your way?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Please jump in and respond on this blog, by clicking the green 'Comments' link just below the P.S.  (Note: If you are the first, it will say '0 Comments' - just click that link.)

Best,

P.S. Remember, if you haven’t done so before, take advantage of our Complimentary Coaching Consultation and we'll talk about what you need to get the most you can out of your journaling.   Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to me at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.