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Do you keep a journal?

Irene

Veteran

Any kind of journal, but especially emotional ones. Less about what you did during the day and more about how you felt during that day.
I've tried to keep a journal so many times, but always abandon them. I have always thought that if I got to that point where I would write daily about random stuff, I would be able to write other stuff too (like, say, one of my many projects of a novel?), but I guess I have to go one step at a time. Plus, when I read older entries I can see things about myself and therefore try to fix them, feel good about them, etc, so it's good for the soul.

How do you follow through? Inconsistency is one of my many flaws.

I feel like this will be something like exercising or eating veggies. Harder at first, very much needed and healthy on the long run.

PS: I have gotten into the habit of writing down the title of every novel I finish, and the month I finished it in. But then that only takes me like half a minute to do, and only do it every now and then (when I finish my readings). At least I remember to do it every single time, and do not postpone.

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14 replies

Latest reply was from catgirl

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I kept a journal many years ago when I was struggling with depression. It was probably helpful for pouring out my emotions.

My most useful journaling exercise was when I did the Artist's Way course and did "morning pages" -- a daily exercise in which you write three pages of longhand ramblings upon waking, every morning. It didn't matter what you wrote or how sloppily you wrote it -- it was just for the purpose of emptying your brain of whatever was in it at the time, whether it was stuff you had to do that day, worries, dreams you had the night before, etc. Even if you just whined for three pages, that was OK. I found it very cathartic and have considered picking up the practice again.

http://juliacameronlive.com/ba.....ing-pages/

http://www.amazon.com/dp/15854.....w=g&h

I love the idea of jotting down the title of every book you finish. What a great idea. I should keep better track of things like that, and bottles of wine I particularly enjoy.

Diana

Veteran

I have kept a journal in the past but like you I let it fall to the wayside quite a while ago. I don't know how I feel about journaling to be honest. See, the thing is that I'm the type of person who likes to keep things, especially big emotional things, to myself. So it was cathartic as Janet says to write it all down, but I feel like it might actually be a substitute for actually telling real people about those things, and maybe prevents me from dealing with them. In other words, me and my journal is not really any different from me and the inside of my head, and I'm not sure either is super healthy. It's different from, say, if you're doing therapy and are asked to write down and share what you've written. For me, the journal is super-duper private and I would be mortified were anyone else to EVER read it.

I do keep track of other things, like all my knitting projects (on Ravelry) and to a lesser extent my outfits (WIWs here).

Alassë

Veteran

I've journaled since a kid, but it has become less about what happened (made me stop at times since it felt like a chore) and more about my state of mind - if there's anything I want to discuss with myself, so to speak. That I find relaxing and fun. So yes, it is "me and the inside of my head," as Diana puts it. But I'm usually writing about fashion/style musings, so no one else cares anyway.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I used to, and have off and on. More so in my teens and 20's, and then again in my early 30's with a troubled relationship and a lot of questions about what to do about it. Also when I moved to FL the first few times I started up again. Don't seem to stick to it.
I've had the unfortunate experience of my journal being found and read. Admittedly I wasn't hiding it, but still. Along with a few other things, it culminated in me being kicked out of the house and sent to live with other relatives when I was 16. Took me a long while to start up again after that.
I agree that it is kind of a conversation with myself and maybe not that much more useful than having the ideas in my head, except that upon reflection years later, you can get a glimpse into what you were dealing with from a more objective perspective. It's interesting to see old dilemmas through new eyes sometimes.

Anonymous

I journal periodically when upset/depressed but Mo's experience is what frightens me the most from continuing. I do not want to explain my thoughts if found out...rest assured I am happy and healthy but sometimes I just want to vent with no crticisms and a journal is nice for that...explaining to one's loved ones why you felt that way is not . I have thought once or twice of an anonymous blog, it might serve the same purpose, and as I doubt I would have any type of readership, would be a good option. Cheaper than therapy (and I've done that too)

MsMaven

Veteran

Decades ago I took a journal writing class at UCSB based on depth psychology, a topic explored by Ira Progoff. He developed the idea of intensive journal keeping. We had a daily log, a dream diary, and a diary of dialogues with some important person from history. I had read a biography of Catherine the Great of Russia. She had a fascinating life before mid-life, but it all went downhill after that. I was about to turn 40 and didn't want to think the best part of my life was over.

Currently I keep three journals: a book journal, a daily log and a personal exploration journal. The book journal helps me keep track of ideas, citations, books and articles read, everything that relates to a biography/history I am writing.

The daily log is just that--and once a year I go through and blitz the trivial and just keep important events and people I want to remember. A few years ago I went through and delete a lot of trivial stuff again.

The third is more recent and helps me keep track of thoughts and emotions that relate to a crisis in my life that began a couple or more years ago and still isn't completely resolved. Here I also put in links to articles and thoughts from books, blogs and forums that have been helpful to me in dealing with current life difficulties.

I do think about what I want to survive me and edit or delete every so often. All this is to help in my own personal growth and not to leave a record behind me.

Jeanie

Veteran

I used to journal. I felt it was helpful to wind down at night and get things out of my head. I also wanted to write down some of the things the kids were doing when they were little so I could read it back to them when they got older. We tend to forgot what kids did when they were little if we don't write it down. Sadly, there were a couple of times my journal was read by other people. Those breaches jaded me a bit so now I don't keep a journal. I also came to the realization that if I died tomorrow I wouldn't want someone reading my journal. Those thoughts were meant to be private and not shared.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I keep a patient journal - but that's probably not the same thing. It has initials and a code # to sort out my patient care hours and my care plans for the patients that I have seen - all in short hand; the long version is kept separately in a locked place for security reasons. So if I run into someone who said "Have you seen Jane Doe recently?" I just need to flip to my journal to see.

Irene

Veteran

Lots of interesting thoughts here, and I'm sorry for those of you whose journals got read. How can people really do this totally shocks me. As intriguing as journals are, we all know they are PRIVATE.

I write mine in English so most people in my surroundings wouldn't be able to understand most of the things I say -plus, I have hideous handwriting- but I like to think no one in my household would read it if the opportunity came by. I store it in a drawer, but it's not really hidden.

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

I have attempted this so many times and like you have not followed through. I've done that since I was 13 when my father died....I have been so much more consistent in my Gratitude Journal that I post at the end of my blogs and have kept it up for a year.... Having my readers say they like it and it helps them keeps me doing it and I love the benefits it brings to my happiness levels...

Krista

Veteran

I keep a "feelings" journal but I only write it in when I need to sort something out. I usually end up writing in it about once a month or so, sometimes a little more frequently if things are really bugging me. Years ago, I suffered from pretty serious anxiety so writing in a journal allowed me to figure out my triggers and identify my distorted thoughts. It's still the best way for me to "get clear" and I don't make any rules about how often I need to write, etc. I like being able to track how things change and how I've grown over time.

elpgal

Veteran

Gosh I would love to but having had Mo's experience as a child, I have never attempted it as an adult.

karymk

Veteran

I don't keep a journal because I would be mortified if anyone ever found it.

catgirl

Veteran

I've noticed over the course of my life that I've only kept journals when I've been unhappy, as a form of therapy. Now I would like to keep one just to record daily events for and with my son, for his future use.

My friend's husband who died recently kept a handwritten journal for his kids from the time they were born - we are taking over 40 of those large hardbound sketchbooks full of his daily writings and drawings about their day to day lives. He was an incredible storyteller and his journals were interactive, in the sense that we all wrote at times. He did not know he would die at 54 when he started, but what an incredible gift to his children, to have his voice and memories of them on paper forever.