With daily journaling, we can get into a habit of writing everything in the first person. Ah, the good, old, reliable data dump, “I hate my life. I can’t stand my bosses, I feel flat and bloated, I, I, I…!
View your life from a broader perspective. Write in your journal using the third person and see how the story unfolds. According to a journaling tips email I got recently from the International Association of Journal Writers (IAJW), it’s called ‘Altered Viewpoint’:
This technique shifts the use of the first person perspective of "I" to "he" or "she" statements. This simple swapping of pronouns helps you to insert some emotional distance into a situation and view it from a broader perspective. It's useful when you are lost in the realm of feeling and need to cultivate a more rational approach.
Here is an example: Instead of writing: "I feel overwhelmed. I'm drowning in a sea of responsibilities and options and I'm not sure what to do next." Write: "She feels overwhelmed. She's drowning in a sea of responsibilities and options and she's not sure what to do next."
If you don’t know what to write about, here are some more (71 and counting!) Journaling Tips for his or her consideration.
Please let us know how his or her story turns out. Or at least give us a chapter update!
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