Keeping a journal is becoming “in” again. Just a few days ago, while cleaning my children’s school bags, I noticed that my Middle School kids each had a journal for their Language Arts class. Online, many self help websites and personalities encourage the practice of putting into paper one’s feelings, aspirations and goals.
As I sneakily read their “school work”, I can’t help but smile and recall all the journals I had throughout the years. Okay, I used to call it Diary. What started as a school requirement from the nuns, (I’m a product of Catholic Schools) journal writing had become a daily habit until the early part of my married life.
After I had my first child, the new demands of motherhood interrupted my journaling habit. While I continue to write for newspapers and some magazines, I stopped my personal reflections. Surprisingly though, when I had Child #2, I started writing again. Though not as frequent, I made it a point to jot down my deepest thoughts. I guess it was a coping mechanism as I struggle with postpartum depression. Yes, I had to cope with PPD not once but twice. Folks, I’ll save that topic for another post okay.
Then, this so called “life simply happened” — two more kids, moving to a different town, starting a jewelry business, children going to school, getting my real estate license, food allergy diagnosis, blogging and everything else in between. With all the To-Do’s, my personal time took a back seat. While I’ve been running a blog for almost 7 years now, I have to say, I still miss that pen and paper writing. There is really something special about writing specifically just for me.
Anyway, earlier this month, I came across this book by Mari L. McCarthy entitled Heal Your Self with Journaling Power. Here, the author shared not just her personal experience on how journaling helped her heal her own emotional and even physical pains but also stories of individuals who benefited from journaling as well.
With only 136 pages, I found this book really enlightening, powerful and inspiring. It challenges me to go back to my roots and look deeper into my real, unedited thoughts and feelings. I like how Mari stressed that having a journal is the least expensive hobby one can have and the results are beyond imaginable.
As I went through each chapter of the book, which is about 4-5 pages long, I felt like there are so many things waiting to come out of my head and heart. Thoughts that I have kept within and forced to be buried. It really made me excited to start my “diary” again.
Since I really enjoyed this book and I know that it will help you too,
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