On reflection, I think I probably experienced more than my fair share of angst, suffering at the hands of school bullies for many years to the point of becoming disaffected with the whole educational system.
With little support from my teachers or any other adults, I stopped concentrating at school and lost interest in learning altogether. I spiralled from being top of the class at the age of thirteen, with an outstanding record of achievement in English, Art and Languages, to become a mediocre and unwilling student who left school at sixteen with unremarkable grades. I finally returned to college with more motivation four years later when I realised I needed qualifications to build a better life for myself.
At twenty two I was offered a job in journalism, which suited me perfectly and allowed me to launch my writing career. I wrote professionally for decades, reporting on other people’s lives, and specialising in human interest stories for many years.
A few years ago I had a profound discovery: Journaling! I realised that keeping a personal account of my own experiences, particularly my inner emotions and spiritual life, was a healing and liberating process. And I began to wonder, how would I have fared in my teenage years if I’d had my journal to confide in?
A journal is a best friend and keeps all of your secrets, it eases your pain and provides insights- it helps reveal who you are and where you’re going. I am sure that keeping a journal as a teenager would have brought me some relief from agonizing feelings.
With this in mind, I did some research on using journaling as an activity for teenagers, and recently introduced it to the girls I work with in my church youth group. They loved it.
Their feedback confirmed the advice I had read from professional youth workers: journaling helps teens to understand themselves better, and gain perspective on the issues in their lives.
They can use their journals creatively, drawing in them as well as writing, adding photos and newspaper cuttings, creating a collage- whatever they feel like doing in order to express themselves.
The girls I worked with explored the deepest desires of their hearts, using journaling and prayer together to seek a vision for their lives. In our last session together I asked them to pray first and then to imagine themselves in five years’ time. I asked them to describe what they were doing, using the present tense.
After this session, one of the girls exclaimed: “I saw myself so clearly! I had got my music degree and I was on stage, performing to a large audience. It was really cool and now I feel sure that I’m going in the right direction”.
Some youth workers and mental health professionals regularly use journaling to help young people gain insights into major areas of their lives, including relationships with peers and parents, their body image issues, and career and leisure interests.
Journaling can be useful in working through crises of all kinds, including divorce, relocation, bereavement, and personal conflict. At such times, teens will experience strong feelings, such as anger, fear, insecurity, grief and confusion. Their journal can be a totally safe place to express these turbulent emotions.
If you are close to a teenager, maybe your own child, or a grandchild, why not introduce them to the best friend they can really rely on for complete acceptance with no judgement- their own confidential journal?
Important note: Journaling is not a replacement for professional support if your teen is suffering from serious emotional disturbance or a mental health problem. Please seek help from qualified professionals.
About the Author
She has 25 years’ experience of writing news and features for UK newspapers and magazines.To find out more about Lyn and her work visithttp://lacopywriting.co.uk
If you want to find out more about the health benefits of keeping a journal, check out Lyn's e-book The Write Therapy: How Keeping a Journal Can Make You Happier, Healthier and More Productive available from the Amazon Kindle Store.