Have you ever journaled?  Or kept a diary when you were growing up?  As a kid I only wrote in a diary because it was a gift and I think for me it was pretty much worthless as I didn’t feel like I had anything to say.  I reported the weather, and I’m not sure what else but I knew it was pretty boring.  I don’t think I made it through the first year before I stopped.

But when I was going through my divorce, my life coach told me it would be a good idea and to give it another try.  I wasn’t sure I wanted to, but I found it was a huge help to get my thoughts down and to help me understand what I was thinking and feeling.  A few years later when I was on an even keel and doing better than ever, I stopped writing, but I’m so glad I took that time because it was important for me during those years to get my thoughts down.

Journal writing is like talking to a really close friend.  You can say anything and it will help you understand what you are going through, how you are feeling and give you insights you may not have otherwise found out.  You’ll learn who you are and who you want to be.  You can make plans and write down dreams, even if they seem farfetched and you would be hesitant to say anything to anyone out loud.

You may also find that journal writing will help you simply get to know yourself better.  You may feel like you can become a better you because you’ll realize things about yourself you didn’t see before.  You may even find new direction in your life.  And the best part is that the journal doesn’t criticize you, put you down or say negative things about your hopes and dreams!

So is it a good idea to journal?  You bet!  Give it a shot and see how you feel.  If you haven’t written in one before, you may find it’s exactly what you need after the first few weeks.  Or you may find it isn’t for you.  Then again, you may be like me and need to write at certain times in your life and it will really help you get clear when you need it, and it’s much cheaper than a therapist!