They say the only constant in life is change. I believe that to be true. And if there is anything certain about change, it’s uncertainty. Just when you think things are moving along according to plan, Blam! something changes. Jobs, relationships, homes, and people come and go. Even when we […]
EACH person defines what it means to have a “fulfilled life” in his or her own way. For some, it means following artistic passions, finding the right career, or helping others. For others, it means building satisfying relationships and strong community ties. For still others, it means living a life […]
TODAY I stumbled upon a blog titled “Extraordinarily Ordinary: Finding happiness and inspiration in everyday things,” and I thought, “Here is a writer after my own heart. That first impression was confirmed when I read Shannon’s recent post, “Writing.” The post was about Shannon’s current struggle with time to write […]
Did you know that journal writing, in addition to helping you make meaning of life’s events, can help improve your communication with others? Whether we’re writing or speaking, our goal is to communicate our thoughts and feelings. When journal writing, you have the freedom to bring up vague ideas and give them definition and form, to surface buried feelings and examine and nurture them into a shape that makes sense.
THIS YEAR I began the habit, at the beginning of each month, of reading my journal entries for the same month of the previous year. It’s so interesting to recall where I was a year ago at this time, to read about my hopes and dreams and fears. I always want to know: Have I made any progress? What was I working on? What was going on for me emotionally? Are there any patterns related to time of year?
I often talk about how journaling is not limited to writing, but can — and perhaps should — contain artistic expression as well. Drawings, doodling, fabric art, and photography are all a part of capturing life on a regular basis.
WHETHER you are a teenager or living with one, adolescence is no easy road to traverse. It’s is a time of confusion for everyone involved, including siblings. But journal writing can help. How exactly? Here are three valuable ways that journal writing can support you during this phase of life, as well as journaling prompts for teens, siblings, and adults.
SOMETIMES life just doesn’t seem to make sense. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to people who don’t seem to deserve them. Creative acts, such as journal writing and art, can help us uncover the personal value of every experience.
Writing is the best way I know to overcome obstacles, to explore underlying attitudes and beliefs that contribute to our “stuckness,” and to deepen your self-understanding. As I was blogsurfing this morning (did I just make up a word?) , I came across Sharon Lippincott’s latest post titled “Writing Your Way Out of the Dungeon of Despair.” I love this post for a number of reasons.
THINK for a moment about the sense of touch (the ability to feel temperature, pressure, vibration, and texture) and how much it affects our lives. Now ask yourself, how much of your journal or memoir writing includes the wonderful details this sense offers us? If you’re like me, we don’t […]
MOST PEOPLE carry some form of story around with then. When someone asks who we are, we recite what we do for a living, the roles we play (mother, daughter, husband, father, son, caregiver). And when we tell the stories of our lives, we repeat the things we’ve decided are […]
SO, YOU THINK you’ve just met the perfect boy, girl, man, or woman. Journaling through all the ups and downs at the beginning of a new relationship can help you understand your emotions and keep your head in the process. Journal writing gives you the opportunity to express and clarify […]
