Why Write? Taking Care of Yourself 10

EVERY day, or at least every other day, I make sure to take a few minutes to write in my journal. It is precious time, just for me. I have a tendency to get so involved in all my other commitments — work, family, taking care of the house and others — that it’s easy to forget to take time for myself. Isn’t that the way it always is? Don’t we always think that everything and everyone else is more important than we are?

Journaling is something you can do to take care of yourself, like putting lotion on your skin after a bath or cutting your nails or styling your hair. Would you consider taking care of yourself in those basic ways luxurious and selfish? I don’t think so. And I believe it’s as important to take care of your emotional/spiritual self through quiet practices such as meditation and writing. Personally, I need to write just as much as I need to floss my teeth.

Actually, that’s not a bad analogy, because if I don’t write, the emotional plaque builds up until decay forms in the enamel of my wellbeing, causing pain. And just like flossing, practicing what I preach (writing regularly in my personal journal) takes discipline, commitment, and more importantly, a sense that I deserve this time for myself. (That’s where the analogy ends, though, because writing is way more enjoyable than flossing.)

Would-be journal writers often worry, “Where will I find the time to journal? I already have too much to do.” If you, like them, are concerned about making a time commitment to journal writing, think about the time you spend taking care of your body every day and remember that journal writing can be accomplished in only ten minutes. Don’t you deserve this small gift of time?

Maybe the question we should all be asking of ourselves is, “How can I not find the time to journal?”