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Journaling - The Write Stuff For You?

Posted by Ginger, Volunteer Mentor @gingerw, Jun 19, 2020

Long ago –okay, for me, it was long ago!- it was common for a young person to keep a diary, a place to write down the heartaches and giggles of growing up, the trials and tribulations of school, friendships, sports and activities. Sometimes it was a locked book, so that we felt secure knowing our secret thought remained a secret.

How times have changed! While I no longer keep a classic diary, it is no less important for me to write down thoughts, ideas, and heaven-knows-what, on a regular basis. Nowadays, the common name is a “journal”, and seems to appeal to every segment of society. There are an abundance of ways to do this, and so many reasons why. Although I prefer longhand, many people use a computer, and there are any number of prompts/styles/methods.

Let’s explore this together!

Do you journal? What prompted you to start? What would you tell someone who wants to start?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

marjou | @marjou | Jul 19, 2020
In reply to @gingerw "@oxbeau How is your journaling project going? Your wife's passing then the journey across country have..." + (show)
@gingerw

@oxbeau How is your journaling project going? Your wife's passing then the journey across country have been a profound impact on your life. Do you have a companion pet to keep you company?

I have read that people will keep several journals going at once. One for traveling, one for dreams, one for emotions, one for daily writings, and so on. What does everyone here do?

While I keep a journal for daily writings, I also have one that is used for my poetry and commentary, only. I have decided to go back to a 30 day challenge done long ago. Each day, there is a topic already chosen. Now, to decide whether to use my daily journal or dedicate one special one? While moving a bookcase this weekend, I shifted things and found yet more blank journals. Gosh, I can never complain about not having anything to write/draw in!

To the readers of this thread, how has your journaling been going? What have you noticed your trend is? Morning or evening? How has journaling helped your physical and mental health? Longhand, or computer?
Ginger

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My journaling these days are mostly lists of what I'm able to do while dealing with depression and COVID. There are days where I write to God or to myself.

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1 reply
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Jul 19, 2020
In reply to @marjou "My journaling these days are mostly lists of what I'm able to do while dealing with..." + (show)
@marjou

My journaling these days are mostly lists of what I'm able to do while dealing with depression and COVID. There are days where I write to God or to myself.

Jump to this post

@marjou Do you find that writing to a specific recipient is different based on who it is? I love to hear how people fit journaling or writing in to their lives.

Recently, someone in our little town was looking for a typewriter. She said if she doesn't use her phone, she wants a typewriter, to hear the keys clacking away. Hmmm, that got me thinking, since my writing is done longhand!
Ginger

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2 replies
Paulalina | @paulalina | Jul 19, 2020

I love that someone was looking for a typewrite to hear the clacking of the keys! Thank you for the smile. I like to write letters to friends old and new. Everyone likes to receive a missive in their mailbox. I know that I do. The best part of writing a letter is knowing the person will read without distraction, just as you wrote it. It's a very intimate way of conversing. I think that's where "Dear Diary" comes from maybe, the idea of your having an intimate conversation and being able to write/type it all out. I write for pleasure and for the joy of it ~ especially on the days when it is painful to write, those may be the days I need it the most.

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1 reply
birchlaker | @birchlaker | Jul 19, 2020

I'm writing a gratitude journal as a way to see what is positive in my life. It reminds me that gratitude is a constant even when one least expects it.

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1 reply
Funcountess | @funcountess | Jul 19, 2020
In reply to @gingerw "@marjou Do you find that writing to a specific recipient is different based on who it..." + (show)
@gingerw

@marjou Do you find that writing to a specific recipient is different based on who it is? I love to hear how people fit journaling or writing in to their lives.

Recently, someone in our little town was looking for a typewriter. She said if she doesn't use her phone, she wants a typewriter, to hear the keys clacking away. Hmmm, that got me thinking, since my writing is done longhand!
Ginger

Jump to this post

Hi Ginger,
Cleaning out the junk drawer in kitchen, I found my pamphlet from roberta nurseries it’s on Orchid
cactus.
They are called EPIPHYLLUM MULTICOLOR HYBRIDS. COMMON NAME ORCHID CACTUS.
A quick read said they can change color. Mine is yellow, but one flower had a little red on it.
Funcountess

REPLY
lioness | @lioness | Jul 19, 2020
In reply to @gingerw "@oxbeau How is your journaling project going? Your wife's passing then the journey across country have..." + (show)
@gingerw

@oxbeau How is your journaling project going? Your wife's passing then the journey across country have been a profound impact on your life. Do you have a companion pet to keep you company?

I have read that people will keep several journals going at once. One for traveling, one for dreams, one for emotions, one for daily writings, and so on. What does everyone here do?

While I keep a journal for daily writings, I also have one that is used for my poetry and commentary, only. I have decided to go back to a 30 day challenge done long ago. Each day, there is a topic already chosen. Now, to decide whether to use my daily journal or dedicate one special one? While moving a bookcase this weekend, I shifted things and found yet more blank journals. Gosh, I can never complain about not having anything to write/draw in!

To the readers of this thread, how has your journaling been going? What have you noticed your trend is? Morning or evening? How has journaling helped your physical and mental health? Longhand, or computer?
Ginger

Jump to this post

@gingerw I dug out 6 books certain subject for each now I'm going to condense them all in just a few I have a dream journal travel one poems and others Haven't decided yet what I will put all together

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Jul 19, 2020
In reply to @birchlaker "I'm writing a gratitude journal as a way to see what is positive in my life...." + (show)
@birchlaker

I'm writing a gratitude journal as a way to see what is positive in my life. It reminds me that gratitude is a constant even when one least expects it.

Jump to this post

@birchlaker Thank you! Some days it is difficult to find a piece of gratitude, isn't it? I found that I need to make sure to date my entries, including the year! I stumbled upon some writing with month and day only - oh dear! The idea of finding the positive and gratefulness is often a challenge for me.

Welcome to Mayo Connect! Would you like to share how you found us, and how we can enhance your time with us?
Ginger

REPLY
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Jul 19, 2020
In reply to @lioness "@gingerw I dug out 6 books certain subject for each now I'm going to condense them..." + (show)
@lioness

@gingerw I dug out 6 books certain subject for each now I'm going to condense them all in just a few I have a dream journal travel one poems and others Haven't decided yet what I will put all together

Jump to this post

@lioness What has prompted you to condense your journals? I have a sealed storage bin under the bed with journals dating back to the 80s. Goodness, some years it was a lot of writing! I just found some old poetry done in the 60s, also.
Ginger

REPLY
1 reply
marjou | @marjou | Jul 19, 2020
In reply to @gingerw "@marjou Do you find that writing to a specific recipient is different based on who it..." + (show)
@gingerw

@marjou Do you find that writing to a specific recipient is different based on who it is? I love to hear how people fit journaling or writing in to their lives.

Recently, someone in our little town was looking for a typewriter. She said if she doesn't use her phone, she wants a typewriter, to hear the keys clacking away. Hmmm, that got me thinking, since my writing is done longhand!
Ginger

Jump to this post

@gingerw Yes, my writing does change depending on why/what/who I'm writing. I love the feel of pen and paper, the connection of the words forming, which at times can be magical. At one time I thought of writing (journal format) for a year of Letters to God which would be a book, but didn't keep it up.

REPLY
1 reply
marjou | @marjou | Jul 19, 2020
In reply to @paulalina "I love that someone was looking for a typewrite to hear the clacking of the keys!..." + (show)
@paulalina

I love that someone was looking for a typewrite to hear the clacking of the keys! Thank you for the smile. I like to write letters to friends old and new. Everyone likes to receive a missive in their mailbox. I know that I do. The best part of writing a letter is knowing the person will read without distraction, just as you wrote it. It's a very intimate way of conversing. I think that's where "Dear Diary" comes from maybe, the idea of your having an intimate conversation and being able to write/type it all out. I write for pleasure and for the joy of it ~ especially on the days when it is painful to write, those may be the days I need it the most.

Jump to this post

@paulina You've brought a wonderful memory to mind, when I was married, of my father-in-law staying with us after his wife passed away suddenly from cancer during Christmas. I started to write letters to his children updating them on his health and day to day activities which they said they enjoyed and appreciated. I guess for me it was a way of keeping the family together.

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