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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.

1oldbuck | @1oldbuck | Aug 4, 2020
In reply to @gingerw "I wrote my first poem when I was 5 years old. It was a fascinating discovery..." + (show)
@gingerw

I wrote my first poem when I was 5 years old. It was a fascinating discovery to see how 26 letters could be arranged into a seemingly endless variety of words, describing my world around me and what was going on.

It wasn't until I got out of high school that I discovered my father had been keeping a journal since his junior high school years. He even made a special wooden box to hold his paper and pens. He chronicled many moves, a mother's death at his young age, and his time serving in the US Navy during WW II on the USS Enterprise. He also kept detailed daily postings of weather on the header of each page of his books, and the goings-on of his marriage and growing family. He kept track of his kids as we ventured off and started our own lives, and told of the heartbreak of my mother's dementia and her long-tenured journey of Silence. I had always hoped to receive his journals after he passed, but it was not to be.

So, I guess my journaling came generationally to me. Over the years it was natural to pick up pen and paper, recording what was going on in my heart/head/world/life. My poetry and observations on life are in a separate book, or books as it may be. My journals where my soul gets poured out, are in their own. I have written about heartache and heartbreak, job insecurity, and the everyday things that everybody goes through. I have written my way through natural disasters, cross country trips and camping, illnesses and the discovery of who I think I might be. I write in longhand mostly or print. I choose not to use a computer because then it is so easy to hit the delete key and erase what you're truly saying! Besides that, I took some handwriting courses so I can look back at old entries and see what my thoughts really were and where my head really was at. Very enlightening!

I am looking forward to hearing from others.
Ginger

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Ginger: You're post made me smile. I never really thought about my rhymes as journaling? I got started at 65 to come up with something "no one knew I did". I'm such an open "mouth" book, I didn't have any secrets. ;o) In the 12 years that followed, I wrote about the neighbors garage sale, 2 small bears on a walk with their mom, how much I dislike traveling, road kill stew, and etc. etc.
The list would go on for about 300 silly rhymes. I published some, so when I'm gone, my kids will be rich. Many poets don't become famous until they pass. :o) I would tell anyone that journals or writes anything, put it somewhere safe. Your family may not show much interest right now but "some day" one of them will wonder: "What ever happened to that pile of (?) writings? oldbuck

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1 reply
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Aug 4, 2020
In reply to @1oldbuck "Ginger: You're post made me smile. I never really thought about my rhymes as journaling? I..." + (show)
@1oldbuck

Ginger: You're post made me smile. I never really thought about my rhymes as journaling? I got started at 65 to come up with something "no one knew I did". I'm such an open "mouth" book, I didn't have any secrets. ;o) In the 12 years that followed, I wrote about the neighbors garage sale, 2 small bears on a walk with their mom, how much I dislike traveling, road kill stew, and etc. etc.
The list would go on for about 300 silly rhymes. I published some, so when I'm gone, my kids will be rich. Many poets don't become famous until they pass. :o) I would tell anyone that journals or writes anything, put it somewhere safe. Your family may not show much interest right now but "some day" one of them will wonder: "What ever happened to that pile of (?) writings? oldbuck

Jump to this post

@1oldbuck Indeed, your rhymes can be a form of journaling! I found the two blank books I filled with poetry over 50 years ago, all done long-hand. Yep, everyone is dated. It was an interesting afternoon, rediscovering them. A favorite teacher in high school, and my dad, both encouraged me in the written description of things. About10 or so years ago I came across an author named Ivan Doig whose turn of the word made me say, "When I grow up, I want to write like him."

Have you thought of sharing your rhymes with your children and family now, before you pass?
Ginger

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1 reply
1oldbuck | @1oldbuck | Aug 4, 2020
In reply to @gingerw "@1oldbuck Indeed, your rhymes can be a form of journaling! I found the two blank books..." + (show)
@gingerw

@1oldbuck Indeed, your rhymes can be a form of journaling! I found the two blank books I filled with poetry over 50 years ago, all done long-hand. Yep, everyone is dated. It was an interesting afternoon, rediscovering them. A favorite teacher in high school, and my dad, both encouraged me in the written description of things. About10 or so years ago I came across an author named Ivan Doig whose turn of the word made me say, "When I grow up, I want to write like him."

Have you thought of sharing your rhymes with your children and family now, before you pass?
Ginger

Jump to this post

Now you've really made me smile. When ever I have in the past, with very few exceptions, they look at me like I've asked them to take a dental appointment for me. However: If I remember correctly, even Jesus wasn't welcomed in his home town. :o)

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marjou | @marjou | Aug 27, 2020

@gingerw Art Journaling - I happen to run across this topic of art journaling for beginners that I found on YouTube and some groups on Facebook. It looked interesting and it reminded me of collage which I did enjoy. I had about half of the suggested art supplies and ordered the rest in an attempt to try this type of journaling. I didn't know how to share these links so I'm sharing where one can possibly locate it on this thread.

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haleigh1493 | @haleigh1493 | Aug 27, 2020

I kept a diary growing up and even some in college. I would try to write everyday or every other day. It became taxing after a while to document my life. When I started battling depression and anxiety more, I would write to release tension, stress, and just vent. I would write it down, but never use a computer due to hackers getting personal information that might be used against me. Now I will write if something big happens that I can look back on in the future or to process thoughts floating around in my head.

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2 replies
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Aug 27, 2020
In reply to @marjou "@gingerw Art Journaling - I happen to run across this topic of art journaling for beginners..." + (show)
@marjou

@gingerw Art Journaling - I happen to run across this topic of art journaling for beginners that I found on YouTube and some groups on Facebook. It looked interesting and it reminded me of collage which I did enjoy. I had about half of the suggested art supplies and ordered the rest in an attempt to try this type of journaling. I didn't know how to share these links so I'm sharing where one can possibly locate it on this thread.

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@marjou Absolutely! Art journaling is yet another way to express what is going on inside of you, and what makes us "tick". Don't believe that it is only a creative or artistic person who can pull this off. Don't believe you have to have "this tool or supply" Again, pen, paper, or colored pencils, glue, a stack of magazines, postcards, whatever you may have laying around. And remember, school supplies are plentiful in stores right now. Ooooh, construction paper, paints, glue, you get the picture. gosh, this makes me wanna head back to the store ;))

https://artjournalist.com/how-to-start-an-art-journal/
https://shoptangiebaxter.com/pages/what-is-art-journaling [look in mid page where it asks "why should you try art journaling?"

@artscaping, this is a great companion activity to regular journaling, and can even be used in situations where two or more people are dealing with things together. Sometimes "only words" doesn't get our thoughts out like we want!
Ginger

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Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Aug 27, 2020
In reply to @haleigh1493 "I kept a diary growing up and even some in college. I would try to write..." + (show)
@haleigh1493

I kept a diary growing up and even some in college. I would try to write everyday or every other day. It became taxing after a while to document my life. When I started battling depression and anxiety more, I would write to release tension, stress, and just vent. I would write it down, but never use a computer due to hackers getting personal information that might be used against me. Now I will write if something big happens that I can look back on in the future or to process thoughts floating around in my head.

Jump to this post

@haleigh1943 I like the effort of putting my thoughts onto paper, rather than a keyboard. Like you, privacy issues are a big concern for me. And the portability of paper of some sort, and a writing instrument of some sort, is just so darned pleasing!
Ginger

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birchlaker | @birchlaker | Sep 3, 2020

The most important idea about journaling is simply begin without judgement. Set a time limit or a page limit. Write for 10 minutes whatever comes into your head. Write until you have filled one page. Everyone has hundreds if not thousands of ideas in his or her brain. Pick one and find out what you think and what you have to say about it.

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1 reply
Harriet Hodgson | @harriethodgson1 | Sep 3, 2020

I'm a health/wellness author and have 44 published books. All of my books could be called journals. To benefit from journaling it's best to do it regularly, every couple of weeks, or once a week--whatever works for you.

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Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Sep 3, 2020
In reply to @birchlaker "The most important idea about journaling is simply begin without judgement. Set a time limit or..." + (show)
@birchlaker

The most important idea about journaling is simply begin without judgement. Set a time limit or a page limit. Write for 10 minutes whatever comes into your head. Write until you have filled one page. Everyone has hundreds if not thousands of ideas in his or her brain. Pick one and find out what you think and what you have to say about it.

Jump to this post

@birchlaker Thank you for gently reminding us that it is not always the quantity of pages you write in a session, but rather the fact/act of doing the writing that matters!
Ginger

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