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Journaling - The Write Stuff For You?
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?
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A therapist once suggested I watch a sad movie now and then, to get myself to cry. Good advice. Movies that are overly sentimental get me to cry too. When you think about the Greek Myths, and the story of the medusa and how to kill the medusa you couldn't look directly at her, but only indirectly. The young warrior who's name I forgot, Persius? He killed her by holding up his shield and her reflection was shown in the mirror of the pollshed shield, and then he beheaded her. tt's a metaphor. Facing your issues directly doesn't work for you, must face them in reflection or metaphor of some type, it would seem.
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2 ReactionsSuch good ideas...and reminding us of the story of Medusa helps..
I'm going to look that up today.
The issue of facing fears indirectly is helpful to work with...I'm working right now with flashbacks that create anxiety and they do seem to be getting worse. Gosh, I'm still working stuff out at the age of 76! I'm getting pretty tired! Thank you for sharing.
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3 Reactions@healthytoday Thank you for your thoughts! I have all my journals, written over 50+ years now. And beyond that, there are the sheets and pages that turn up almost everywhere ;)) I have no children to leave anything to. The poetry I think I would like to pass on, or that is my idea today. That will take dedicated effort just to gather, as they are heather-and-yon, interspersed in journals, on memory sticks, on hard drives.
Ginger
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2 Reactions@healthytoday While your gathering your poetry and journals maybe consider self publishing for others to enjoy.
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2 ReactionsWhen you look at the arts (journeying), and see it as a tool to help you relieve anxiety and gain psychological insight, then the poem, drawing is just the tool used. It doesn't need to be saved. The process of doing the activity is the value. The finished product isn't that big a deal unless it feeds others with your language of spirit. But the main point, tis your process. I think that is what my art and writing is all about.
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4 ReactionsMany years ago, we had a ranch in New Mexico. To relieve my existential pain (depression, anxiety etc.), I built the garbage bin with cement and aluminum cans. What a pleasure it was to create this.
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3 Reactions@healthytoday Gosh that is a productive and cathartic use of your emotional state, not to mention "funky"! How ironic that you chose a garbage area to contain those feelings.
Ginger
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3 ReactionsThat is ironic, bringing order and humor to the garbage area.
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1 Reactionyeah, maybe.
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1 ReactionJournaling is hard for me. I end up falling asleep. Maybe it's because I don't sleep at night, but still
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2 Reactions