To Journal or Not to Journal?

Having so many journals, now numbering in the fourties, that I have been writing for over thirty years, I am faced ever now and then, with a question. What the heck am I going to do with these? For a long time I thought about compiling all of them into a book of sorts, not necessarily for others, but maybe. I did attempt to edit each one but the task was just too daunting, and frankly mostly painful to read, as much of the writing was day to day, stream of consciousness, mundane gobbledygook. However, keeping journals gives you a kind of immortality. I have no children to pass them onto, but who knows, perhaps the world might be interested one day! Laugh out loud!

At some point, hopefully sooner than later, I am going to maybe have some kind of ceremony, or perhaps just throw them out with the trash to unburden myself from years of all these thoughts on paper, collecting dust. I am not so sure what the point of hanging on to them would be. In spite of this, my emotional reaction is, the thought of getting rid of them, is rather like letting go of a big part of myself, kind of like a death. This is an extreme thought I know. These journals are simply my thoughts, not my life. I have internalized all of these journals and so disposing of them doesn't necessarily make them gone.

It has been documented, researched and studied, how journaling can enrich our lives, help us to make sense of our inner world, figure things out, and just provide a cheap form of therapy.

I am not sure if one can know just how journaling can change and improve your life, if one has never  practiced this daily discipline, over a lengthy period of time. I can attest, journaling certainly changed mine. I was able to fulfill many life long dreams, work through much grief and change, decrease my many character defects, and greatly improve upon my strengths and capacities.

I especially got really serious about journaling in 1994, after reading Julia Cameron's book The Artist Way, which was recommended to me by an Art Therapist. My journaling increased my creativity as an artist, and became an essential part of my creative process, and continues to be to this day.

Journaling lead me to start this blog in 2008, and to my interest in Tarot reading and my second blog, Apple River Tarot Readings. Journaling also resulted in fulfilling my life long dream of learning how to ride horses. At the age of 40 I enrolled in an Equestrian Coaching Preparation program for almost two years, living on a working horse farm.  Sixteen years later I returned to University to finish my Bachelor of Fine Arts at the age of 56, graduating in 2012. I definitely attribute both these accomplishments to regular journaling.

I understand, not every one has an interest in writing, and I think this is probably what determines why an individual would or would not keep a journal. However many well known successful individuals, writers, artists, musicians, poets and presidents through out history kept journals. Journaling dates back to the 10th century.

As a young girl like many others girls my age, I kept a dairy. You know the ones, with flowers on the cover, and the little key, to ensure no prying eyes would ever read your inner most thoughts about the boy you had a big crush on, or how you'd written swear words about your stupid brother etc. My interest in writing started at a young age, and into my teens I would write poetry and essays, but it wasn't until I became a young adult, that I was even more drawn to writing, and in particular, journaling.

Blogging is certainly a great form of journaling, minus all the mundane goobledygook, and the naughty bits. But virtual online writing will never replace the hard copy, with a putting a good writing pen to paper, into a beautiful new journal. I get excited just thinking about it! I hope I will never stop journaling!

Here is a list of how journaling can help you, and some links to explore further, the benefits of keeping a regular daily journal.

• Clarify your thoughts and feelings. 
• Know yourself better. 
• Reduce stress. 
• Solve problems more effectively. 
• Resolve disagreements with others.   
•  https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory-medic/201408/handwritten-notes-lead-better-learning
•  http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/11/5/338.full
•  http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefits-of-journaling/000721

" More People Should Write "

I am presently reading a compelling book, by a really interesting fellow, Chris Guillebeau, the book is The Happiness of Pursuit. It's a wonderful read, about finding a quest, meaning, and purpose in your life. Chris has been described as being an adventurer, and sage combined. How true this is. He takes no only the physical world adventures, but the inner journey as well and his book is the documentation of the stories of people who do the same. It is full of wisdom and true inspiration.

I told Chris I read his book in bed at night, and always look forward to doing so, because I feel like I am going on an adventure. I know it doesn't say much for my love life, but I certainly do love his book! After writing this blog for nigh on six years now, and having recently started another blog, I am more enthusiastic than ever about writing.

I went to visit Chris's blog and found a whole host of interesting topics, This one in particular immediately sparked my interest from James Somers blog post entitled, More People Should Write. He puts into words very succinctly why it is I write and what happens when I do! Fantastic!

Here's another interesting item I found about how writer's have a serious advantage over the rest of us and how it's good for your health.

My Big Juicy Creative Life

 
“What if you wake up some day, and you’re 65… and you were just so strung out on perfectionism and people-pleasing that you forgot to have a big juicy creative life?
                                                                                          - Anne Lemott 

When I was a kid I couldn't seem to concentrate, or focus and sit quietly long enough to read a book from start to finish. I'm not exactly sure why. I can speculate I might have had a little ADHD or the type of kid that lived in her body, and was always on the go doing some kind of physical thing, climbing trees, jumping off a roof, looking for frogs along a riverside, or dancing around the living room with an ethereal look on my face, while my mother played the piano, as I imagined I was a great ballerina. I danced every chance I had, because I had a need and a desire, and I was always encouraged to do it. This was a good thing because I believe it is so important that kids are connected to their bodies and to the physical world.

By grade four, I knew I was not going to be a good student in school, as I didn't fit in, and the quality of my teachers went noticeably down.
 I wasn't able to retain facts; memorizing and then regurgitating information that I was supposed to be learning. It was all too boring and dull. I preferred daydreaming and looking out the window, engaging with my fellow classmates, dancing and making art when ever possible.


The first book I read on my own, from cover to cover at the age of 12, was Lewis Carroll's , Alice in Wonderland. It opened up the imaginative world of books. I spent night after night in bed with my flashlight, under the covers, reading until it was finished. I not only wanted to go to Wonderland, I really wanted to be Alice, and fall into that looking glass. I learned the satisfaction of reading a book from start to finish.
I still do my reading in bed at night, minus the flashlight.

 I continued to read, although far from voraciously, but by this time, I had a thirst for the power of imagination. I consider myself to be very fortunate to have had a family that knew the importance of learning and reading, but it was never forced upon me. It happened rather by way of attraction and osmosis, through example, and my own learning evolution. The books I loved when I was a kid, were mostly books about the children and animal adventures, like Huck Fin, Black Beauty, etc. Once in my late teens I was drawn to reading about world religions and philosophy.

I think one of the other books among many, that helped me immeasurably as an adult, is Bird By Bird: Instructions On Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott. She is one of my very favourite authors and she writes about about spirituality and the human condition. Her books have given me strength and guidance. She is great at reminding me to keep things in perspective, with honesty, humour, and humility, as a imperfect human being. She continues to inspire me to keep writing. I love what she has to say about perfectionism and creativity.


“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.”