Journaling

I've been a journalist since I was a teen, back in the day we called it a diary and it came with a lock and key. Most of my entries were about my latest boyfriend and the car he drove. Of course, it was all about the car. Sometimes the hair, too

Today as a mature adult (ahem) I still keep a diary but refer to it as a journal, of course. This is a practice that has become a verifiable addiction. But a good addiction, at that. I write religiously every morning, either before or after I exercise, depending on the day. It's a place for me to get my private feelings and thoughts out without burdening another, or feeling self-conscious by admitting my fears, concerns or insecurities.  My journal also helps me to relieve stress and anxiety. A sort of self-help counselor.

My journal is also a place that inspires creativity - whether in a painting I'm working on, a decorating project or a topic to explore on this blog.

No one, not a living soul, is permitted to read my journal. It is my personal sanctuary.

In addition to my daily journal, I also keep a five year journal. This book has a page for every day of the year and on each page is a paragraph on which I write whatever strikes me as memorable about that day. One of my favorite things about this journal is that I can look back to the previous years, simply by looking at the paragraphs above it and read what occurred on that day. At times it's a jolt to see that an entire year or two or three have passed, when I could have sworn it was just a few months. Our lives are moving at such a rapid pace. (Perhaps not right now during this pandemic - but normally it is). It's quite fun to read and recall whatever adventure took place a year or more ago.

I believe if our life is worth living, it's certainly worth logging.

xo