The Write Habit

You know how it gets surfing the internet going places you didn’t intend to then a happy accident happens and BOOM! Gotta share! So here’s the article’s link first https://www.trackinghappiness.com/can-journaling-be-harmful/

And here’s the comment I left…

I’ve been journaling by pen on paper since 1977. I made my first journals, calling them diaries at the time. I have ALWAYS found some benefit in them. It might sound terrible but by writing in my sloppy cursive way my dyslexic spouse can never read any of what I’ve written. Yeah, you can call me lucky because I’ve saved thousands of dollars in therapy and any good therapist I ever had to see recommended – at the very least- write down when my emotions change and what was the external factor that instigated that change. MANY times I have gone to the blank page feeling absolutely, horrible and down on myself and somehow writing it out the “magic” of the positive wins out. For me if I don’t journal I find I feel physically weighed down in my thoughts. The very act of spilling my raw thoughts to page relieves my burdened mind. No, I’m not – nor have ever been- compulsive about it. I give myself three pages and 20-30 minutes. There have been times when I’ve had to write more and sit longer and conversely times when I don’t fill 3 pages and even- yes- skip a day! (horrors- lol). Suffice to say 45 years and more than 150 journals in (not counting my “kid” diaries) I find it an extraordinarily useful tool and one of the best self-improvement skills one can employ to reach a goal, deal with ANY emotion and situation. I’ve had moments like others where I’ve considered this is all BS and what’s the point. Then I go to hand-write it in my journal and suddenly I conclude- this IS the point- to make a note of it see the absurdity of life and then the sublime shows itself unexpectedly when a revelation, ah-ha, or some other remarkable idea hits me. Can journaling be harmful? Only if YOU let it. Is journaling for everyone? Certainly not! BUT why not try it, then if you don’t like it you can knock it. Thanks for your wonderful blog and I wish you well and many years (as I have had) to find journaling is simply too vital for your well-being to ever stop!

And I Will Digress…

I mention in my comment that I write by hand -old school pen to page- in my journals (.88 notebooks from Walmart). I wanted to comment further WHY I do it this way but I think I left enough for others to consider there. Fortunately because I have my own blog I can share here the “why”. And here it is- because there is nothing quite as visceral and connective as scribbling across a page. Call it making an impression on a surface. Maybe it’s why kids used to carve their initials into a desk or left in bold black marker made messages in the school’s restrooms. I’m too old to know if it still goes on -and as I think on it- my son is also too old to know! Geeze I am old!

Aaaanyway, I guess the point I’m trying to make is when you physically write with a pen on paper there is a more emotional connection. Now, I’m not deriding those who like to journal electronically; especially for privacy and/or storage reasons. BUT! What I am saying is by hand writing in physical journals you can get so emotional that you could tear a page with anger, emphasize joy with deeper impressions of the pen as you make those multiple exclamation points and underlines. If you’ve been journaling as long as I have maybe some of those pages have dried tears on them too or blood… can’t argue it means something when there’s physical evidence associated with emotions. Obviously, I use the computer with great ease too in expressing myself. I did try one of those journal programs once around 2002 but it just wasn’t the emotionally impactful and relieving experience that I find writing in a “hard-copy” journal has been since I was young.

Live in Love, Sharon L