Solara’s Journal
It occurred to me that, since I call this writing space “Solara’s Journal,” it would be a good place to write a little about journaling! Below are a few things to consider when beginning a journal:
Why do you want to journal?
The reasons are as varied as there are people! A common reason to journal is to use it as a way to gain insight into Self and to find answers to questions or difficulties. Others write in a journal because they enjoy writing for the sake of writing. Some just want to capture a particular special event, such as a vacation or wedding, to look back on, or pass on to children. Some write to find release by putting strong and/or disturbing emotions and thoughts onto the page. Still others keep a journal of only happy thoughts and experiences and use that as a source of motivation and upliftment.
What do you want your journal to look like?
There are some really beautiful blank journals out there ~ Barnes and Noble has a good selection. Some are made from handmade paper. (These can cost a lot of money.) Or, you can usually find someone selling blank journals on Ebay. If you know that you will write alot and frequently, then perhaps simple, inexpensive spiral notebooks would be best. Some people prefer to keep their journal on the computer. You can decorate your journal ~ use stickers, paints, crayons, whatever has meaning for you.
Are there any set rules to follow for journaling?
No way! I like to think of them as guidelines. If they are rules, then they’re ones that you establish, and you can change them!
When and where do I journal?
Again, the choice is up to you! You can:
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*write at the same time each day
*write a set amount of time
*write whenever you feel like, wherever you feel like it
*write only on special occasions
*take your journal with you wherever you go
*write only in a certain spot
*create a ritual for your writing, ie. use a candle, put on soft, soothing music
*take time off from writing
Privacy Issues
Depending upon the type of journal you keep, you may want to take steps to safeguard your journal. It should be for your eyes only, unless you determine another can read it. It might prove too tempting for those you live with to take a peek in there to see what you’re writing about! I know of at least one instance where that happened, and the results were messy!
I made a conscious decision, when writing this online journal, to share information that I knew some in my family might find upsetting, but that was my decision, for my own purposes ~ and I take responsibility for that. The decision wasn’t made for me. It shouldn’t be for you. Keep your journal safe!
I’d love to hear from you! Do you keep a journal? What does it look like? What kind of journal is it? Has it helped you in any way? How? If you don’t keep a journal, do you think you might want to start one? If not, why not? There’s no right or wrong here!
Posted in -Solara | January 26, 2006
January 26th, 2006 at 6:55 am
When I write in my journal, it is on a word document in the computer. I write it, then read it, then edit it, over and over again until I am satisfied that I have captured what I want to, and resolved within myself what I need to emotionally. After that, I erase it from my computer, committing it only to my memory. That’s what works for me. There’s no messy aftermath.
January 26th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
You’ve found a way that suits your needs and leaves no trace (except in your memory!) Wonderful! For me, I wouldn’t want to rely on my memory! And I like going back over and rereading some earlier entries. Sometimes it helps to see how far I’ve come, or how far I’ve not come!
January 26th, 2006 at 6:38 pm
I’ve kept journals intermittently since I was 12. I love doing it, but it’s still an easy habit to fall out of, especially whenever my schedule/routine changes. I’ve always used physical journals, mostly without locks and in plain sight, but to my knowledge nobody has ever snooped–or at least it never got back to me!
My laissez-faire attitude comes because when I lived with my parents & brother, I had a certain lack of concern for whatever they would think; now that I live with my husband, there is just a trust issue, that I know he would never breach.
January 26th, 2006 at 7:12 pm
My personal problem is I despise writing. When letter wrting was popular, after one page, I was bored. E-mail is great, a sentence or two.
But that does not stop me from going within self, any time will do.
January 26th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
Writing my thoughts has proved beneficial at the time of the writing!! Generally, after the “flushing out of emotion”, the need has been satisfied, for me, and I throw away the paper or delete the document in my computer. I have not kept any kind of consistent journal ~ at least in this life
~ although I have several beautiful Journal Books that are pretty to look at. Eventually they are used ~ and I believe they realize that if they come into my energy flow, they will have their pages ripped out when their purpose has been served, thus freeing their energies to find another exciting journey!
January 26th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
I keep a variety of special purpose journals. At work, I write out a 1-2 page status each week of what happened last week and that’s been running for nearly 4 years. I have a journal of dreams and I get one or two dreams in there each month. And finally I carry a pad around with me where I keep a variety of notes about what is going on in my life and I write emails about life’s activities on a fairly regular basis. Writing helps me focus my thoughts and activities and I learn more about myself and what I’m doing as a result of the writing. I do go back but usually to call up a fact or event in the fairly recent past.
January 27th, 2006 at 3:33 pm
I love the creativity each of you have with regard to journaling! Writing, whether it is in a journal or not, also helps me to focus my thoughts and bring to the surface new ones! I am just so amazed at what comes out when I sit down to write with pen and paper and then go in to type into Word and all of a sudden more comes out, and/or I change it! I find words so fascinating and the human mind and the connectiions it makes.
And Namora, I certainly recognize that not everyone is comfortable with writing ~ you go with your own flow! At least now I know the reason for those short emails!
February 5th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
I do not journal well. I wish I did as many others do–but I have given myself permission not to write–what I try to do instead is play piano every day– that is the closest I come