2015 was an amazing year- I grew so much and one way that happened was through journaling- let's just say I am a HUGE advocate of it. On March 19th, 2014 I began journaling consistently- 2-4 times a week. Then, from December 13th, 2014, I started journaling every day. And I haven't stopped. The funny thing is, I didn't mean to. Nothing happened on December 13th that made me say, "From now on, I am going to journal everyday." Nope. And probably, if I would have said something like that, I would have failed. But somehow, I've stayed consistent. This past year I have just grown so close to Jesus that I can't help but talk to Him everyday. (my journal is a letter to Jesus) I have done a lot of reflecting on my journaling journey, and here are a few things I have learned:
1) It's a safe haven
As time progressed, I found that whenever something exciting or terrible or fun happened, I would run to my journal and write about it. This helped me to process things when I was mad, calm down when I was excited (or mad as well, really), and relive the moment. I now process and react to things differently that I have a place, a safe place, to let it all out.
2) It opens doors
Because I write everyday, I end up writing in public every once in a while. During church retreats I get up earlier so I can write, attracting lots of questions. One retreat, I was having a hard time for no apparent reason, so my leader told me where the chocolate stash was and encouraged me to go have some alone time. Oh, she knows me so well. You had better believe that I took my journal and that chocolate and sat in a quiet place, just to write and relax. My friend came and found me and, in a very pitying manner, said, "Why are you out here all by yourself?" My response? It's a little vulgar for me. "Because I freaking love journaling." True story. She was taken aback because I never talk like that, but it gave her a peek into my life and how much journaling affects me. I cannot count the number of times that someone has seen me journaling, asked me what I'm doing, and upon hearing my response, commended me on how good I am to journal. Let me just say, it's not me. It's Jesus.
3) It's an addiction
Definitely. Once I started, I could not stop, primarily because I was in a period of spiritual growth and I couldn't help but talk with God. Once you find your groove, you may never stop.
4) It's different for everyone
Journaling, like pretty much everything, looks different for everyone. Some people go through one journal a year, some go through five. Some people like to bullet journal, others literally throw up their thoughts and emotions. (I am definitely the latter) Some do it first thing in the morning, some in the afternoon, some at nights, others multiple times a day. Some only write about their day, others pray and write about their spiritual life too. Some people do it everyday, others once a week. I myself have overcome a lot in my journaling, and no matter how you journal- even if you bullet journal once a month- it stills counts, it still helps, and I respect you.
5) The word "Journaling" should not have a red squiggly line under it
It bothers me that words like "journaling" and "journaled" are not in the dictionary, or at least not the one on my computer. Journaling is an up and coming trend that has been around for ages, and it deserves respect. The journals of famous people have gone on to be read and published and are classics, so I encourage you to hop on the journaling bandwagon and commit to journaling at least once a week, and see where it leads you.
I hope you have enjoyed this post! It really comes from my heart, hence why it took a long time to write, and I hope you are encouraged that whatever effort you make in journaling is simply amazing.
-Emily
extremely avid journaler
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