Journaling

Many who know me have heard me advocate for journaling as a healthy regular practice. Spiritual or not, writing reflections on life is a discipline I value highly, and it's been shown to have health benefits in formal studies.

During times of prayer, I journal. I clarify my thoughts. I write my prayers and sort through the mess of discernment, feelings, pressures, and realities. Life gets messy; journaling brings clarity.

I got to thinking about this because in the last two days I read over my journal entries from April to now, reflecting on the journey I've experienced. Daily experiences and repeated feelings flooded my consciousness from reading my journal. From the end of April to July, I wrote something every day. Sometimes it was no more than a sentence, often just a paragraph, but at times I processed many things in the midst of my writing. Now I can look with a reflective eye at the inklings and challenges I encountered. I can compare them to my experience of today, and formulate more eagerly how I should be moving forward. I cannot think of a better partner to examine the complexities of my mind and my will.

If I am to become the person I hope to be (and that God knows and wishes I can be), journaling will play a pivotal role in how I go about growing.

I am no expert, but that's the great thing about journaling. It's for me. No expertise is required. No one else sees it. That's why I don't regard blogging or any writing I distribute as journaling. These are similarly reflective habits, but they are intended for an audience. A journal is more raw. There is no one but me, the pen, and the paper. No one will check up on whether I do it. For many years I was a sporadic journaler, and while that was helpful, I always told myself I should be doing more because I found it to be so healthy when I made the time. That's why I decided this spring to make a daily commitment. For me, the time that worked came just before bedtime. I had an entire day upon which I could reflect. Some days I wrote very little, spending no more than a minute, but I still wrote something. The size of the entry does not matter, though I often found myself having notable experiences and wanting to record them so I would not forget. Moments of inspiration, sources of struggle, experiences that brought me joy or made me giggle -- all these made it into my journal.

My journal is a sanctuary, a crucible, a healing space, a hiding place, a close companion, a pathway to intimacy with the Lord, and a record of wrongs and rights. Do you journal? If yes, what significance does journaling have for you? If no, start today. It's a healthy habit you will never regret and always treasure.