The Transformative Benefits of Journaling

It’s easy to tell others to take risks. It’s harder to live by that rule, especially if you’re wise enough to consider the consequences. Have faith. Take a leap and trust that someone will catch you.

Weigh your choices.

Don’t hesitate to give to a stranger but don’t give everything away.

Be who you are. Everybody else is taken.

Life is short. Have the courage to leave a miserable job, if you’ve tried everything you can. The same is true of a miserable relationship, as long as you’re not hurting your children. If you’re afraid you might be, weigh the value of staying in a struggling relationship against the possible outcome of moving on.

Don’t be afraid to move on and move forward. Don’t let fear hold you back.

Don’t be afraid to love; don’t wear your heart on your sleeve.

Remember that life is what happens while you’re making other plans.

Drink plenty of water.

Exercise.

Consider your body, with all its imperfections, a gift from God. Treat it well and know what you can and cannot change.

Accept what you cannot change; change what you can; ask for the wisdom to know the difference.

Be grateful for what is right in your life.

Record what matters. No one can tell your story but you.

Who’d be interested? Kids, grandkids, spouses, your siblings who remember each moment differently, and generations you may never meet.

Keep journals. Write as often as you can. Add photos. Remember you’re writing to friends and family who may live a very different life. What do you want them to know about you and the way you lived?

Don’t worry about rules. Your journal—your rules.

Not sure how to start? There are two surefire ways:

One is to start with a sensory image.

I’m writing on my laptop and listening to the muted clicks of the black keys that glow from the light underneath.

I’m at Starbuck’s, listening to the snatches of conversation that whirl around me.

Afternoon sunlight makes the leaves on the ivy outside my window look shiny.

The second surefire way to start is with a sentence start:

• I want…
• I remember…
• What if…
• Today I feel…
• On the best day of my life…
• Love is…
• A year from now…

Where can you find sentence starts?

There are over 200 of them listed in You Want Me to Do WHAT? Journaling for Caregivers. This isn’t an ad; it’s a resource.

You can also take them off of TV and out of books, but why reinvent the wheel? Don’t let the subtitle fool you. It should be Journaling for Everyone.

Can you reuse a sentence start? Absolutely! It shows your change and growth.

As you’re writing, trust your instincts. Trust yourself. Who do you want to be? How do you want the world to perceive you? What do you want the reader to know? Let those questions guide you.

Want to share your results? Leave a comment on this inspiration!