I have been journaling on and off for 35 years. Mostly talking about what is going on in my life. I do talk about my feeling also but I find it easey to get started to just talk about the event of my life. I alse make a point of talking about the issues that are on my mind.

I also,
I found it best to use a spiral bound artist's skecth pad.

Without lines my writting changes in size through out the entery. Some paragraghs are super big type and some small but without lines I feel free to write any size I like.

My thoughts can't be confinded between lines.

Don't think I can ever journal on lined paper again. One thing be sure to go back and read your writing weeks and months afterward so you have an idea of where your mind was back then.
Tom

I hate to journal, but I have journaled throughout the last year - on a hit and miss basis.

I sat down last week and read through all my journaling and it was an incredible experience. I could see how far I've come. But the hardest part was facing myself and seeing how far I still have to go.

But the clarity in journaling is present in the moment of journaling, but even more apparent when reading back over the ways of thinking, experiences, and feelings.

I type on the computer for my journal. I hate writing - and I can bury my journal deep in the computer and it seems a little more private.

I have tryed to keep a daily log . It can be good and bad . some times you will have a very positive day and some times not . If you look at what you write over a long time you will see a lot of things slowly come out that you may not have ben conchus of by reading between the lines
The hardest person in the world to see is your self

MICHAEL

LNH,

When I first started in counseling and recovery, I journaled every day, it was very helpful. Now I journal when I feel the need and often post what I journal, It is a methed I use to help me straighten out my thoughts and feelings and make some sort of sense out of them. By posting, I get some very valuable insights from the brothers here and that also is very helpful.

Love ya

Darrel

I do a lot of writing. Early on it helped me get out some things that I could not physically say. Often I would share stuff with my therapist by handing what I wrote to her to read. She would often read it and the encourage me to read it outloud in our session. By saying the words, it helped me for the first time "break the silence".

Now during my somatic therapy sessions, I do a lot of writing afterwards. The writing helps me put things together and often my doctor has had me read stuff outloud to him. Reading it outloud has been quite an experience.

But the biggest thing is do something that helps get your thoughts out. It could be any form of expression. Even writing thoughts down in whatever form, can do a lot.

Don

I started journalling inadvertently as venting poetically in college, looking back I realise that it is amazing that I had access to divine guidance even then, because no matter how sad I started out writing in the end I would always find a happy quiet corner of insight.

..but yes lately I dont vent of paper I breathe it out! I tend to write about the beauty I receive afterwards and have it for keeps.

We are kind of journaling here are we not?

John,

What a great way to think of this place. It's a record of our progress in healing. I had never thought of it that way, but sure, you are absolutely right.

Hmmmm. Definitely something to think about. Thanks for sharing that idea.

Much love,
Larry

I found journaling to be an empty experience for me, I over dramatized the notion by writing my experiences on paper then I climbed up a winter hill on the high dunes off the coast of West Michigan and I burned it.......trying to cast off my ties to my past. It didn't work. All the shit I was trying to deal with 12 years ago is still with me, and just as strong. Journaling didn't help me, but we're all different........it might help someone else much more.