Writing Journals

Writing journals are an effective and inexpensive form of therapy for all!

When you come home from work, you may think it's best to put on a happy face for the sake of your family. You don't want to be all grumpy or full of complaints. Yet the events of the day may bother you subconsciously, no matter how hard you try to push them away. Maybe you had a confrontation with someone at work, or maybe you were frustrated by a situation which, in a world view, has little significance. Nonetheless, the event had a negative impact on you. You fix dinner, do the dishes, chat with your family and go to bed. That's when this undisclosed item crops up in your mind. You sit there and stew and finally go to sleep.

The frustrations of life can creep up on your psyche, ultimately resulting in a negative attitude. Here's where a writing journal can serve to dispell some of that frustration and ease your mind. Your writing journal need not be public property. In fact, it's best if kept private. Then you can really speak your mind. How often do you have the opportunity to tell off your co-worker, or that rude receptionist? Your journal becomes a place to vent. You'll definitely feel better when your thoughts are committed to paper.

When you make a practice of regular entries into your writing journal, you'll discover that it's also good for other personal thoughts of a more positive nature. Do you feel you bore your friends or spouse with your enthusiastic diatribes on the virtues of tea? Use your journal to be as sappy as you wish. The mere expression serves to satisfy. It's also fun to read your journals months and years later to see if you still feel the same. You can have an ongoing discussion, for your eyes only, on any subject you wish. You'll learn much about yourself, if nothing else.

Interestingly, psychologists and psychiatrists often recommend writing journals for their patients as an adjunct to the therapy process. These professionals understand the value of personal expression. You don't need to be a professional writer to gain the therapeutic benefits of a journal.

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