Do you keep a journal?

Keeping a journal serves two purposes:
1.) Keeping record of your life (and innermost thoughts)
2.) Emotional catharsis

If you're a Christian, one idea is to keep a "blessing book" where you can regularly record each way God blesses you. A blessing book is sort of a ramped-up gratitude journal, wrapped up with prayer and scripture a Godly praise.

By regularly recording your innermost thoughts, you can write questions and supply the answers. You may not have the answers, most likely you won't have the answers, but you can display your opinions and voice your opinions as answers.
And, you can ask the One who has all the answers, you can write exclusively to God, in a prayer-like fashion,

I just recently took up journaling. As an aspiring writer, it was something I did on and off most  of my life. When  I became  a professional writer I "forgot" to journal or just didn't think I had the time. Today I find journaling as important to my mental functioning as it is to my life.

Through my journal, I record my thoughts and feelings. Suddenly, chaos starts to make sense. So, I continue to  pour out what is bothering me without  reservation or restriction.

I am freed rather than restricted by writing rules. Nobody can tell me how to write, I just know I need to write in order to release pent-up emotions, and to answer questions. The editor who plagues me daily takes a rest. What wants to come out comes out. What doesn't want to come out will eventually come out too.
I recall painful memories and joyful ones. I recall criticisms, mistreatments and misunderstandings. On a mission to make right the wrongs, at least by my sight, I can work on forgiveness. 

Some resistances we may have towards journaling:

• Someone else might read it
• We fear the actual act of writing
• We fear finding or making the time to write
• We are afraid of what we may discover emotionally or otherwise 

Still feeling resistance? Here is a helpful article on ways to combat that.


If you don't already, would you like to start a journaling practice? Would learning to journal help you to release pent-up emotions and enhance your healing process?