Yesterday, I listed some of the benefits of journal keeping. Today I will be listing some ways to start keeping your journal and also some helpful hints about approaching your journal time.

I have a lot of different journals going at one time. I have a desk top journal that helps as a calendar, list maker and general place for all of my scattered thoughts while I am working. There are quotes that I love, angel cards that I have drawn for a certain day, and random order numbers and tracking numbers from the internet. This has also served as my dream journal, as it is the most accessible of my journals and ready to be written in in the early morning hours.

I also keep an art journal, which I will be discussing more about at a later time. This journal is a bit more structured, kept out of the kids' way and very personal.

One word of caution: journaling can bring up deep emotions. Do not hesitate to seek counseling from a trained mental health professional to help you deal with these feelings.

You could think of journaling as a kind of psychological nourishment. But don't make journal-keeping an additional stressor by setting arbitrary rules for when to writed and how much. Instead, come to it as needed. Think of it as a gift to yourself.

Here's how to get started:

• Try to write often.


• Be comfortable


• Choose "tools" that feel right.


• Keep your journal private


• If you have trouble deciding where to start, try paying attention to where you are. Let the sights and sounds around you ease you into the writing


• Write whatever comes to mind - no editing, no judging.

Written by Wendy Warren; Mind Body Spirit Enrichment Series
www.writespirit.com

Reprinted with permission