My idea for journaling is not just the day to day but an opening of my heart to let the magic flow out so I can see what is in my treasure chest! My journals contain: thoughts, observations, ideas, dreams, poems, quotes, gratitudes, descriptions, along with the historical happenings of my life so I can keep track of what is said and done. This comes in handy when circumstance calls for a baptism of rememberance. Mersea

My journaling is what I call my saving grace. Of course as a child I was given the typical diary with a lock and key and as a child I wrote Dear Diary brief notes sporadically. Today, as an adult I utilize my journals, I have many, to express and clarify my emotions and feelings. To think thing out so to speak, or just allow spirit to talk to me or through me. Journaling is a joy and a pleasure to me and has help me find myself and this inner being who has been waiting so very long to be heard. Through allowing this entity to express itself I have discovered the joy of flow writing and the creations of a poet. I believe we exist in the poetic sea of life and if we will utilize our gift of expression, without judgement, we will awaken to that which is trying to speak to us.

I am a single mom of four children who have varying handicaps - from ADHD to Aspergers.  I also have ADHD and BipolarI depression.  I am an executive for a large corporation and have achieved great milestones, against the odds.  I have helped my kids transition through a divorce; how to deal with themselves and their various handicaps.  I know the heartache of having a child addicted to alcohol and drugs and have seen my oldest boy go to prison.  Yet, through it all, I have been able to provide my children with a warm, loving home.  I have managed to hold down a very responsible full-time career in the Legal Department of a major insurance company.  I have alot to share with othes who are struggling with the frustration of having ADHD and Bipolar or dealing with loved ones who have special needs. My personal pain has made me a softer, more compassionate person. One of the major factors of bringing order and peace to my life has been journaling.  One of my favorite methods/programs has been "The Artists' Way".  Basically, this is an exercise where upon rising every morning, you write, non-stop, three pages of whatever is on your mind.  It's an amazing practice and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see BIG changes in their lives.  I also journal on a regular basis.  My newest project is taking all of my journals and putting them on the Wordprocessor in a diary format.  I want to print them out and bind them in a small book for my children. 

My story is short and mostly within my own style of writing:  "Religions tell people what to do and what to believe. Spirituality tells people to listen to their own guidance and follow their hearts. It leaves people free, reminidng us only the highest qualities like harmlessness, love, joy, compassion, integrity, brotherhood, sisterhood, peace and oneness. Even saying these words ignites a light within us" The author is unkown to me but that is the story of my discovery of journalling as a tool for spiritual deepening. In addition i have elarned the truth in the words: "If you meet a Budha on the road, kill him" The truth and the knowing is within us if we take time to stop, ask and listen. 

Journalling have for many years been part of my habitual practice. Journalling for joy enriched my journalling very much - Thank you. 

I started diaries when I was 11 years old. I wrote just about every day until I graduated from high school at the age of 17. After that I have sporadically journaled, mainly during times of intense emotional upheavel. I am currently journaling every day now. Because I am in a period of unheavel again. I still have my "diaries" from my jr hi and hi school year and read them every once in a while. I have recently come in contact with an old high school sweetheart and was able to go back to my diary and relive that moment in time. It is magical. 

I have kept journals off and on since I was 8 years old. I've gone for years not writing anything at all and then filled a journal in a month! Very sporatic! I am looking forward to doing it on a more regular basis in order to find out more about myself. I seem to have lost the ability to listen to my intuition and am hoping that journaling again will help! 

My mother died in June of 1999. She had lung cancer. She was a person who cared deeply for others and especially her children. She never judged her children no matter what their dreams were. I tell you all of this because it seems more than a coincidence to me that my Mom's name was also Joyce Chapman. My dream for many years now is to write for publication. This is something my mother wanted to do too but I think she never really thought she could do it. I need a great deal of training but I know I have the ability. It's just a matter of taking myself seriously and knowing where to begin. Thank you for reminding of my mother's legacy to me--believing in people and believing that their dreams are an important aspect of who they are and who they will become. I work in Special Education and try to stress this with the students that I come in contact with. They are in great need of the hope that message brings. 

I am in therapy right now and have been advised to journal on a regular basis.  I am having trouble getting started.  Are there some guidelines like questions I could answer.  I guess I'm looking for some kind of structure.  I'm 52, separated from my husband, mother of 2, grandmother of 2, church secretary at a United Methodist Church, member of the Roman Catholic church.

I've been using journaling sporadically for the last nine months.  My main goal in the process has been to explore my feelings and emotions.  I haven't been as successful as I wanted to be mainly because I haven't been as consitent as I want to be.  Hopefully, belonging a journaling circle will encourage to use journaling more often.

I am a Relationship Consultant, Art Therapist, and a Life Strategies Coach. I have been journaling since September of 1970. I still discover new and creative ways to express myself. I also highly recommend it to my clients.

I have been writing journals from time to time. But, what is a better way to write than in the first person, so to speak. i tend to stop writing cause I feel as if I write more as if in letter form, than to myself, in a more condensed way. Is it ok to write long winded notes or is it better to write more to the point? My issues always seem so long and that makes me not write as much since my time isn't always in long blocks of time. 

I've kept a diary since I was a teen and mostly wrote about who I had a crush on and what was happening at school and with my friends.  Sometimes I vented my anger and wrote at great length about disappointments, doubts, hopes and dreams for my future.  When I married and had children I recorded firsts and wrote of things my children did or said so that I would never forget precious moments.  When my marriage began to fall apart my journal became my friend and confidant.  After my divorce my journal became my therapist, my advisor and eventually a companion as I worked through many issues.  Journaling helps me to reach truths that I am not aware of.  It helps me to know myself better and to therefore make better decisions... it keeps me honest with myself and thus helps me move toward my authentic self.  No matter how many layers get peeled away there always seem to be more layers to explore.

My name is Lynda. I am 38 yrs old and live in Jacksonville FL. I was born and raised in the United Kingdom. I am married with two kids ages 15 and 9. My husband is active duty military and will be going out to sea for 6 months in Nov. My journals have been a way of life on and off for many years. They have seen me through many lonely and dark days. My husband is in remission for Lymphoma and I used my Journal to document what happened to him. I am very interested in exchanging ideas and inspiration with others who Journal. Hmmmmmmmm... Journals and me~~We go back a long way. I love to write. I am one of those who swears I am going to write the next best seller!!! But I continue to read the next best seller as opposed to writing it!!! Anyways I do write in my journal. I have a really cute one that has a side for Good deys and a side for Bad days!! I also write in an online journal. I procrastinate a lot though~~say to myself I must write but don't What's up with that?? Anyway I would love to correspond with fellow journal writers!!

I have always had dreams, many more than I could ever fulfill in one life time.  When I was little, I didn't know what profession I wanted to go into, and still don't.  I just know that I didn't invision myself sitting in a cubicle all day staring at a computer, bored out of my mind.  Maybe some of the dreams were dreams of all little girls, ones of being a ballerina or a famous singer, or my favorite, an astronaut.  But others held genuine concern for others and the planet, including stopping pollution, ridding the sky of smog and healing the world.  I now know that I still want to help people, and am on track in school to accomplish what I think I want to do, but financial concerns keep blocking my path.  I know what would make me happy today, but unfortunately I am unable to really do what I want to do because, like everyone else, I have to pay my bills.  Money is a reaccuring theme of misfortune in my life, and I haven't yet figured out how to get around this enourmous annoyance. But until I invent the tree that grows money, I think I will be forced to struggle and do the best that I can.  I appreciate hard work, as it has made me thankful for all that I have. But especially since the recent death of my best friend, I know that life is a fragile and precarious thing.  We can't always live miserably in the present because there may be no future to look forward to.  I hate having to live like this - my dream would be to have a choice, to not have to spend every waking moment worrying and at work, and to enjoy myself, my friends, and my family.  My dream is to live my life to the fullest, as best that I can - taking time to enjoy and appreciate all that life has to offer.  My ultimate goal on this planet is to learn to be happy, however that may be accomplished.

I thank you for your time, it always feels nice to be able to share with someone who won't always tell you that your dreams are unattainable and that reality is just hard work, period. Every one has dreams, and everyone deserves to see them through and be happy in their life.  My best wishes to you in accomplishing yours.

I started journaling to work through my feeling related to my marriage breaking up. I have become addicted to journal
writing now. I have grown a lot. Reading Julia Cameron's books have helped. I write every day.

I have loved to journal since about age 10. I am 40 now, and although there were years in which I never wrote, the death of my precious newborn baby daughter almost 7 years ago sent me back to the haven of my writing. I now am seeking contentment, purpose and peace in my daily living, and am using various journaling techniques to assist me in my quest for finding my mission in life. I carry my current journal and a pen with me everywhere, but only wish I had more time to get on paper all that is in my head and heart! I would love to share journaling insights with others who, like me, are searching for....something else which is out there somewhere, or, more likely, inside us, waiting to be released!

i love writing and writing letters too. i do journaling  on the side,  with   my work and  helping with my family.  i would like to get   encouragement and a big push, so i can  do more writing.  sometimes, it is hard  to get started.  love this site.   

Me? I started out writing in the form of letters to my cousin who lived many miles from us in North Carolina. She lived in Kansas City. Through the years I have continued writing to myself as a way of expressing my emotions when there was no other way to express them. My writing has evolved into journalism, travel writing and some fiction and poetry. I am trying to pull myself into a new level so I'm looking for a way to get support for my writing, anything a map a sign a ray of sunshine to keep me on my journey of writing. I am elated to find this and other journal sites on the internet.

The reason i don't write on a regular basis is that I am too lazy.  I tell myself I don't have the time right now, and that I will do it later,and i don't.

I am 33yrs old, married for almost five years and have two children age 12 and 20months.  I have a bachelors degree in criminal justice but have yet to work in that field.  My journaling habit leaves something to be desired.  I don't journal on a regular basis.  I've let a year go by before I pick it up again.  I have so many half filled journals, I just don't know what to do with them.  I printed this journal jar prompts, and I still can't get myself to write a little something every day.

i started journaling for new years,  but have written journals years ago  when I was at school in Santa Fe.  i love journaling and i wish i kept it up and keep it for my family

Journaling has always been my best form of self-discovery. When I write, another part of me takes over and some wonderful things transpire. I even journal when I think I have nothing to talk about! I am always surprised at what surfaces. I am so happy that my hand can free my soul.

Journaling is a difficult process for me. I am drawn to it at times and other times I am so afraid of it that I will avoid it with all of my being. I need help finding a comfort in journaling.

I am 16 and have been journaling since I was 10. I find that reading other's journals inspires me. I have separate journals for different subjects. Journaling helps me to find myself and to stay true to who I am.

A new perspective on journaling has me searching for a constructive outline to frame up my endeavor.  I'm glad I found this site.