Journaling
Michelle's Column in the Fullerton Observer

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June 2004

I often give the people that I work with homework. Now, I know that word can bring up many bad memories, but it is not that kind of homework! This homework is to help you continue the work that we have been doing in session throughout the rest of your life.

Probably the homework that I assign the most often is to journal. Journaling does not mean that we write, "Dear Diary, Today we went to the zoo." It means that we write down our thought, feelings, dreams, hopes, and fears. There is one very important rule about journaling: there are no rules. So, do not worry about punctuation or grammar. Scribble if that fits for you. Draw pictures. Use crayons. Feel free to rip it up when you get finished. What is important is the process, not the finished product.

We often have many things swirling around in our brains. All of this swirling can make us very stressed. By journaling, we are getting all of those thoughts out, onto a piece a paper. This way we are often able to let go of some of these issues. Others, we may be able to finally make sense of.

It is crucial that you feel safe when we journal. No one else reads your journal, except you. It is important that you put your journal some place that no one will pick it up and read it. If you do not have a place like that in your home, then put it in your purse, backpack or car.

So begin to journal today. Allow yourself to feel the difference on the days that you journal and the days that you do not. Allow yourself to experience the process. Allow yourself to grow. Enjoy the journey.

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