Over the last several months, I have come to realize how much I enjoy writing. I don’t know if I’m really any good at it or not, but it comes easily to me and it seems to provide a certain level of therapy or cleansing.

A few weeks ago, I started a Care Page for my Mom. It’s simply an on-line journal that you can share with others. When I visit my Mom, I update the Care Page to let other people know how she’s doing and share some of the funny stories from when I’m with her. What I’ve come to realize is how much it helps me deal with the situation at hand. Even though much of what is going on with my mother is humorous in a sense, she’s still my mother and it is very hard to accept her current state of mind.

By writing the updates in the Care Page, it provides me an outlet. It also allows me to communicate with friends and relatives without having to repeat the same information over and over. It’s a great tool if you have a need for it. (www.carepage.com)

The other thing that I’ve discovered about writing is that no one can interrupt you. You can say whatever you want and as much as you want. It’s a very “freeing” experience.

I remember having to keep a journal in middle school. I didn’t really like the fact that someone was telling me that I had to do it or that the teacher was going to look at it weekly (not read it, just look at it), but I did really enjoy being able to express myself privately. I really felt like I could say whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. It also allowed me to be as creative as I wanted to be and to fantasize about whatever came to mind.

Journaling is somewhat a form of therapy that most adults don’t take the time to explore. It is a way of capturing your thoughts and feelings on paper. Journaling is also a way to reduce stress, analyze solutions, discover hidden talents and aspirations, increase creativity and unlock your subconscious. Journals are tools that help you discover the wisdom you already possess. Many, many books are written as a result of journaling. Often time authors don’t start out to write a book, but from their journaling, they realize they already have a book.

My challenge to you is to start journaling on a regular basis. Initially, you may simply write what you did that day or what thoughts are going through your mind at any given time. Like anything, the more you do it, the better you’ll become at it. Allow your mind to wander and write whatever appears. If you have goals that you’re working towards, it will also help to write them in your journal, even if it’s only baby steps towards those goals.