I have not been doing good at the whole journaling thing. Not one bit. Yeah I have a private blog to write down the little funny, cute, and crazy moments we have in our family but I'm not even that good at keeping up with that. I recently found my journal and well let's just say, ummm well SAD. I last wrote while I was pregnant with my little girl and yep she is 18 months old now. Really? I always do this. Write some here and there and then a long, long hiatus. What to do?
How do you journal? Do you use a blog as your journal? Do you type up your thoughts? Do you do the whole hand written journal thing? Do you pick a question out of a jar? And whatever method you use what helps you to be consistent and motivated? I need to be better.
8 comments:
I do the same thing! I don't blog enough for it to be my journal! I would love to keep a journal for both of my boys. Handwritten preferably. I know that's weird but I love reading things my mother has written and seeing it on paper! Journaling is tough for me.
When I can muster motivation, I use a word-processing file, since I type faster than I handwrite, and have a better chance of being able to read it later :).
My challenge is motivation, since I don't have children and most likely will not in this life, so who's going to care about my life story after I move on?
Hi! I've been following your blog for a while now and I really enjoy it! I recently started journaling online. My visiting teacher told me about ldsjournal.com which is a free online journal. There are TONS of great features including attaching photos to entries, and the option to print your journal into a hard bound book whenever you're ready! You can set options to have reminders to write emailed to you. It's really working for me. I never wrote in my journal because I couldn't get my thoughts out fast enough when writing by hand, and some things are just too personal to blog about. My solution was to just not write at all. This site is definitely a great blessing to me and my children. Check it out. It might work well for you too!
I used to be a dedicated journaler, filling up probably fifteen volumes before I graduated from college. After I got engaged and married, that tapered off a lot, probably because I had someone to tell everything to. I switched to a Word document a few years ago. I definitely write more at a time with that, but I just checked and I haven't written since last July.
I don't think blogging is a good substitute. It does keep track of some things, but for me, I don't share most things on my blog. It might have milestones like birthdays and details like projects I finished, but it doesn't really give a good picture of what my life is like right now. I should get my blog in a format I can keep, though; it's still important. It's just not a journal.
Blogging has been a wonderful venue for a scripture journal and thoughts. I'm not aware that it matters what goes into our journal (news, children, inspirations, etc.) as much as we keep one of any kind.
Thanks for all of the differing thoughts. So many avenues to choose from. I think one day I will compile thoughts from all my blogging efforts into one place some personal experiences from becoming LDS, some posts on family blogs, and the everyday experiences on my little family moments private blog. But with that said I need to start writing more personal thoughts. I am still not certain how often and what method but I think it is going to be away from the computer. I already have so much that I do on the computer and I need to get away from it.
NAomi - The handwritten journal for your kids is not weird at all my Mom did that for us kids and I love it. I started them for my kids but once again it just wasn't working.
FelixandAva - There will be people who will care about your life story and a journal can be more for you than anyone else.
For me still some figuring out to do. Thank you for all of the thoughts keep them coming.
Do you write daily or weekly?
I do it several different ways. I started a blog for each of my children. I usually scan in some of their art work, post big event, videos, and illnesses. The illness documentation was really helpful when it came time to get ear tubes. I could look back and see all the dates of the ear infections. I also have a blog I keep of all the kids silly sayings. I go back and read it when I need a laugh.
But none of that is personal feelings, thoughts, and testimony. I keep all of that at LDSjournal.com I love it. It helps you begin a personal history. It reminds you by email to write. Which doesn't actually make you go and write, but it is a reminder. They also have little prompts to help you out. I really like it.
In June '94 the Ensign published an article "One Hour Life History" you can find it here http://tinyurl.com/3jp4d6x It is a neat idea that might help you get started. Sometimes recalling you early life you become inspired to write more now so you don't forget!
Hello from Argentina! I found your blog and love it! Until some time ago I could not write in my journal, I did once and then came a pause that lasted months and even years ... So I decided I had to improve on this because I wanted my children could read it to be over ... and the quickest and most practical solution I found was written in Word ... I do whenever I feel inspired to do so, sometimes once a day or two, or maybe once a week ... What I like to do so if I'm wrong about something easy to fix, like if I want to add something after I finish writing ... Now I have the goal of passing every now and what I'm writing a paper ... I am also preparing a book of family memories, where I write anecdotes, important dates, paste pictures, etc ...
I'll keep reading you ... Honey!
Mariana
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