  Noticing Newbies
This week: The Benefits of Journaling Edited by: Tornado Dodger  
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The Benefits of Keeping a Journal.
As I peruse the new items placed on Writing.com, I notice many are emotionally charged and personal. Writing through tough times can really help release emotions and stress. It's very healthy for your psychological and even your physical well-being. I can assure you this is true from personal experience, as I kept a journal for many years growing up. University of Texas at Austin psychologist and researcher James Pennebaker contends that regular journaling can actually strengthen immune cells, called T-lymphocytes. Other research indicates that journaling decreases the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. I agree with Mr. Pennebaker that writing about stressful events helps you come to terms with them, thus reducing the impact of these stressors on your physical health.
You may be skeptical about some of the health benefits described but I do believe and I'll explain why. Keeping a journal is different than keeping a diary or blog. The difference is the focus - inward versus outward. A journal is a deeper, more focused writing involving questions and answers. As Lois Guarino, author of Writing Your Authentic Self says, "A diary is a formal pattern of daily entries that catalog observations, activites, expenses, and the like. It is outwardly focused." A journal on the other hand, "is an inward journey, a record of internal life written consistently over a period of time, but not necessarily day by day. It is a place where ... you can commune with rarely explored parts of yourself and where those parts can answer back." Believe it or not, this form of truthful, unedited writing has the potential to bear surprising insights. It is also a wonderful training tool to learn how to effectively express your thoughts. Writing in it encourages you to take time for reflection and allows you to see progress over time which gives you a chance to see how you've grown, what issues you've tackled, and what things you are still working on. Reading back through problems you've faced and seeing how you have handled them fosters courage and an overall sense of accomplishment. Keep in mind, you should commit to telling the truth - honesty is the cornerstone of any successful journal.
Still not convinced? Maud Purcell, LCSW, CEAP notes these important benefits of keeping a journal:
 Clarify your thoughts and feelings. Do you ever seem all jumbled up inside, unsure of what you want or feel? Taking a few minutes to jot down your thoughts and emotions (no editing!) will quickly get you in touch with your internal world.
Know yourself better. By writing routinely you will get to know what makes you feel happy and confident. You will also become clear about situations and people who are toxic for you - important information for your emotional well-being.
Reduce stress. Writing about anger, sadness and other painful emotions helps to release the intensity of these feelings. By doing so you will feel calmer and better able to stay in the present.
Solve problems more effectively. Typically we problem solve from a left-brained, analytical perspective. But sometimes the answer can only be found by engaging right-brained creativity and intuition. Writing unlocks these other capabilities, and affords the opportunity for unexpected solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems.
Resolve disagreements with others. Writing about misunderstandings rather than stewing over them will help you to understand another's point of view. And you just may come up with a sensible resolution to the conflict.
Begin with the idea of writing several times a week - A journal is not meant to be a burden. Daily writing is a necessary ritual for some people, a chore for others. If you can set a goal to write several times a week, you will get an accurate picture of what is going on in your life. Consistently writing in your journal can reveal hopes, fears, goals, dreams, and values. Remember, there is no reason to hold back, you're writing to someone who won't judge you - yourself.
Until next month,
Review and Write On! ~ Brooke
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Highlighted Newbies:
I've chosen newbie items this month that are related to a journal or that I feel would make great journal entries. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. 
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Excerpt:
My Reviewing Philosophy: These things apply to any review that I submit.
1 - Any comments or suggestions that I make are my own opinion. I do not claim that they are right or wrong.
2 - You are free to use, disagree, or ignore my suggestions. I will not be offended or take it personally if you consider my suggestions invalid.
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Excerpt:
I can no longer scream,
no point for any tears,
even if I wanted
I'm all worn out.
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Excerpt:
I feel that I can enter a hole, a very deep hole which can take a very long time to get out of. I always wonder, life itself. We are created for a reason, but what is the reason? How is love truly described? What is love?
~ ~
Excerpt:
Realization dawned in the highly imaginative brain of mine that victory and defeat are a state of mind and being happy 'does not mean everything is perfect, it just means that you have decided to see everything beyond the imperfections'.
~ ~
Excerpt:
Shortened: I like my words. And so I will start a journal. Though I doubt it will exactly get far, or come off interesting towards others, more specifically my age, who I wish could -- note could and not would -- share such a level of critical thinking.
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Excerpt:
I still hear their screams.
I'm surprised that I'm still sane after all this time. Who wouldn't go mad listening to that every day? I try to block out the noises but it gets harder; now their screams haunt my sleep as well as my waking hours and I fear for my sanity.
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Excerpt:
He watched Marnie beat the cream gravy. Any harder, it would begin to swirl like a mini tornado and take flight.
"Honey, Mom knows you're a great cook, she thought it was time to hand over to her capable daughter-in-law. What can go wrong? We've been eating thanksgiving dinner for nearly two weeks now. You got it nailed."
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Excerpt:
Accommodating myself a room on the second floor of the mansion while staring through the window with my head tilting on the edges, I realized that I need to reside in this mansion and gather logical interpretation long enough to understand its state of existence.
This is where it all begins....
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Excerpt:
In alot of ways I'm your average, screwed up teenaged girl. I have friends, I have a family, I have love, I have hate, same as everyone else. But I've always felt different...somehow. Been able to see things other people couldn't that kind of thing. I could be crazy...but maybe not.
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Excerpt:
However, in that process I lost who I was, and have yet to find it. I know not who I am or who I am supposed to be. I have so many faces that I don't know which my natural one is. Even now, I have multiple faces. I am different to every person I meet. Is this the way I should live? I do not know...
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[Submitted Items]
"A Long Way From Home" by staples 
Submitted with this comment:
My first serious attempt at writing a story. Any reviews would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance :)
"Invalid Item" by A Guest Visitor
Angelie is new to the site and would love some feedback on any of the lyrics in her port.
"The Tale of a Conscience" by Bri
Submitted with this comment:
I'm hoping to recieve reviews on my work so I can improve my wirting style. I may be submitting it into a few competitions, so I would like to know people's thoughts on how I can improve/change my story.
Thanks!
"Ch. 2 Secrets" by A. L. Bond
No comment received with submission.
"Reunited Chapter 1" by maame Grace
Please I need a review for the item number above.
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I received some wonderful feedback to my last newsletter [#4053] "Words have power. What do yours say?" and I'm proud to share it with you.
From atwhatcost
I agree we need to protect children online, but we need to protect adults, too. "Cyber bullying" is bullying kids online. "Cyber stalking" is bullying adults online. A new ruling has helped us. Check it out - Cyber-Stalking Article Finally, American law stops protecting cyber stalkers, too!
I'd like to see it disappear completely but I have to be realistic.  Thanks for writing in!
From Kaya
A very timely article! Sadly, cyber bullying and bullying of all types has become an awful problem for our children. I know you don't like to toot your own horn, but for anyone who is being bullied and needs a place to vent - please check out "Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative" [13+] Be pro-active and seek help!
Thanks Kaya! ((hugs))
From Doug Rainbow
Is bullying an issue at WDC? I have not been bullied, bullied, or witnessed bullying at WDC. I have seen some strong negative reviews bordering on uncivil in tone, but I would not say they bullied anyone. Perhaps "bullying" needs a definition,
I don't know of any specific instances here. The site doesn't condone any sort of harassment so if someone did behave in that manner, I'm quite sure they wouldn't last long as a member. Bullying is Bullying is intentional tormenting in physical, verbal, or psychological ways.
From Fyn 
EXCELLENT Newsletter!!! Such important info and your new page covering all the info and how to get help is spot on!!!
Thank you Fyn! Your enthusiasm is contagious and your comment made my day. 
From Phoenix
Your article eloquently pointed out the power of our voice. I agree that we need to consider all of our words, not just the ones we put forth in fiction, and their impact on others. Thank you for tackling an important topic, Brooke  .
Phoenix
Thank you so much for your support and kind words. I appreciate you very much.
From horrorwriter71
hey I really enjoyed your article on Bullying. It was really appreciated. As a former educator your points are so valid. Thanks again very inspirational.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write in and share your thoughts. I find it hard to express in words how much it means to me.
From KimChi
Awesome newsletter, Brooke!  Well-written, timely, and inspiring. I had no idea the extent of the problem, but I thank you for offering links to the solution.
Thank you! That's exactly what I wanted to do - bring awareness to a problem that is growing and needs to be shrinking! Thank you for taking the time to write in. It means a lot to me.
From Christine Cassello regarding previous newsletter - [#4005] "Is Writer's Block a Myth?"
I'm sorry to be so late in responding to this article which I found excellent. I was behind in reading the material on writing.com because my computer has been causing me a lot of problems lately.
Well thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to write in and share your thoughts. I hope you got your computer problems solved.
From ms.lawson
How do I get my writings published at a reasonable cost to me? Do I need an agent?
Hi there. I would suggest researching to find out more information about publishing. A good place to start would be the left hand side of your screen. In the menu, you will see [Writing Resources], when you click it another menu pops out that has links to information on Publishing, Self-Publishing, Literary Agents and much more. Good luck!
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Noticing Newbies: November 30, 2010 Issue [#4097]
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