Journaling

Growing up in the 70's and 80's, a lot of girls had diaries which were like small journals sometimes with their own key and lock. I had one and always hesitated to write down what I really wanted to write-my gut-wrenching, heartfelt or even ecstatic thoughts. I guess that was the right thing to do because one of my sisters did find and read my diary but luckily nothing too personal was in there because I was mindful of the possibility of deep secrets being discovered.

Today these types of personal books are still very much around, only they are called journals and the writing you do on the pages is called journaling. To me however, it is not much different than keeping a diary. Although in this digital age I think it is even more admirable to write down your ideas and thoughts on paper as there are so many electronic options. I'm glad to see such an old-school way of keeping one's thoughts is still so popular. And there are so many cool options today of colors, designs and sizes of these types of books. I have a couple of journals but I use them mainly for jotting down ideas and quick writings. For me they are mainly a safe place where I store important information and interesting ideas.

Some people take journaling a step further with collaging or with a process called Cosmic Smash Booking. Cosmic Smash Booking is a process of writing a story or thoughts over a free-style art design sometimes with a watercolor or pastel background. Some people make a whole book out of their art and writings, which makes an interesting creation that is fun to do.

Journaling is time-honored process that will likely always be around. There are many creative ways to journal, and it can be a fun process for someone who wants to make it a hobby. Not to mention it is a good way to start a writing piece that might grow into something more.