Post #24 – Memoir Writing, Journaling – Amber Starfire
Did you make a New Year’s promise to yourself to start journaling? If you did, I applaud your desire; writing is a worthy resolution. And, like all resolutions, it’s sometimes difficult to keep. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try — only that you should be aware of the challenges to staying with your intention and doing everything you can to make it happen.
Keeping your journal writing commitment will require persistence, which means (according to dictionary.com) “to continue steadfastly or firmly in some state, purpose, course of action, or the like, especially in spite of opposition, remonstrance, etc.” [italics mine].
I can almost hear you groaning from where I am writing. “Persistence” sounds like a lot of hard work, but it doesn’t have to be. It just means continuing to pursue your goal — no matter what happens — little by little. Here are five ways to help you keep your promise to yourself until journal writing becomes such a habit you will no longer need to think about it.
- Keep it simple. You don’t have to write a book every time you sit down to journal. If you made a resolution to journal every day (or every other day, or whatever), and you have a busy day, just write a few words. “I have a busy day today and can’t write much. Big interview with new boss. Must remember to breathe,” is sufficient. Then, on the days when you have the time and inclination, write as much and as deeply as you desire.
– - Schedule a time. I know, I know … I tend to repeat this little tidbit (some would say harp on it) quite frequently, but only because it’s true. If you don’t make a time — a special, set-aside time — to write, you probably won’t do it. In the beginning, pick a time of day that seems most convenient (when you first wake up, before or after a meal, or bedtime tend to be the easiest) and honor your time commitment as if you had made it with someone else. You wouldn’t stand up your best friend would you? Don’t stand yourself up, either.
– - Reward yourself. Make a list of a few small things you’d like to have: a new book, a houseplant, flowers, new shoes (it’s probably best to stay away from the chocolates unless you’re preternaturally thin). Then, after you’ve made 30 journal entries give yourself a gift!
– - Celebrate your achievements and don’t get discouraged by your perceived failures. Okay, so you didn’t journal last Sunday. So what? You wrote 28 more times last month than you would have if you hadn’t made this promise to yourself. Focus on how you’re moving towards your goals and let “failures” slide under the bridge with the rest of the water.
– - Get Support. Find a friend who also wants to journal and check in with each other. Read journaling blogs, such as this one at WomensMemoirs.com and WritingThroughLife.com. Enroll in a local or online course. The more support you have, the easier it will be to keep your promise.
For more tips to keep things going, read my article published earlier this month: Journal Writing: 11 Tips to Stay Motivated in 2011.
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in getting up every time we do.”
~ Confucius
____________________________________________
I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment, and connect with me via my contact form.
Photo by: Roy Wichert-Gonsalves
journaling
memoir journaling
journal writing prompt
reflective journaling
