- Formerly known as "Writers Manual" -

The Writer Gazette welcomes you!
Look to us for all your writing resource needs!

5 Journaling Methods to Gain Perspective
by Nan Fischer

A famous quotation, a question from an outside source, or an event in our lives provides a stimulus to journal. If you are stuck for something to write about, though, consider using one of these five ways to branch out.

Cut ‘n’ Paste

Gather up some old magazines, calendars, post cards, and picture books. These are easy finds at yard sales, flea markets, and second hand stores. Ask your friends for magazines and catalogs. We all have them piled up!

Use them to make a collage. Cut pictures, words, and phrases according to what catches your eye at the moment. Use a blank piece of paper separate from your journal, arrange them, and glue them down. The page doesn’t need to be covered completely – a few pictures with dates or captions are effective. You may find part way through this project there is a theme to it!

Write about your collage, its theme, and the process of making it. Notice the differences and similarities between this method of expression and writing.

Dreams

The ultimate road to self-discovery is our dreams. When we are willing to listen, they show us what we don’t know about ourselves. Carl Jung likened dreams to a mirror. We look in it and see our subconscious, not the person we are familiar with.

Make a dream journal that is separate from your regular journal. Keep it by your bed. You can tie a pencil to it, and perhaps you want to keep a mini-flashlight with it, too. When you awake from a dream, reach for your journal and write it down. You can keep your eyes closed and write. This gets easy with practice! The flashlight can help you write, if that is more comfortable for you. You don't have to remember the whole dream. Since dreams are messages from your subconscious, you will continue to receive them until you notice them and act on them.

When you are awake, go over your dream and rewrite parts that are hard to read. Rewrite the whole thing, if that is easier for you. Notice the people in your dreams. Ask yourself who they are in relationship to you. Take note of the overall feel of the dream – happy, sad, anxious, and so on.

Buy a dream dictionary when you are starting on this venture. Some aspects of dream interpretation are universal. For instance, a house is your self, and cars represent your emotions. Talk to other people that do dream work, too. Remember, though, that the final interpretation is only something you can do.

Lists

We all have lists – grocery lists, work lists, things to do at home lists. The list of lists is endless!

If you haven’t journaled in a while, a list is a quick way to catch up. Think of it as a condensed version of your journal! The list can serve as prompts for later when you have more time.

Lists can also be a way to write thoughts without sentences. Many ideas can be all in one place quickly. Choose a topic, and make a list for it. You’ll get an overview of it, which gives you a new perspective.

Make a list for each of the following topics:

*happiness
*pet peeves
*wishes
*favorite foods
*certain smells

Use your lists as prompts for dry times. Sometimes lists will begin to sound like poetry and move you in that direction in your journal!

Silence

Life is cyclical, and so is our writing. We all need time to assimilate events in our lives. If we write every day, we may miss the big picture of our journaling and our lives.

Choose silence in your journal for a day. Absorb your environment through your senses, your memory. Become aware in ways besides writing. It will be tempting to write, but save that for the following day. Forcing yourself to switch gears will give you a new perspective.

Unsent Letters

Are you outraged with someone? Need to tell off your boss? Need closure in a situation? Write a letter. And don’t send it.

Letters are an effective way to express something and get it off your chest without hurting someone else’s feelings or doing irreparable damage. Some things are truly better left unsaid, but if you write a letter to that person, you have delivered those damaging emotions to a non-feeling third party.

Holding intense emotions inside can damage our health. Putting them on paper can prevent them from literally hurting us.

~~~

Next time you are stuck for something to write in your journal, try one of these ideas. A new approach can tap a hidden part of you! Happy, productive journaling…

Copyright © 2001, Nan Fischer

Nan Fischer has been journaling for almost 28 years. She has decided it's time to share her experience and knowledge. Find weekly inspiration for your journaling at http://www.inspiredtojournal.com and be sure to look into her workshop, Stretch Yourself! http://www.inspiredtojournal.com/report1001.html