The Power of Journaling

 

Sometime in the early 2000s, a good friend mentioned that I always had a notebook with me ever since he knew me. He wasn't wrong; the truth is, it came so naturally that it wasn't until later in life that I discovered what a fantastic way to cope with life, in general, was journaling. Let me begin by telling you a bit about me. I was born in 1982 in Colombia, South America, the only child of two educators. In all honesty, all I saw at my home was my father and my mother devouring books. I began to love reading and writing at age 5, as I can remember. Also then, I dreamed of becoming a medical doctor. Time went by; my mother passed away when I was 17. I had nothing to lose after all. The most precious person in my life was gone. I said yes to the opportunity to come to the U.S. 18 years later; I am a family nurse practitioner, married with two children, and still dreaming.

In the meantime, journaling has been the most unique and powerful tool. Through the years for me, through the good times and not so good. I have memories of working in an emergency room, perhaps at one of the worse shifts, 3 pm to 3 am. It wasn't always slow; it was pretty busy. So I didn't have a notebook; I would just grab a piece of blank paper and write it down. Whatever emotions I was going through at the time—what a saving tool. 

I have discovered that journaling has helped me with my goals, cope with emotions, and even allow me to revisit the past to learn from it. I believe that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many have turned to different ways to cope and overcome. I love journaling because one can be as creative and fun. Sometimes I do what I call brainstorming, write down any thought that comes to mind; sometimes, I write prayers or even thank you notes to myself or my loved ones. While journaling, I can reflect on my daily emotions, tasks, accomplishments, and even plan. There are no limits when journaling. 

So are you journaling?