Journaling Blog (Aug.04.2014.Mon.137p.m.)
WHAT IS JOURNALING?
What is Journaling? I think the simplest definition for journaling, in my humble estimation, is:
What is Journaling? I think the simplest definition for journaling, in my humble estimation, is:
Capturing your life on the page.
That's it--pure and simple.
It isn't meant to be something complicated. As a matter of fact, here's a hint: If journaling is ever complicated, you're either doing it wrong or have a false impression about journaling.
Journaling is putting your life on the page--your experiences, thoughts, feelings, calendar/planner, dreams/goals, etc.
HOW I JOURNAL
I do digital journaling mainly, meaning journaling on the computer. I make sure that it's the type of journaling that can be saved to the cloud and internet, where I can get to it from any internet-connected device: computer, laptop, tablet, and cell.
My favorite, and frankly the only journaling platform I've used consistently since 2012 is Penzu. You can either do the free version or the normally $19 per year version (unless you click the link that I say is for the discount, then you get it for 20% off). Here is a link to find out about it:
What I love about it is there is no storage/memory limit. You can save everything imaginable on Penzu and it will not cost you a dime (unless you get the $19 per year version). Hence, it saves room on your computer. Also, you can access if anywhere, any time, provided you have an internet connection.
I've used the Pro version for one year, the free version for another year, and am now using the Pro version again. The only reason why I'm using the Pro version is because I like being able to save a pdf copy of my journaling--just in case. It makes me feel safer. (Never mind how neat it is to watch how many pages have grown since the last time I saved a pdf version.) The free version is wonderful. If you want extra bells and whistles, the Pro version is the way to go.
If you want Penzu Pro for $19 per year - 20% off from this code:
WHY DO I DO DIGITAL JOURNALING? (And why you should do digital journaling as well)
Three years ago, during a move, the movers lost about twenty years of my journaling. So, they were stolen and were never returned. Then, we had to evacuate for a hurricane and I didn't have enough room in my car to bring my remaining journals. This is why you should do digital journaling in an online program, over the internet, saved on the cloud. Period. End of story.
If you prefer to handwrite your journals. Fine. Do that. Just make sure AT LEAST once a week to type them up in the journaling program online.
This makes your journaling permanent. Acts of God or man cannot destroy or lose your journals.
Trust me. It is still quite painful after three years--knowing how my journals are lost. You don't want to be there.
If you have never journaled before, do NOT get started with handwriting journaling. Train yourself from the get-go to do digital, online journaling.
If you handwrite your journaling, start to train yourself to make the switch. Half an hour every day, do digital journaling. Period. Then, you can handwrite the rest. This is for the first week, then, add ten minutes more of digital journaling ever day for a week, then ten minutes more, until you are doing only digital journaling.
Trust me. It's worth the growing pains of learning and training yourself how to journal digitally. Once again, it makes your journaling permanent. It's more than worthwhile. After all, you're capturing your life on the page.
(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.)
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