It is a good thing to get things off your chest, journaling or talking to a trusted friend are the best ways. However, if something is ultra private, and secret, the best thing to do is to write it out, rip it out, shred it, and dispose of it. That way you have the benefit of the writing and the insight, which will immediately or eventually come to you, and privacy. You have complete control over what goes into your journal. You may or may not have control over who reads it, or when they read it.
You do not have to write anything in your permanent journal that you are afraid to have read. Shocking, sordid, fearful, or hurtful things are not what make interesting journals, life does. You can use euphemisms if you want. You may use code, or just positive thinking. You can do anything you like, it’s your journal.
It’s always good to include material descriptions such as socks and cats. Gardening, housekeeping, relationships, and cooking make good journaling. We want to enjoy re-reading our journals as much as we enjoyed writing them and if others read them too, well, we’ve left a worthwhile legacy.
The secret to good and enjoyable journal writing is: get a life, live it, write about it.
How is your journaling coming along? Would you like to tell us about it?
