With adult colouring fever recently sweeping the nation, I have loved coming across the hundreds of uniquely designed colouring books displayed prominently in all book stores. From Harry Potter to Lord of The Rings and unicorns to cats, it seems there is no end to this most relaxing trend!
Though I don’t find it as addictive as many other adults may do, I can still see how calming and relaxing this whole creative process is. However, when I am asked for some advice on what alternatives there are to colouring, I always suggest journaling.
Create A Stimulating Keepsake
Having journaled for more years that I can remember, it has always been a daily habit. What began as merely recording events that had occurred that very day, soon became a lot more intense and thought-provoking as I realised that no one else needed to see my journals – therefore I was free to write as I pleased!
The number of journals I have accrued over my lifetime now sit in various storage boxes in my attic. All carefully preserved and sectioned into corresponding years, every so often I will retrieve a box down from the attic and spend the time reading through them, whilst reminiscing about days gone by.
Journals are Not Diaries
When I mention that I regularly journal, I tend to hear the usual, “but you’re a writer, so that’s expected of you!” Sure enough, many writers you meet way well also journal, but there are also those who don’t; feeling that writing is enough for them. This is when I remind people that journaling has nothing to with the act of writing as such, it is more about getting your personal thoughts out of your head and allowing them to become less of a prominent problem – especially if they have been troubling you for some time now.
Journals Keep Your Secrets
As adults, we aren’t always able to talk to others about how we are truly feeling. In fact, sometimes we don’t want others to know, but would like a way of releasing our pent-up emotions so we can get on with life. This is where a journal comes into its own. When you get into the habit of writing your innermost thoughts and emotions down, knowing that no-one else will ever have to see them, you take that little bit of weight off your shoulders each time.
Why not start a journal of your own and see if it works for you?
