{"id":18278,"date":"2018-01-05T01:00:30","date_gmt":"2018-01-05T09:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=18278"},"modified":"2018-01-03T13:50:44","modified_gmt":"2018-01-03T21:50:44","slug":"magic-journaling-catharine-bramkamp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/05\/magic-journaling-catharine-bramkamp\/","title":{"rendered":"The Magic of Journaling by Catharine Bramkamp"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Let\u2019s welcome back monthly columnist\u00a0Catharine Bramkamp<\/a>\u00a0as she shares with us about \u201cThe Magic of Journaling.\u201d<\/p>\n

***
\nWe are writers. We write. Good, bad, ugly and sometimes completely indifferent<\/strong> work and words all scribbled down in the dark of night, or dawn.<\/strong> We often can\u2019t help but write. And we often wonder if we are just wasting time.<\/p>\n

Turns out we aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Journaling, even if the work doesn\u2019t lead to the next great novel, will, at the very least, promote better health and clearer thinking.<\/p>\n

Journaling is good for us. <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Like coffee. Like red wine<\/strong>. It\u2019s enough to make you believe in a benevolent god.<\/p>\n

The science on the health benefits of journaling is not conclusive because reports of well being and on shared and private writing are self-reported, as well as difficult to definitively measure.<\/p>\n

But according to programs like Journal on Line, consistent journaling can:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Boost thinking ability
\n\u2022 Increase working memory
\n\u2022 Reduce pain, tension, and fatigue
\n\u2022 Enhance mood and sleep quality
\n\u2022 Positively influence immune system function
\n\u2022 Help wounds heal more quickly<\/p>\n

Sign me up!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

But what exactly is journaling and how does a writer approach it?<\/h2>\n

Journaling is Julia Cameron\u2019s famous morning pages, which are similar to Natalie Goldberg\u2019s ten-minute writes, which is the same as unconscious or spontaneous writing, which is the same as bitching on the page to avoid bitching to loved ones.<\/p>\n

But it doesn\u2019t always need to be just about spilling out all your frustrations and angst until the pen runs out of ink. Journaling can help with your creative projects.<\/p>\n

Do you want to get better at an activity?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Journal about it. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Here’s a suggested exercise:<\/em><\/p>\n