Journaling to Find the Answers

We all have a story inside of us. Usually more than one.

As I write this I am sitting in an Amsterdam hospital while my husband receives treatment. We will be here all day and several more days this week. To pass my time while he sleeps I am writing in my journal with my beloved fountain pens.

I am trying to Find the Answers to my life.  

Have you stopped to consider how often we try to Find the Answers to our ancestor’s lives, yet we do not often stop to find them for our own? You could say I’ve been seeking them my entire life. The journey really became more challenging and emotional several years ago when I fully embraced the questions in my life and purposefully and consciously started to Find the Answers.

That journey led me to Europe and more specifically, the Netherlands. Little did I know the life I would create here, with all its joys and struggles, would help me Find the Answers to so many pieces of my life and the past.

I do a lot of journaling and have several books full of my thoughts, dreams, fears, and answers, scattered here and in the states. Most of those words I do not share with anyone else. Some however, do find their way into client projects, onto my websites, or into programs I teach. Today I am pondering a couple of questions I invite you to consider.

When is a story a confession?

When is it easier to write a work of fiction so we have a little space between ourselves and the story?

There is power in a story. It transports us to another time and place with a cast of characters. Through journaling, we document our joys, struggles, and how we moved from point A to B. We can explore the depths of ourselves one word, one sentence, one paragraph at a time. We can take our time through the darkness and pain, allowing it to process, release and heal at a pace that works for us.

When we share our stories and our vulnerability, we may inspire others. Provide hope. Give readers a sense of what else might be possible. Let them know they are not alone in their feelings, fears, panic, anxiety. We allow others to have a place to go when they need to know there is a hand read to grab hold when they fall.

We can write in such a way that it leaves the reader wondering, ‘Is that a confession?’

Sometimes in order to heal ourselves, we have to heal the past. We must first acknowledge what came before. Allow release. Only then can we move forward.

There is value and power in journaling pieces of your story even if you never intend to publish it. You may discover truths, hope, promises, and insights that you can share with others.

Often sharing one small piece of yourself or story opens the door for someone else to walk through and find the courage to write their story or face the difficulties in their life.

Are you ready to start writing? Need some help?

I invite you to take my online writing course, Finding the Answers Through WWII Writing. While the class is titled WWII, it applies to any war and really, any story. You can learn more on my WWII Education website.

If you are ready to write your story and need assistance, I offer a variety of writing and project management/coaching services. Just ask how we might work together to bring your story to life.

© 2018 Jennifer Holik