Did you journal as a teenager? Did you have one of those journals with a lock on the side? I did! And I hid that journal under my bed, safe from my little brother! I was never very good at sticking with it though. I’d journal a bit only to write for a few days and then forget about it.

I didn’t really become good at journaling until after Charlie was born. Then, journaling became a way of life for me a way. It’s a way for me to heal and work through major life events.

Journaling is a very healthy and healing individual process. As a birthmother, you can journal about your feelings on holidays and birthdays plus all the in between times when your child is on your mind. You may wish to write daily, weekly, or just when you think you need to the most. There is no right or wrong way to journal. Some birthmothers plan to share their journals with their children one day while others just journal for themselves. And some are very good and keep two journals; one to share with their child one day and then one just for themselves!

Now if you are like me, you probably come to a blank at times. Don’t stress over what you write about, just do it!

A few tips to help you in the writing process:

• If emotions come up while writing, write about them, do not try to push them away.



• Make time to write. Everyone’s busy but you could take just a few minutes each day to write in your journal.



• Don’t judge anything you are writing. This isn’t being graded, so just write and get those thoughts down on paper.



• Don’t worry about misspelled words or grammar mistakes. You’re not writing a novel, just recording your thoughts on paper for your own benefit.



• Don’t think too much. Just write what you feel and let intuition be your guide.

So go out and buy yourself a pretty journal, get a good pen, and start journaling. Or if you are a "techy" who'd rather write at the computer desk, then, turn on your favorite tunes if that helps, light a candle and type away. Either way - Happy Writing!

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Operation Thankful: Journaling