. . . the pilgrim learns through the telling of his own tale. ” – Sheldon Kopp
A Better Pair of Eyes
I require each of my clients to keep a journal . . . not for my benefit, but for yours. And, more often than not, the question arises . . . “Why do I need to keep a journal?” Grant it, it’s a reasonable enough question. If you’ve never kept one, I can 
understand that you might not yet know that keeping a journal can be like . . . having another pair of eyes . . . helping you to see clearly . . . building your courage one step at a time . . . for your eyes only . . . and only as you are ready. Keeping a journal for your personal growth can be life-altering.
Turning Points
Often we begin a journal (and then return to our journals) at turning points in our lives. As you are beginning your work with me, I expect our work together to be one of those turning points in your life. Your journal is a place where you can begin to lay out your private thoughts and begin to explore those sometimes shakey and uncertain neophite steps – those steps that will ultimately take you to where you wish to be.
Carving Out Time for You
By making the commitment to journal, you are guaranteed to be carving out time just for you. Remember, favorite client, when I talked about the 90 / 10 Law in an earlier post? 90% of my benefit to you . . . and 90% of your personal growth is going to come from the time and effort you spend outside of the time you and I spend together. That means that taking time out of your oh-so-busy-day to think (and write)about your inner life is critical to creating that life that you desire.
Agent of Change
Every behavioral scientist knows that by simply recording a behavior, that behavior is actually changed. That means by simply having you record your internal and external experiences, emotions, thoughts, etc., you are automatically initiating change – even if you are unaware of it! Journaling = Change!
On Monday, I’ll post a list of my favorite books and websites related to journaling. In the meantime, let me know that you’re gathering your journal and favorite writing tools and getting ready to put pen to paper!
