My  Experiences with Ease Life's Transitions in 22 Days:

Last October, two months after my 74^th birthday and after living single for over twenty years, I listed my condo with a realtor in South Texas and moved to Northern Michigan to live with my partner Ron. At the same time, I won a self-paced journaling course from the CreateWriteNow store, and I chose a most apt title: Ease Life’s Transitions in 22 Days.

My Review of Love Your Body In 28 Days Journaling Power Challenge

While I recognize the benefits of journaling, I admit I’ve never been consistent about doing it. But when I got the chance to try out Mari’s “28 Days Love Your Body Journaling Power Challenge,” I was excited and optimistic. I knew I would probably have more success journaling if I had a clear set of directions to follow, which Mari is great about doing in her e-books.

My  Experiences with How to Start Journaling For The Health Of It® Write Now:

I’ve been interested in journal writing since I was in my late teens because of its free expression, its help as a place to vent and get thoughts and feelings out of my head and on to the paper.  Journal writing helps me contemplate my life, my mind, and my creativity.

I felt so accomplished; after years of half-hearted attempts, I had finally started a consistent journaling habit. For months every morning, the notebook and pen found their way into my hand, and I proudly did what I always knew was beneficial for my life: I journaled.

Until I didn't.

The habit didn't stop all at once. There was a random day when I had to leave earlier than usual. Another one when I didn't sleep well. One when a huge work project hung over my head and demanded my attention as soon as the alarm went off. And over time, this gradual line of decision-making–to forgo journaling in place of something that felt more pressing–made my new habit all but disappeared. 

How had I finally started and stuck with such a beneficial habit for months–and one I was so motivated to do–only to let it fade away so quickly?

“You’re going to need a biopsy.”

I hadn’t expected to hear those words. My head felt heavy as I tried to process the weight of what the radiologist had just said to me.

It was just supposed to be a routine mammogram.

Instead, I was facing a potentially life-changing diagnosis, and that realization created a tsunami-sized wave of anxiety within me.

I waited for a full week for the biopsy.

And then I waited another three days for my test results.

During those fear-filled days that I spent waiting, I was grateful for the blank pages of my journal. There, I was able to unload my anxiety. There, I was able to release the range of emotions that bubbled up inside me. There, I was able to play out “what ifs” and “worst case scenarios”—just in case. And between my worries, I also managed to find glimpses of hope and gratitude on the pages as well.

In the end, I received the good news I was hoping for: the area of concern turned out to be benign. But what I learned through that journey is that expressive writing can be an incredibly powerful tool when you’re worried about your health.

So far, in this Spiritual Matters Column, I have written about a variety of ways to journal to help us grow spiritually; that is, to grow into the most loving person, to ourselves, and everyone and everything else. These journaling ways have included growing gratitude, asking for help from God*, and considering the help already at hand. For me, all of these practices move naturally in and out of my daily journaling. In other words, I don’t necessarily do all of these things every time I journal. But there is one spiritual practice that I do EVERY SINGLE TIME before I close my journal. Let me lead you to it.

Generally, I start with the current date and then I write down what is on my mind and heart. It is basically a way to spew the script that is running in my head. I write whatever comes to mind. It often consists of things I did the day before or what I expect to happen today, how I am feeling and why, what I dreamt about the night before or the song that was on my heart when I woke up. Sometimes I interpret or try to explain why I had the dream or held that song upon awakening. Let’s start here.

Every writer has to start somewhere. In this article, you will get advice on how you can establish your writing goals and get going on your writing journey.

Writing goal is the number of words you will write every day. You can also set daily, weekly, and even monthly writing goals.

So how many words should you aim to write every day? This will depend on the type of project you're working on and how much time you have available. While there may not be a perfect answer (we are all individuals, after all, with different writing skills), there are some guidelines that you can follow.

Whether it’s the crushing grind of TPS reports in Office Space or Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp getting caught in the giant gears of Modern Times (watch both for free via Amazon) Hollywood has been portraying toxic workplaces since its inception.

If it seems like work has gotten into your veins to the point where you're never quite able to "turn it off," you're not alone. When going above and beyond costs you your health, your personal, or social life, something needs to change.

Unfortunately, this trend is all too common. It’s called toxic productivity.

Once you're aware of toxic productivity's impact on your life, you can take steps to reclaim a normal life.

It’s never too late to acquire an education. We give choices to our children to become whatever they want in their life when they grow up. But sometimes, we as parents fail to convince ourselves to accept the same concept.

Some people in their mid-to-late fifties regret never attending college or finishing it at an early age. We need to normalize that there are no age boundaries when it comes to education. You can go to college at any age you want. In fact, in this modern era we live in, there is everything that needs Education.