I hid the little gold key in my undies drawer…

Welcome back

Yesterday we talked about how to Freeform Journal, today is about traditional Diary Journals,

And YES, I really did hid the little gold key to my bubble gum pink, pocket size teen girl diary in my undies drawer when I was 12 years old.    Every girl, back then had her diary.  She spoke her secret desires, her fears, her losses and her feelings for the boy who sat 2 rows over and 3 seats up from her in math class.   She liked the back of his neck…and how the hair curled round the tips of his ears….

The Diary Journal, is not that much different from the one I kept as a young teen.   This kind of journaling is more about logging everyday events, emotions that you restrict yourself from recognizing during the day, your hopes – future dreams, your regrets – the old stuff and musings about the “what if’s?”. 

Why even bother keeping a Diary style journal?  Well, I’ve found that sometimes it’s easier to slip into awareness, when I’m just talking about general stuff almost like gossiping with a girlfriend.  You know,  you start on a train of thought and then have an OMG moment when a new pathway to some blocked issue become crystal clear.   Some people call it an Ahaaa moment.   I can’t say it enough, writing stuff down brings you to those moments that open new doorways and they are so quick that they pop in and out and the thought is lost if it is just in your head.    So, write it down.   

Today, is about How to write a Diary Journal

The DAILY Journal

1. Write a daily log of the events in your life
   1. Choose to write about an event that happened today 
   2. Pinpoint the challenge, your action plan and the result
   3. Observe your strengths and challenges
   4. Observe what you might have done differently
   5. Search for what you learned about yourself, others or life in general from this event
   6. Ask how you can take this knowledge forward to improve your future life
   7. Be kind and non-judgmental to yourself,
   8. Discover compassion for others

The value of a Daily Diary is in learning to watch the ebb and flow of life around you and your reactions to it.  In the process you train yourself to become more than an all-consumed participant, you learn how to become an observer for the purpose of self knowledge and self growth.   

What to do with new awareness! 

1. observe with curiosity
2. ask yourself how it may impact daily life
3. release it
4. look for what you have learned in everyday events for the next week

Over time, you may see a pattern of thought, build a new compassion for yourself and others, become more gentle in how you forgive.  This a long and empowering process.  As they say, every journey begins with a single step. 

Your journal awaits.    Check back tomorrow for  How to Write a Memories Journal. 

Enjoy InJoy

Sue Rumack,  the life essence coach

TWITTER, BLOG..DIARY..JOURNAL.. IS THERE A DIFFERENCE AND DO I REALLY CARE?

1983 DEAR DIARY, MAY 5     TODAY MARY ELLEN DID THE UNTHINKABLE, HATE HER & BARB, MY LIFE IS RUINED! THE END!!!

2009 JOURNAL MAY 5      TODAY MY WORLD MAY HAVE CHANGED FOREVER, I THINK MY BEST FRIEND HAS BETRAYED MY TRUST WITH MY HUSBAND….

2009 TWITTER, FACEBOOK & BLOG MAY 5       LIFE SUCKS BIG TIME…. ANYBODY OUT THERE CARE?

15 YEARS AGO, I LEARNED THAT SLEEPLESSNESS AND CHEWING OVER EVERY GRITTY DETAIL ABOUT MY DIVORCE AT 4 AM COULD BE CLEANSING WHEN I STARTED WRITING DOWN MY THOUGHTS.   NO GREAT NOVEL, NOTHING TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD, JUST A PLACE TO DEPOSIT MY PAIN, FEAR AND NEWLY EMERGING SELF AWARENESS.   A SIGH OF RELIEF AND THEN SLEEP.   JOURNALING BECAME A HABIT BEFORE BED THOUGH SOMETIMES I WOKE IN THE NIGHT, WROTE AND WENT BACK TO SLEEP.

LOOKING BACK ON THOSE JOURNALS I SEE A PROGRESSION OF SELF AWARENESS, COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS.   JOURNALING WAS MY PORTAL TO SELF AWARENESS AND FREEDOM FROM THE PAST.   THIS WAS MY REASON TO JOURNAL.

WHY JOURNAL?   I WRITE ABOUT MY VISIBILITY, CLARITY AND VALIDATION. CAVEMEN HAD ROCK PAINTINGS, EGYPTIAN PHARAOHS HAD TOMB WALLS, THE VICTORIANS HAD THE DUBIOUS PRIVACY OF LIFETIME DIARIES.    WE HUMANS SEEM TO BE COMPELLED TO TELL OUR STORIES, ONLY NOW WE BROADCAST VIA BLOG, TWITTER, AND FACEBOOK WHAT WE HAVE FOR BREAKFAST AND KEEP ADDING TO IT EVERY HOUR OR SO.   WE HAVE REDISCOVERED THE POWER OF TRACKING HOW WE FEEL ABOUT OUR JOURNEY.   VISIBILITY WITH A FACE AND A VOICE IN A WORLD OF BILLIONS!

SO WHO AM I TO SPEAK ABOUT LIFE SPINNING IN AND OUT OF CRISIS, FEELING POWERLESS AT BEING DRAGGED ALONG LIKE DEBRIS IN THE SURF?   I AM EVERY PERSON, JUST LIKE YOU, SO MY STORY, MY LEARNING HAS VALUE.    THIS BLOG IS MY PUBLIC JOURNAL, A LEARNING CIRCLE.

EVER ASK WHY? EVER PICK OVER YOUR ANSWERS AND DECIDE THERE IS SOMETHING OF VALUE THERE?   THE AHHHA MOMENT OF CLARITY, PURITY, KNOWING, GRATITUDE, APPRECIATION, COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS, POSSIBLY JOY IN THE MIDDLE OF WHATEVER HAS JUST SHAKEN YOUR WORLD!

KEEPING TRACK OF “IN THE MOMENT” EXPERIENCES, FEELINGS AND CHALLENGES IS YOUR JUMPING OFF POINT FOR LIVING IN THE MOMENT, WITHOUT JUDGMENT.   OVER TIME YOU LEARN TO OBSERVE AND CLARIFY WITHOUT JUDGING.   I KNOW THAT SOUNDS WEIRD, BUT GETTING THE STORY WRITTEN DOWN SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW OPENS AN AWARENESS PORTAL TO SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITY IN YOUR LIFE.   YOU GOTTA TRY IT TO BELIEVE IT, BUT IT IS A LONG TERM EXPERIMENT, A TEST OF PERSEVERANCE.

WHY JOURNAL?  HOW TO JOURNAL FOR YOUR BEST LEARNING?  IS THERE A SHORT CUT TO JOURNALING?

WHY JOURNAL…5 REASONS TO JOURNAL
1.    IT IS A PRIVATE PLACE TO UNLOAD YOUR FRUSTRATION, DESIRES, DREAMS, WINS AND CHALLENGES.
2.   IT`S A PRIVATE PLACE TO DREAM OF POSSIBILITY AND TO PLAN FOR SUCCESS.
3.   IT IS A NON-JUDGEMENTAL PLACE TO HONE YOUR SKILLS OF OBSERVATIONS OF LIFE
4.    THE JOURNAL IS A SLOW PORTAL TO SELF AWARENESS!

COME BACK TOMORROW TO LEARN HOW TO JOURNAL FOR YOUR OWN GREATEST LEARNING!

Change is the Real Deal

Change is wild energy in the Universe!   “Dog’s breakfast or golden egg”, sometimes we aren’t in control of what we get!   Gigantic opportunity hides in a “dog’s breakfast” life change.   Sometimes, utter defeat is hiding inside the golden egg!   It’s all in HOW we choose to accept the experience.   Who knew…YOU did!  So did I!

I know this sounds like you are about to get hit with a dose of  sweet positivity hiding behind the message in this post but I challenge you to go a little deeper.    

Ever been laid off from a job and wondered why a team of psychologists had boxes of tissue piled up waiting to process each newly jobless person?   ANSWER:  We spin out energetically when sudden change challenges our balanced life.   We also spin out, when Lotto pays out millions to our almost empty bank account.  Who knew?

My challenge to you is to visit the bedrock of your life foundation…check out:

1. which strengths support you in good and bad times
2. which values you base your decisions on
3. how solidly embedded you are to withstand change
4. Commit to write down what you notice in a journal you start today
5. Notice patterns and question them!

If you can’t seriously explain to yourself,  your top 3 strengths and how you use them every day, or if you haven’t a clue about your deepest values and when you call them to make important decisions, then I invite you back to this page to learn how. 

These posts will speak to everyday strengths and values to help you get solid in your life so “dog’s breakfast” changes will  move you to successful opportunities AND you may learn how you get to keep the millions Lotto just sent your way. 

Your comments are the life’s blood of this blog.  Please join the dialogue!

Enjoy InJoy

Sue Rumack,   the life essence coach

I AM… The Real Deal

IAM slideshow 3-25 d

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I could talk forever on the value of finding inner essence, self-image, self confidence, self respect and on and on.   But the reality is, talk is cheap.  You want to see results.

If you haven’t viewed the video above, please don’t wait another minute.    Natasha, is a real woman and the photos you are viewing were not staged.

These candid photos except for the last portrait were taken as she went through telephone coaching sessions, style, fashion and beauty consultations and make-overs.   Her journal entries are heartfelt and she has graciously agreed to make her journal available on-line for anyone that wants to read about how she really felt going through this transformative journey.

Please check again tomorrow for another empowering image or message about finding your own life essence.    And please share with your friends.