Not another personal growth blog!!

picture by DeclanTM

Aren’t there enough of them already?

A few years ago I started an on-line gratitude journal on my favourite parenting forum. I thought it would be a straightforward exercise, and really, it was. But in the three years I maintained the journal I gained a lot more than I originally bargained for.

At the time, I made it a public journal because I felt that would make me accountable for writing regular, sincere entries - once a week or at least every couple of days. I seriously doubt I would have been so disciplined if it had been a private journal written with pen and paper.

In the first year, I was afraid that it might be an exercise in the mundane and boring. I worried that it would be repetitive or that it might expose my vulnerabilities, quirks and foibles. But as I continued with my journal, it gradually became easier to find something worthy of writing about.

In the final year, keeping my journal was effortless. I could tap into a wellspring of objective reflection and affirmation at any time I wished! Over the course of three years I had effectively trained my brain to find the positive in all things. Not only that, I was taking others along on my ride. I don’t profess to have a recipe for happiness, but practising gratitude must surely be a necessary ingredient.

My journalling evolved to a stage of such abundance that I felt I needed to limit myself to making entries just a few times a day. My mind was ever-working in the background as I went about my business, tending to my children, doing domestic or professional work. And subtle things started to happen. I found myself in a zone as a mother, a lover, a friend, an activist (and any number of other roles), where I felt like anything was possible. Not that there weren’t down times and frustrations. But journalling kept them all in perspective. And I took nothing for granted.

Then I stopped. And I don’t know why I stopped, but I missed it. Then I slowly began to lose that sense of fulfilment that the journal cultivated in me. And naturally that affected other aspects of my life. So, I decided to take it up again – only bigger and better!

So why blog? In a nutshell:

To reflect on my personal outlook; to capture and record those ephemeral details that living with children and amongst nature gift to me; to share, and perhaps to discover I am not alone in my thoughts; to experiment and get feedback; to learn and to stay engaged with the world; to meet new people who might stumble upon my ramblings, to communicate; to admire and thank all the people who inform my opinions; to express myself.

And to make the world a better place - yes, I’m inclined to idealism. So what?

This is my place. Here I can be myself.
And everyone is welcome.

April 12th, 2008 - Posted in personal growth, gratitude, happiness | | 0 Comments