Decision-Making Through Journaling

Journaling has always been a key element in my decision-making process.  The more difficult or complex the decision, the more journaling helped me find my way.  Decisions that have too many variables usually trap me in a quagmire of “what if.”  Journaling is my shortcut out of the morass.

In the past six years, I have journaled about the decision to move from Oregon to Tennessee.  I spent time talking to my journal about deciding to form a relationship with the man who became my husband.  I spent two full journals deciding what I wanted to do with my life after an illness almost took it from me.  In each case, the insights and concerns revealed through the journaling process helped me to be content with each decision made, even if it didn’t turn out the way I had hoped or the results are not yet in.

If the decision is a major one, such as a cross-country move, it can take some time.  Every day, for as many hours as it takes and as many days as it lasts, I will explore the decision in my journal.  Basic pro and con lists start me off.  If I still feel conflicted or concerned, I follow the road of one choice as far as I am able, then another option, and so forth. Every day I will write myself out on the topic.

The benefits of this process are logical as well as emotional.  Giving yourself freedom to really dive in to what the future might bring can reveal hidden issues and motivations.  It also brings clarity. This allows you to apply logic to your intuition and emotions by reading what you have written and examining your words critically.

The evolving process allows an emotional adjustment to the outcome.  Getting your feelings AND your thoughts on paper in continual fashion allows fears to subside as well.

Toward the end of this process, which could take an hour or a year depending on the scope of the decision, your reasoning and your reactions come together in a cohesive whole.  You are able to say “this is my decision.  It is best because…”  You will find great peace then as you move through and beyond the decision to be made and be comforted in the knowledge that you examined all sides and decided what was right for you.

B J Keltz

http://www.writeyourmindjournals.com

New Journal Day

I started a new journal today.  I will start it.  I’m still absorbed in the newness—the smell, the feel, the unblemished pages.  It’s my favorite day of the month.  New Journal Day, full of new possibilities and fresh insights.  It never ceases to delight me.

The first of the month is a good day to begin something fun or exciting.  It helps balance the bill paying and hectic first-week tasks elsewhere.  What are you starting today?  A new writing project, short story, revision, or a new journal?

This month, I will be writing in the Floppy Disk Journal by Retro Printing and Publishing.  The dark cream pages just seem so inviting, though they are still pristine.  The paper reminds me of Autumn.    Fall is my favorite season.  I wanted a journal that reflected the mood of falling leaves, clear blue skies and chill-kissed noses.    For more information on this particular review, head to our E-Zine for a product review.

How do you select your next journal?  Are you due for a new one?

Choosing a Title

One of the cool things about starting your own business is getting to choose your title.  there are plenty of legal documents and licenses in which I’m listed as “owner” and “proprietor,” but…well…<yawn>.  Perhaps it’s my exposure to the MMORPG world, but those titles are just boring.  (They are also a little scary, but don’t tell anyone I said so!)

So what is it I do around here?  I write.  I design.  I maintain, update, research, and crunch numbers.  I could extract a lot of titles from such tasks.  I’m sure they’d all sound professional and look great on business cards or a resume.  But…Do they describe me?  Am I willing to settle for a run-of-the-mill designation?

These days, the web is all about community and the sharing of information.  With this has come the acceptance of a little whimsy and the individual personalities  of your favorite bloggers and editors.  There is no way you can come to Write Your Mind Journals on a consistent basis and not learn about me as a writer, teacher, or encourager.  My passions–love for the creative process, journaling and metaphor are all out there and exposed as well.

Since all these things are clearly exposed, you learn quickly that I’m a “half fun, full earnest” kind of gal.  Humor might be subtle, but it’s usually in there somewhere.

If you are accustomed to the spirit of Web 2.0, you’ll be able to handle a little whimsy and humor without a blink.  Keeping this in mind, I have chosen my title.  It’s descriptive enough for all but the tax men.

Everyone here at B J Keltz Company has been invited to create their own title.  We already call our web guy the web maestro, for example.  We all wear many hats, but have one primary area of responsibility.  Why not choose our own?  Created titles are far more descriptive than “shipping manager” or “bookkeeper.”

So, given that I enjoy humor and a bit of whimsy and believe our readers do as well, I have appended the title “Chief Pen” to my name.  It is, after all, the most indicative of my personality and my primary responsibility.

Create your own title!  Why not?

B J Keltz, Chief Pen

Write Your Mind Journals and B J Keltz Company