Motivation to Journal | Write4Life
Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” It’s a beautiful reminder that an effective way to make the world better, is to behave like an example of what we expect, instead of only waiting for others to change. This quote (viewed from a completely new angle) made a huge impact on my journal-writing one night. Now I say, “You must write the voice you most crave to hear.”
I had worked a long day at the office, and I was infuriated with Amy, a coworker who always seems to be criticizing me, and not understanding my best intentions. I was tired of her arrogance, her lack of compassion. I began the journal entry with lots of terse, frustrating comments. And even though it felt somewhat satisfying to vent my anger, I realized that I could go on and on writing nasty things about Amy, without really making any difference in the situation … or, more importantly, for myself.
I realized that if I wanted a good night’s sleep, and return to work the next morning feeling refreshed, and authentically complete with the situation, that I would save a lot of time if I could just identify the words I wished Amy would have said. And from there, I wrote sort of an “unsent letter” from Amy to me. Here is an excerpt:
“Nathan, I’m really sorry about the way that I treat you. I don’t mean to be rude, and you know that I put a lot of pressure on myself when it comes to my job. I know this sounds crazy, but most of the time I’m talking with people, I feel as if they are just wasting my time. I have so little patience, even with myself, and this is probably an issue I’ll have to deal with at some point in my life. I don’t mean any disrespect to you personally. You have so many great ideas, and I know that you are very good in your work. But honestly, I struggle to find ways of complimenting people. It just doesn’t come naturally to me. When I pick out the flaws in what you say, even if they are only minor, it’s my only way of relating to you. I don’t expect you to like me for this. I’m sure we’ll never be great friends. Just please accept that I’m flawed, and I need tenderness but I’m simply incapable of asking for it.”
These are words that Amy would never say out loud. But having written them down, as if she were baring some innermost secret thoughts, without changing who she was, or re-writing her character, created a sense of relief for me. And the next day, though nothing changed between us, I sensed an unexpected compassion for Amy.
Give it a try sometime. If you find you have some unfinished business with someone, here are some guidelines for an exercise in “Writing The Voice You Crave To Hear” from them:
Open your journal to a clean page. Write the date, and the person’s name.
Be still and spend a quiet moment to mentally go back to a situation with that person which left you feeling sad, incomplete, angry, dismissed, or uneasy. Write down just a brief summary of the situation, and a few words that express those negative feelings.
Now listen for any words that you wish that person could say to you. Imagine that they knew everything that you know: how their actions have impacted you, how you’re feeling. Write down what you’d love to hear from that person. An explanation? An apology? The exercise works best if you write it in their words, and from their perspective.
Close with gratitude. Write them back a short note to thank them for sharing this secret.
If you find this useful, I’d love to hear how it has helped. In closing, I am reminded of a quote by Robert Brault: “Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology that you never got.”
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Not too long ago I found myself in an uncomfortable situation. I came to a point in my life, after I had been journaling for twenty-eight years. I had boxes and boxes of journals, pages filled with the demons I’d wrestled with, obstacles I’d overcome and challenges through which I’d sorted. Journaling had been my best friend and ally. I knew that this material was worth something, that it could somehow make a difference in the world, but I just didn’t know how or what that would look like.
I thought about turning my entries into a screenplay for a film. I imagined people going to the movies, buying popcorn and watching my life story for a few hours, but when I visualized that, I was left feeling simply uninspired. After more wondering, visualizing and pondering, I decided I needed to write a book. But everything I came up with was just flat.
None of these ideas moved me, and I was frustrated until a light bulb went off during Landmark Education’s Wisdom Course. I realized: What I really want is to share my passion for journaling with other people. And the idea of an e-course struck me.
Through journaling, I’ve been able to grow myself personally and professionally. But instead of writing a book about me, I wanted to show people how to get something for themselves through the power of journaling.
The Passion, Clarity & Purpose ecourse was born with the intention of sharing the love I have for this type of writing. Journaling is an amazing tool for getting clear, making decisions and leading a love-filled life. This course teaches people how they can write to enhance their lives.
Passion: Lighting the fire of your creativity and imagination! Over the six-week course, we’ll explore ways to re-kindle our love for the things that mean the most in our lives - and you may be surprised by what comes out! Weekly writing assignments will have you look at what gets you going, and owning your enthusiasm.
Clarity: Getting laser-like focus on who you are, and where you’re going. With an emphasis on getting “real” with ourselves, we practice speaking to ourselves with compassion and kindness, without pretense or excuses. Any issue or area of life that feels murky can be cleared up with the exercises we do in the course, and you’ll be left with the ability to make choices in your life that you can stand by because you know what you need and want.
Purpose: Connecting with our mission and meaning in life. Ultimately, we’ll use journaling to learn about ourselves and what we are truly meant to be doing. In a practice of compassionate honesty, we’ll use journaling to find our truth. We participate in weekly conference calls (a sort of Learning Laboratory) to stimulate you taking inventory of your life, and choosing what’s right for you.
The investment for this course is $197, and the first ten people to sign up will receive a surprise bonus upon their registration.
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Guest Post by Mari L. McCarthy
Mari is the first person I teamed up with when I “came public” about my desire to help people develop journal-writing skills in a meaningful way.
She has become a good friend and mentor, and I’m pleased to share with you a guest post from her describing what she’s been up to lately.
I have taken this course, and fully endorse it. Mari’s brilliant style of journal coaching is top-notch.
The Habit of Journaling
How good are you at starting something new? Is it easy to begin a diet, an exercise regimen, a meditation routine? For most of us, starting any kind of new practice that promises to improve our health and happiness is extremely challenging. We want to improve, but we’re reluctant to change.
You decide, for example, that you’ll no longer waste your evenings in front of the television. You’re going to start reading books instead. You spend one or two quiet nigh but then you remember that your favorite show is on and decide to catch it one more time.
The next evening there’s a special you want to see and the next you waste on mindless sitcoms because you’re mad at your boyfriend and before you know it, you haven’t made a change at all.
It’s one thing to do an activity now and then and it’s something totally different to make it a part of your everyday life. Often we carefully follow a new routine for several days, only to blow it and go back to square one. Unless we make the new habit as common as getting dressed in the morning, as every day as eating lunch, we are not likely to reap the full benefits.
At CreateWriteNow, we are dedicated to the everyday practice of journal writing, as a lifestyle that fosters personal improvement on nearly every level. While we discuss and use many different kinds of journaling, the Morning Pages, originally introduced by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way, is one of the easiest ways to get started with a solid journal writing habit.
It’s easy, but it’s still challenging because you do have to take the initiative and begin. So we’ve developed a new course from CreateWriteNow called 12 Days of Morning Pages. You can access the course via
format. Its tips and exercises are designed to be an easy and fun way to slide into your daily Morning Pages routine. With the help of the materials, you’ll find you have developed a powerfully healthy habit almost without trying!
Mari L. McCarthy (also known as the Oprah of Journaling) is The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of , the Personal Growth Journaling Place. Mari offers counseling and encouragement to journal writers through her many online journaling resources, as well as private consultations. Mari’s teachings and workbooks center around journaling for self-discovery, self-growth, and self-healing. She has published nearly 20 journaling guides, exploring such topics as money, jobs, health, bereavement, personal organization, and more. Look for her , a course that begins this September 1st.
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Travel Journaling: Enhance The Quality of Vacations
Going on vacation?
People have asked me if I use my vacation time to take a break from my normal journaling routine.
My answer: Absolutely not!
In fact, the very act of taking time off for travel, recreation, and rejuvenation is the BEST time for some of my most profound and memorable journaling.
If I can’t make the time for self-reflection and appreciation of life while I’m on vacation, then when will I ever?
Whether it is a weekend getaway, a short business trip, a visit to a foreign country, or a full-scale family vacation, journaling can help make the time even more valuable.
People may not realize what a great impact can be made by writing just a brief summary of each day while on any trip.
Here are just a few of the benefits.
For more in-depth tips, see below to get a free e-brochure with a list of eleven practical and simple things you can do to include your journal in your time away from home.
Make richer and longer-lasting memories.
Putting your thoughts and experiences into words will certainly help you categorize and retain the memories.
Perhaps it’s because we reinforce our learning when we engage another of our senses.
But more importantly, summarizing each day’s events in your journal, affords you opportunity to accompany the events of your journey with additional layers of feelings and reflection, which make the memories ever more meaningful.
Appreciate the finer details of the vacation.
Journaling is mostly about noticing.
Once you are in the mindset of taking notice of the simple things during your travels, you will become more aware of the sweet, often overlooked, details that add color and interest to any adventure.
Relive the vacation again and again.
Coming back to re-read your travel journals will revive delightful memories and insights.
While photos capture scenery and serve as great reminders, journaling adds context and texture to those images.
Over the years, my best writings have come from revisiting and rewriting some of the private observations I’ve made while travelling.
You might also be interested in hearing other journaling experts discuss the finer points of traveling with a journal: , and coming soon, Leon Logothetis.
For a free e-brochure, “Tips for Travel Journaling”, simply post a comment below with “Send me your Travel Journaling Tips” or something similar, and I will send it to you.
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Location: Knapps Castle, Santa Barbara, CA
I’ve written for so long, during the most ecstatic highs and the most depressing lows.
My journal has been a best friend and a coach to me through all of it.
I just can’t imagine NOT writing, and I don’t think I’ll ever quit.
I guess I will Write4Life.
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Sixty Consecutive Days!
Congratulations, , on making two consecutive 30-day challenges in daily journaling!
Juan is a participant in our .
He has shared on our weekly conference calls numerous times about breakthroughs he has made with his family relationships, personal goals, self-understanding, and self-discovery.
One of these conversations is recorded in Episode #1 of , our bi-weekly podcast.
Juan says: “The best part about journaling is that I’ve gained a new ability to express myself into words, both for my own clarity of mind, as well as with the world around me.
Journaling has dramatically improved the quality of my life, and I’m grateful for the course and all the supportive people I’ve met through it.”
Juan is an aspiring musician, and an inspiration to many friends and family members.
Best wishes for another amazing sixty days, Juan!
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Here’s More JournalTalk"He who can have patience can have what he wants," said Benjamin Franklin. They say patience is a virtue (美德) seldom found in women and never in men. This may or may not be true, but it's fair to say that there is nobody on the earth who couldn't benefit from more patience.Patience is necessary for success.It is said that "all good things come to those who wait". Many of the great scientists have remarked that their scientific discoveries came only through patient perseverance (坚持). Edison said, "Genius was 99% perspiration and only 1% inspiration." Patience teaches us to value the effort and not just the success. It is a mistake to think that happiness can only be obtained through achievements.Patience brings peace of mind.When we desire certain outcomes (结果), we'll have no peace of mind. Even if one desire is filled, the nature of desire is that more will appear in its place. There is no end to human desires. Patience means we will work with an attitude of detachment (超然).Patience can transform suffering into joy.Throughout life the best healer is patience. Through being patient and accepting our situation, it's quite possible for our suffering to be transformed.Sri Chinmoy said, "If failure has the strength to turn your life into bitterness itself, then patience has the strength to turn your life into the sweetest joy."小题1:Whose saying supports the idea that patience makes a person joyful?A．Franklin'sB．Edison'sC．Chinmoy'sD．Einstein's小题2:In the writer's opinion, _____ .A．human desires will easily be filledB．patience is a virtue seldom found in a personC．happiness can only be obtained through successD．patience is the best medicine of suffering小题3:How is the whole passage organized?A．General-detail-general.B．General-detail.C．Detail-general-detail.D．Detail-general.小题4:Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?A．We All Need PatienceB．Patience Means SuccessC．Benefits of PatienceD．We Should Not Be patient - 跟谁学
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在线咨询下载客户端关注微信公众号&&&分类："He who can have patience can have what he wants," said Benjamin Franklin. They say patience is a virtue (美德) seldom found in women and never in men. This may or may not be true, but it's fair to say that there is nobody on the earth who couldn't benefit from more patience.Patience is necessary for success.It is said that "all good things come to those who wait". Many of the great scientists have remarked that their scientific discoveries came only through patient perseverance (坚持). Edison said, "Genius was 99% perspiration and only 1% inspiration." Patience teaches us to value the effort and not just the success. It is a mistake to think that happiness can only be obtained through achievements.Patience brings peace of mind.When we desire certain outcomes (结果), we'll have no peace of mind. Even if one desire is filled, the nature of desire is that more will appear in its place. There is no end to human desires. Patience means we will work with an attitude of detachment (超然).Patience can transform suffering into joy.Throughout life the best healer is patience. Through being patient and accepting our situation, it's quite possible for our suffering to be transformed.Sri Chinmoy said, "If failure has the strength to turn your life into bitterness itself, then patience has the strength to turn your life into the sweetest joy."小题1:Whose saying supports the idea that patience makes a person joyful?A．Franklin'sB．Edison'sC．Chinmoy'sD．Einstein's小题2:In the writer's opinion, _____ .A．human desires will easily be filledB．patience is a virtue seldom found in a personC．happiness can only be obtained through successD．patience is the best medicine of suffering小题3:How is the whole passage organized?A．General-detail-general.B．General-detail.C．Detail-general-detail.D．Detail-general.小题4:Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?A．We All Need PatienceB．Patience Means SuccessC．Benefits of PatienceD．We Should Not Be patient"He who can have patience can have what he wants," said Benjamin Franklin. They say patience is a virtue (美德) seldom found in women and never in men. This may or may not be true, but it's fair to say that there is nobody on the earth who couldn't benefit from more patience.Patience is necessary for success.It is said that "all good things come to those who wait". Many of the great scientists have remarked that their scientific discoveries came only through patient perseverance (坚持). Edison said, "Genius was 99% perspiration and only 1% inspiration." Patience teaches us to value the effort and not just the success. It is a mistake to think that happiness can only be obtained through achievements.Patience brings peace of mind.When we desire certain outcomes (结果), we'll have no peace of mind. Even if one desire is filled, the nature of desire is that more will appear in its place. There is no end to human desires. Patience means we will work with an attitude of detachment (超然).Patience can transform suffering into joy.Throughout life the best healer is patience. Through being patient and accepting our situation, it's quite possible for our suffering to be transformed.Sri Chinmoy said, "If failure has the strength to turn your life into bitterness itself, then patience has the strength to turn your life into the sweetest joy."小题1:Whose saying supports the idea that patience makes a person joyful?A．Franklin'sB．Edison'sC．Chinmoy'sD．Einstein's小题2:In the writer's opinion, _____ .A．human desires will easily be filledB．patience is a virtue seldom found in a personC．happiness can only be obtained through successD．patience is the best medicine of suffering小题3:How is the whole passage organized?A．General-detail-general.B．General-detail.C．Detail-general-detail.D．Detail-general.小题4:Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?A．We All Need PatienceB．Patience Means SuccessC．Benefits of PatienceD．We Should Not Be patient科目:难易度:最佳***小题1:C 小题2:D小题3:B 小题4:C解析 知识点:&&基础试题拔高试题热门知识点最新试题
关注我们官方微信关于跟谁学服务支持帮助中心阅读理解。
There once lived in Greece a learned man. He was so well known for his wide knowledge of almost everything that lots of people from all over the country came to learn things from him. The great mantaught his students whole-heartedly and answered their questions with great patience. (耐心)
One day a student asked him, "My dear teacher, didn't you say you yourself have many, many more questions about things than we do? On the contrary (恰恰相反), we students have far more than you."
With a smile, the teacher drew two circles-one as large as a big wheel (轮子), the other smaller.
"Of course, I've learned much more. But a teacher does not necessarily have fewer questions than his students. Now look at these two cricles. Within the big one is my knowledge of things, and withinthe smaller one yours. Out of the cricles is what is still unknown to us. Since mine is larger, the linethat marks out (划……的界限) the circle is longer. That means I have more chances to face what is still unknown. And that's why I myself have more questions than you do. The more you learn, the morequestions you have. You will never learn enough, you know." 1. One of his students didn't agree that ______. [
]A.the teacher should have so many questions B.the teacher had more questions than the studentsC.the students had more questions than the teacherD.the teacher had as many questions as the students2. Which of the following pictures tells rightly what the teacher drew? [
]A.B.C.D.3. The teacher drew two circles in order to show ______. [
]A.he knew a lot and was good at drawing B.how one could get more knowledge C.why he had more questiones than the studentsD.what the students learned had something to do with the circles 4. The passage mainly tells us that ______. [
]A.we should learn from a learned man B.we'll never learn enough C.a teacher should be patient D.it is never too old to learn 5. The teacher was very famous for______. [
]A.his patience B.the drawing of two circles C.his help to tire students D.his knowledge g - 跟谁学
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在线咨询下载客户端关注微信公众号&&&分类：阅读理解。
There once lived in Greece a learned man. He was so well known for his wide knowledge of almost everything that lots of people from all over the country came to learn things from him. The great mantaught his students whole-heartedly and answered their questions with great patience. (耐心)
One day a student asked him, "My dear teacher, didn't you say you yourself have many, many more questions about things than we do? On the contrary (恰恰相反), we students have far more than you."
With a smile, the teacher drew two circles-one as large as a big wheel (轮子), the other smaller.
"Of course, I've learned much more. But a teacher does not necessarily have fewer questions than his students. Now look at these two cricles. Within the big one is my knowledge of things, and withinthe smaller one yours. Out of the cricles is what is still unknown to us. Since mine is larger, the linethat marks out (划……的界限) the circle is longer. That means I have more chances to face what is still unknown. And that's why I myself have more questions than you do. The more you learn, the morequestions you have. You will never learn enough, you know." 1. One of his students didn't agree that ______. [
]A.the teacher should have so many questions B.the teacher had more questions than the studentsC.the students had more questions than the teacherD.the teacher had as many questions as the students2. Which of the following pictures tells rightly what the teacher drew? [
]A.B.C.D.3. The teacher drew two circles in order to show ______. [
]A.he knew a lot and was good at drawing B.how one could get more knowledge C.why he had more questiones than the studentsD.what the students learned had something to do with the circles 4. The passage mainly tells us that ______. [
]A.we should learn from a learned man B.we'll never learn enough C.a teacher should be patient D.it is never too old to learn 5. The teacher was very famous for______. [
]A.his patience B.the drawing of two circles C.his help to tire students D.his knowledge g 阅读理解。
There once lived in Greece a learned man. He was so well known for his wide knowledge of almost everything that lots of people from all over the country came to learn things from him. The great mantaught his students whole-heartedly and answered their questions with great patience. (耐心)
One day a student asked him, "My dear teacher, didn't you say you yourself have many, many more questions about things than we do? On the contrary (恰恰相反), we students have far more than you."
With a smile, the teacher drew two circles-one as large as a big wheel (轮子), the other smaller.
"Of course, I've learned much more. But a teacher does not necessarily have fewer questions than his students. Now look at these two cricles. Within the big one is my knowledge of things, and withinthe smaller one yours. Out of the cricles is what is still unknown to us. Since mine is larger, the linethat marks out (划……的界限) the circle is longer. That means I have more chances to face what is still unknown. And that's why I myself have more questions than you do. The more you learn, the morequestions you have. You will never learn enough, you know." 1. One of his students didn't agree that ______. [
]A.the teacher should have so many questions B.the teacher had more questions than the studentsC.the students had more questions than the teacherD.the teacher had as many questions as the students2. Which of the following pictures tells rightly what the teacher drew? [
]A.B.C.D.3. The teacher drew two circles in order to show ______. [
]A.he knew a lot and was good at drawing B.how one could get more knowledge C.why he had more questiones than the studentsD.what the students learned had something to do with the circles 4. The passage mainly tells us that ______. [
]A.we should learn from a learned man B.we'll never learn enough C.a teacher should be patient D.it is never too old to learn 5. The teacher was very famous for______. [
]A.his patience B.the drawing of two circles C.his help to tire students D.his knowledge g 科目:最佳***l.B
5.D 解析 知识点:&&基础试题拔高试题热门知识点最新试题
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