The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
Hi MC. I write a little about what's going on in my life that is positive, then I read the page of the day from "one day at a time in al-anon", "courage to change" and "hope for today" and write about what I took away from each of them. I also often make a little gratitude list. When I look back at my journal writing, it helps me see the many good things in my life -- by not focusing on negative things I can reframe my perspective. One of my favorite quotes that I learned in al-anon is "there's nothing good nor bad but thinking makes it so", which is by William Shakespeare, and also found on one of the daily reader pages. I have plenty of negative thoughts, but by trying to see the positive in situations, and by not writing about the negative, they kind of go away faster. This routine is really helpful for me.
I do as Betty does and I also add gratitude lists and asset lists. I am a list maker, so often I also make goal lists and others!!! Writing for me is very healing and helps me organize my thoughts...
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
I am new to Al-Anon but not to journaling. I have done it most of my life. I write whatever is on my heart and in my head. Things I may never say out loud are on those pages. For me it releases the thought and sets it free so I don't obsess about it. So there is some good and there is some bad, but it is all the real feelings and thoughts for that day. I don't have to apologize for my thoughts and feelings when there are tucked safely away in the pages of my journals. I rarely go back to them, only when I want to see what I was thinking and feeling at any particular time in the past.
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Bethany
"Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be." Abe Lincoln
