Letter Writing Journaling

When you read a letter from someone, we are immediately transferred into their world, experience, and physical reality. You can capture the same feeling by writing letters to yourself or about other people in your journal. Letter writing is the easiest form to use in journaling. On occasion, you might have already dabbled in writing letters in your journal.

There are three major benefits to journaling with letters. First, the experience helps organize the event more clearly in our mind. Second, letter writing makes it easier to see cause and affect sequences of our actions. And third, because of its intimacy, it loosens up our writing style.

Whether you have or haven't experienced letter writing previously, here are a few ways you can expand the experience.

Step 1: Compile a list of people who you want to write a letter to. You can do this as a journal entry and mark the page with a post-it note.

Step 2: Select a letter style, purpose, before you begin writing. Since there are various types of letter writing styles, let me present four types that I have found most helpful and have received the most positive feedback in my workshops.

Style 1: Milestone letters. Writing about milestones is about picking an event that changed your life. Whether the milestone was minor one or one that turned you around 360 degrees does not matter. Even the smallest ones have truth to be released. The milestone will have either altered your way of thinking, change your relationship with yourself or others, or even shaken your physical or spiritual beingness.

By writing about a milestone, you weed through and determine what is important in your life. Additionally, the exercise helps you understand what formed the person you are today and explains what shifted that path.

Style 2: Release letters. Release letters allow you to vent and express your deepest emotions. This style frees buried energy, in turn, allowing you to think and feel through things, rather than keeping it corked. Please note that your experience may not always lead to a resolution, however, it does lead to change. You can't help but clean house of those leftovers.

Here are a few examples on how you can use release letters.

Example: Have you ever finished a conversation with someone that ruffled your feathers or left you still hearing their words like sounds of chalk going backwards across a blackboard? The conversation tumbles repeatedly in your mind for hours, even days. This is a perfect time to write a release letter. Set a timer for 10 minutes and let it rip across the page.

What you do with the release letter afterwards isn't important. If you feel comfortable leaving it in your journal, do so. If you prefer to use separate paper and burn it, do so. If you prefer to tear it out of your journal later, do so.

Example: You can use this same exercise to curb over spending. This process came to me years ago when I was an accountant giving advice on how to curb over spending.

Have you ever been in the position of feeling you just "gotta buy" something. Let's say you are watching television and you see something you "gotta have." Or maybe a friend recommends a book and you still have 10 others to read but the recommendation is haunting you. How about seeing something, someone else has that you just "gotta have." The urge, just doesn't want to relinquish its grip even with conscious "fighting it" thoughts. By writing a release letter, you can release this urge at least the majority of the time.

You can also use release letters to move you past the urge to eat something that isn't on your food plan.

After several release letters you can even see what need is expressing itself and triggering these reactions. Once you identify the trigger, the process need usually subsides. There is no guarantee that this will work all the time, however, you will probably find it provides the release the majority of the time.

Style 3: Wisdom letters. A wisdom letter is writing to your wisdom self. A wisdom letter works well after a release letter because it enables the process of moving on. The experience allows the wisdom transition into learning and usually into a more positive light.

Adding dialogue, either in part or as the whole letter, is an excellent way to enhance the experience. Initials will help you transition between wisdom self to other self.

Style 4: Thank you letters. Since my parents passed, I'm always coming across things I want to thank them for. Even the small things seemed important to share. Now, in hindsight and wisdom, I can see how even the small things rippled through my life. These letters are also a special way for keeping their memory alive.

We both know that an attitude of gratitude is a peaceful place to be and thank you letters is one avenue you can use to be on that path. Our gratitude feelings fuel our spiritual connections with the universe and with all living things. Peacefulness is also very attractive to others and what we want to manifest in life.

You can also use one of these letter styles to let go of the "wish I had said that instead" thoughts and feelings or to share unfulfilled wishes and dreams that no longer fit but can't seem to move on.

Letter writing is an excellent way to find closure or complete unfinished business in order to heal or learn. Whether you have or haven't already been using letter writing in your journal, dedicate a whole week or two to the exercise. You might think that when you finish one letter, there isn't another reason to write another. Be patient, another will probably appear because you have uncovered what was on top. When you get tired of the exercise, stop, and switch to another technique.

(C) Copyright 2005, Catherine Franz.

Catherine Franz is a life and business coach living in Northern Virginia. She has presented journaling workshops over 20 years. Catherine has authored two great books on tips and techniques of journaling. Copies available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com/Store/main.htm

In The News:

---

Whats in a Name? Giving Birth to your Characters

So you've got your plot outlined, a title lined up... Read More

Recipe for a Style Guide

Wired Online has recently announced its plans to drop capitalization... Read More

Whats Missing in your Nearly Finished Book?

Bookcoaching clients come to me at different stages of writing... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #5: Peter Mayle

Peter Mayle was born in England in 1939.His fascination with... Read More

Permission NOT To Write

Quite a few years ago, I enrolled in a Degree... Read More

Talent or Toil

As in all endeavors, toil is necessary to succeed and... Read More

The Demon Fear

You have a great idea for a poem, a story,... Read More

Writing Requires Self-Control

The only way to become a writer is to write.... Read More

7 Ways to Turn Readers Into Friends

Back in my school days, if the teacher demanded a... Read More

Have You Completed A Character Questionnaire?

Creative Writing Tips ?Complete a character questionnaire for each of... Read More

Using Technology to Improve Your Final Draft

One Saturday afternoon, I sat in a packed conference room... Read More

Another Way to Show Your Expertise: Write a Book!

Maybe you should write a book! This is not as... Read More

Why We Dont Write Our Books

In the ten years that I've taught people how to... Read More

Write Your Story, Put It On A Website, Sell Millions of Copies

Although he has his own website, John Grisham probably does... Read More

A Book Note Vs a Book Report

IntroductionSince our early days of elementary education we have been... Read More

Writing the KAIZEN Way

Over the past eight years or so, I have tutored... Read More

The Blank Mind

Many writers stare at the blank page or clean computer... Read More

Writing the Chapters of Your Life: Surprising Insights Using This Special Journaling Technique

List-making is a favorite journaling technique and is often used... Read More

Building Character

Names are important. Names give clues about us, where we... Read More

Realize Your Book Dream In 2005!

If you haven't realized the success you wanted last year,... Read More

The Arrogant Writer: Five Ways To Nurture and Defend Your Muse

Arrogance has a bad rap. We think of arrogant people... Read More

Freelance or Staff

There is no doubt that a staff writer enjoys advantages... Read More

8 Ways to Write a Winner Book Fast!

Have you given up on getting your book out of... Read More

An Introduction to Self Publishing Material

Any article, report or book which is bought or sold... Read More

How to Write Words Worth a Thousand Pictures

Our Image-Driven SocietyWe live in a new image-driven society. It... Read More

Writing Press Releases That Get Noticed

Among the various foolproof methods used to boost traffic to... Read More

Writing Business Letters That Get The Job Done

Despite the widespread use of e-mail in commerce today, traditional... Read More

Four Act Stories and Beyond

There are various forms of structure, including frameworks, work processes... Read More

Apostrophe Usage Made Simple

According to one of my previous articles, whenever a Southerner... Read More

Want to start a publishing revolution?

Calling all publishers, editors, journalists and freelance writers. It's time... Read More

Understanding Editorial Guidelines

Editorial guidelines, also known as writer's guidelines, are the rules... Read More

Getting To Know Your Characters

Interesting characters that readers care about are the most important... Read More

Taking the Free Out of Freelance Writing

When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors... Read More