From insidetime.org
Do you write a diary? No, I use a diary to plan my days, I keep a journal to help keep myself grounded. I cannot recommend it highly enough. If I have a few things rattling around in my mind at once (anxieties, ideas, plans, etc) then writing in a journal helps me to make sense of those things and restore a bit of order. I might be thinking of several things at once but I can only write them down one at a time.
The journal is particularly good for managing anxieties; my main ongoing anxiety is attached to the idea that something I’ve said has been misconstrued by whoever I’ve said it to. Do they think I’m being cheeky? By the time I’ve finished writing about the ‘incident’, I’ve realised that I probably haven’t been misconstrued and if I have, so be it. I know I meant well. That is just an example of how it works for me, I think it could be applied to anything.
I also think my journal has been a gateway to positive creativity. Not long after starting my journal I applied to the Prisoners Education Trust (PET) and completed a creative writing course. Since then, I have continued writing short stories and have given myself longer assignments. When I look at myself now and reflect on my state of mind before starting to write, it is incredible what it has done for my wellbeing; I’m never happier than when I am writing, it’s as if I have set myself free for a little while.
It all started with a journal. But starting was the hardest part, as is true with anything worth doing. My first worry was what will my cellmate think? I’ve had seven cellmates in the time I have been writing and the good ones have been kindly inquisitive while the bad ones have kept their mouths shut. Personally, I’m happy with either. If keeping a journal or writing doesn’t work for you, I would still urge you to find a creative outlet. I have found mine, only wish I had found it sooner as it is helping me to look forward to a different future. I hope you can find a way to do the same, if not better.
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