Journaling Recommendations?

[HCMBirdie]

Im 18 days widowed. Several people have recommened to me that I journal, and it appeals it to me. I'm interested in hearing how others do it... good internet platforms? Apps? Paper journals? Emails to yourself or your spouse? Do you make yourself write everyday?

[trying2breathe]

HCMB  I'm sorry for your loss, you are very early in this journey.  I journaled a lot in the early days, a pen and a Moleskin the old fashioned way.  Whatever the process, make it whatever works for you.  I journaled for about a year, in those early days it was messages to him, and later it become my thoughts about grieving and missing him.  I scheduled journaling as a nightly ritual, as I didn't have any other time to focus on grief.  For me it was a good process, and now looking back at what I've written I realize how far I've come four and a half years out.

[twin_mom]

I also did pen and paper. At first I journaled all about his illness, I knew as time went on things would get fuzzy and someday my children or I might want to know more specifics. Then it transitioned into how the kids were doing, how I was doing...

 

The important thing is to find a way that works for you, and use journaling as a way to get out all the things in your head.

[Julester3]

I'm a typist so I simply used ms word and journaled whenever I needed. In the beginning it was every few days then to every few weeks and then once a month. Maybe my kids will read it someday but it was for me to vent and work things out. Most of the time it's me talking to him and knowing what he'd advise me.

[Elle]

I always kept a journal.  Still have the latch and key diaries from my long ago grade school days.  :-) 

 

The journal I keep now is set up to just pen down brief daily thoughts. 

 

I had to writtten down this recent occurrence:

 

While checking my DH's Yahoo email, he received a  response from someone to his Yahoo Answer  question!  It was a bit spooky to read it.  He asked for an opinion on a certain type of water filtration system.  And just recently I had been thinking of researching different types of water purification systems to replace the store bought gallon bottles!  How about that?!

[Mizpah]

I did paper, those little Moleskines you see everywhere.  It fit in my bag and I carried it with me everywhere.  I didn't want to forget anything, and I'd grab it and jot in it constantly.  I had two going all the time in the early days - one that was just about him - memories, stories, characteristics, demeanors, just everything about him I didn't want to forget.  The other was just kind of free writing, mostly about grief and how I felt and processing everything.  I say just whatever works best for you, lowest pressure, whatever gives you the best sense of relief.  If it's a pretty journal, great.  If it's typing, great.  I just had so much in my head, I needed to release the pressure valve, and emptying the contents of my insides onto paper was what worked for me.  Low pressure. 

[HCMBirdie]

This spoke to me: " I didn't want to forget anything, and I'd grab it and jot in it constantly."

 

That is an urge I've been experiencing, so I went with paper.