Yes it is the year 2011. Technology is everywhere to make our lives simple, quick and easy. But I have a confession….I still pay my bills by writing a check and putting it in the mail. Pretty out dated way of doing things huh? The truth is, I like writing it down and tracking everything in my checkbook. When I am forced to put it to paper, I can see where my money is going and from there make changes accordingly. If I just looked at it on the bank website, I might just glance at it and go about my day. There are definitely some perks of getting things down the old fashioned way on pen and paper.
I frequently tell people that I see the same thing. Getting things down on paper can have great results when dealing with other issues in your life as well. A teen can benefit greatly from having a journal as a private place to record thoughts that they don’t want to share with parents or friends. A recovering addict might benefit from recording how much money was spent on their habit over the course of a month or a year to see one of the benefits from staying clean. A person going through the end of a relationship can find it helpful and releasing to write a letter to the other person to get all the thoughts left hanging out and not bottled up anymore. (Although, sometimes it might be good not to send that one!) A person dealing with grief can find it helpful to write letters to the loved one that is gone and taking it to the gravesite to leave for that person as one way or working through grief.
The point is, sometimes when things are out instead of swimming around in your head can make things more clear and enable you to focus on things in a different way. I often refer these thoughts as like a sneeze you are trying to hold it, you can try and try, but it comes out in some way and the longer you try to hold it in, the more unpleasant it is when it does come out. Our emotions are the same way. We can’t keep them bottled for a long time, as they eventually come out. Of course I feel that the best way to work through things is talking about them. But on the other hand, we also know ourselves the best and getting things out on pen and paper can give you a clearer understanding on where you are and where you want to go.
On a side note, I am currently on leave from working as I am taking maternity leave to be with my little one. I will continue to update this blog (again, hopefully more frequently) and am looking forward to getting back in the swing of things. And as always, love to hear your comments etc., so let me know what you think and if you want me to write about anything in particular here!!! It’s good to be back!
