Transgender London

Home

Articles

In The News

Opinion

Resources

About Me

The Importance of Journaling

Journaling is something that many people do but most do not.  They are losing a great deal insight by not doing so.  This insight provides the base of personal growth as you walk your own path of gender.

Contrary to popular opinion, a journal doesn't have to be written every day or even on any kind of scheduled basis.  Nor does it necessarily have to deal exclusively with your personal gender issues.  In fact, chronicling the other events in your life is more important.  The primary reason is simple.

When you have stated the events of your life on a given day and included your feelings not only about the events in question but also your overall feelings of well being or not, you have set a record of an event and its positive or negative effect on you.  It shows how you reacted or wanted to react to that given situation at that particular time.  As your journal grows you will find that you have actually documented your own path.  From this you can see if you have grown by your reactions.

The other and equally important point to this is that you can objectively assess if you are acting appropriately in a given situation and modify that behaviour because you can see the results of your misplaced perceptions.  You can also learn to recognize the triggers that will lead toward an increase in dysphoria or depression.  This kind of insight offers you the most growth because you will see the pitfalls and in the future, avoid them altogether or at the least, minimize the negative effects of a situation.

It is not considered a prerequisite by any means but if you are in therapy then your therapist can find your journals as insightful or even more so than your actual sessions.  This can speed up your process immensely.  However, if your purpose is to speed up the process, then that will be quickly discovered and your journals will be considered as moot.  In short, you cant lie in them; to do so it to lie to yourself.

So, do yourself the favour and begin to write.  It doesn't have to be eloquent, just honest.  You will be surprised and satisfied in the future when you are able to look back.