Journaling

This is a personal preference. You have a few options.

1. Destroy them immediately. Do this if you fear someone will see it, or you are simply using journaling as a venting tool.

2. Save for a while then destroy. I used to do this when I first started. I would finish a journal. Save it for about a year, re-read it and then destroy it.

3. Keep them permanently. This is where I have moved to now. Mainly because I go back and look for things like journal prompts and lessons I have learned. Also because there are so many great lessons in them, I don't want to lose them.

I love re-reading my journals. I do this at two different times.

1. Before starting to journal, I will sometimes re-read the last couple entries. This is for a couple reasons. Sometimes there are great insights you get after the fact. Reviewing helps you gather more from one session.

2. A year or two later. I love to do this to see how far I have come. It helps keep me motivated and excited to continue with my  emotional healing work.

Having a time frame is beneficial if you plan on keeping your journals. If you don't plan on keeping them, it is less important.

You can either date them every time you write. Or what I do is write the start date of the journal on the front page. Then when I am done, I write the end date on the same page. I do this because, I will often journal a couple times a day and sometimes forget to date it.

For the most part no. However, there are times when it is wise to take a break. When you are working on a highly emotional problem, it might trigger feelings that are overwhelming. If you suddenly have a negative mood shift. Stop, take a break and come back later. It may help in between sessions to meditate about what you uncover so you can deal with your emotions.