There are many diaries, both historical and present, that have been published and became famous books. Age did not play a factor. From as young as thirteen year old Anne Frank, who wrote The Diary of Anne Frank, to Nelson Mandela who was ninety-two years old when he wrote
Conversations with Myself.
I believe journaling is healthy at any age but has some significant and specific benefits as we move in to our “third act”, as Jane Fonda refers to our later years in life. For example, writing about experiences, thoughts, and feelings can help older individuals recall and retain memories.
Journaling can also boost cognitive function and potentially slow cognitive decline. Keeping a diary when we are older is a good emotional outlet. It serves as a safe space to express emotions and reflect on our lives. It can be a tool for managing stress, grief, or feelings of isolation that can sometimes accompany aging. It’s never too late for self-discovery. Journaling is an excellent mode for self-exploration and reflection on our life’s journey. Writing in a journal offers a chance to look back at achievements, regrets, and aspirations. This kind of introspection can lead to self-forgiveness, personal growth and a sense of fulfillment. Pursuing personal growth has been proven to successfully help people lead happier and more content lives. The process can at times be uncomfortable, but the rewards exceed the effort.
Preserving Family History
Through journaling, older adults can document their life stories, family history, and values. This serves as a precious legacy for future generations, helping maintain familial connections and passing down wisdom. Photos of course are wonderful, but a written journal can tell stories and share details that can bring a moment in time to life. Sharing journal entries with loved ones can facilitate deeper conversations and connections. It can be a way to bridge generational gaps and foster understanding among family members.
Good for your mind
Journaling can be a beneficial tool for supporting mental health. Regularly expressing thoughts and feelings through journaling can contribute to our mental fitness by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression which we can face at all stages in life. Encouraging seniors to engage in journaling can significantly enrich their lives by providing a means of self-expression.
Stream of Consciousness Journaling
The bestselling book, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is another way to journal that is focused on enhancing your creativity. This style of journaling is known as “The Morning Pages.” They are described as “a spiritual path to higher creativity.” The morning pages are three pages
of long-hand, stream of consciousness writing done first thing in the morning. Just like getting up and taking a shower, the Morning Pages are a kind of cleansing of the mind with cumulative benefits. It’s not complicated; simply get up each morning and write. Don’t overthink, just write.
Artists like Alicia Keys, Elizabeth Gilbert, Russell Brand, Reese Witherspoon, and Pete Townshend has used this concept. It’s for anyone. You don’t need to be an artist. Simply get up and spill out words, whatever comes to mind, and just keep writing until you’ve written three
pages. It’s even recommended to not take your pen off the page so that you don’t stop and think. If you need a place to start you can write your dreams, goals, hopes, or your worries of the moment, your plans for the day, or the strongest emotion you are feeling. Anything that comes to mind. It doesn’t really matter what you write. Just write. Consider the Morning Pages as a discipline dedicated to your well-being.
Benefits to doing the Morning Pages
A good night’s sleep does not clean the slate of our minds. Often, we wake with a full mind of thoughts soon after we open our eyes. When you write freely first thing in the morning you are clearing out some space that allows you to start your day with more clarity. A de-cluttering of the mind. The morning pages put you in the present moment with no self-criticism. You are just pouring the thoughts onto paper, not analyzing them. This is a form of mindfulness. It is a place to process your emotions. Everyone has stress in their lives. Adding to that is the
stress that comes to us through streams of news of the world, and it can be overwhelming. Releasing into the morning pages can help lighten the emotional load by processing all that we take in. It can be a ritual that helps you get to know yourself. It’s so easy to add to our life pile
and hold onto things. We can get so bogged down that we lose our sense of self and begin to live in default mode. That’s when your life is running you instead of you running your life. A free mind allows our imaginations to flow. This is the precursor to creation!
Tips for writing the morning pages
Up with the sun. Morning is the optimal time for stream of consciousness writing because you have not been touched by outside influences yet. Pick a comfortable spot, write three full pages in long hand. Don’t stop. Let your family or roommates know it is your “do not disturb” time.
Don’t read them. The purpose is to transfer your thoughts and clear your head, not relive them. If you end up writing something creative that you would like to save, then bookmark just that entry or take a photo of it. Be authentic. Don’t censor yourself. It’s for your eyes only. Get to
know your miraculous self. There’s no wrong way. Write any way you want to, just fill those three pages. Commit to 12 weeks and free your inner artist!
Creativity does not have an age limit. Don’t let anyone, including yourself, tell you that it’s too late or that you are too old to create. Often, it’s our own voice of self-doubt that gets louder in our head as we age, pressing its weight of insecurity on our fragile heart. Don’t believe that
voice. The golden years really can be golden. It can be your most gratifying stage of life. Your imagination does not care how old you are.
Also written by Julia Cameron, It’s never Too Late to Begin Again: Discovering Creativity and Meaning at Midlife and Beyond.
Patricia Mabel Kelly is a freelance writer and author of The Ranch Caretakers and The Tao of Northern Exposure. She works and lives in Sedona, Arizona. You can find her work at www.patriciamabelkelly.com
