Writing the Chapters of Your Life: Surprising Insights Using This Special Journaling Technique

List-making is a favorite journaling technique and is often used to quickly jot down a numbered record on topics like "my beliefs," "my pet peeves," "the things I hate about myself," or "my strengths." However, there's a special type of list technique that moves beyond a simple itemization and into the realm of significant self-awareness.

This special technijque has several names, including table-of-contents, life chapters, and stepping-stones, the latter term used by journaling expert, Ira Progoff. Using this technique the writer lists their most important life events, as though they were chapter headings in an autobiography. Progoff and other suggest keeping the number of items to around a dozen, to ensure the inclusion of only major events.

One writer's listed these items:

1. Brother died when I was three years old.

2. Mom went into the hospital when I was five, and I didn't know why or when she would come home.

3. Grandma died when I was ten, and because of my age they wouldn't let me go to the hospital and see her.

4. Dad died of a sudden heart attack when I was 15. I was with him but couldn't save his life.

5. I fell in love but we lived in different cities and things just never seemed to work out.

6. My step-father died-how could this happen?

7. My long-distance love affair ended.

8. I fell in love again and thought it was for a lifetime.

9. I got married and was happy, at least for a long time.

10. I got divorced. It wasn't for a lifetime.

Is there any doubt that this journal-writer has major issues concerning death and other ending issues? And, do you notice the lack of happy events? After this diarist created the stepping stones, she then wrote about each, realizing how many unresolved issues she carried with her-and how they impacted her ability to be happy.

As you do this exercise several times over months or years, you'll find your choice of events changing. Sometimes your first love affair is the most important thing on the list, and other times it won't make the top 10 or 12 at all. Why? Because the list reflects the issues that cry out for attention.

When you're comfortable with this technique, try using it for specific topics, like the stepping stones of your weight issues, or relationships, or spiritual growth. Don't be afraid to experiment.

Good writing!

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included and the resource box is left unchanged. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

About The Author

Patti Testerman is content manager at JournalGenie.com, the only online site that analyzes your writing and then gives you instant feedback. Discover self-defeating patterns, find better ways to communicate in relationships. Contact her at mailto:[email protected]

RELATED ARTICLES

To Transcribe or Not To Transcribe Interviews?
11 Secrets from an Experienced Interviewer

Got an Idea? Turn it into a Novel in Thirty Days or Less!
People can't believe I did it, but I did. I wrote my first novel, The League, in about 30 days. I never spent more than two hours on any given day, unless I wrote then went back to edit. I also found and signed with a publisher in one month (see my article, Whatever It Is, Publish It Now, for details on this). Friends, family, and colleagues are fascinated when I tell them this. It's not possible, they say. Then, I enlighten them.

Creating Great Business Correspondence
Obtaining the skills for writing good business correpondence is important; a job seeker needs to send customised job application letters. A secretary needs to send out an official invitation letter. A purchasing assistant may need to prepare an invoice. It does not necessarily imply that you must just have a good standard of English. You should remember that correspondence means to communicate a message. It is a two-way effort between the writer and the receiver.

Untrue Father (A short Story)
Kallu was a tenant of Santosh Kumar Nayak. Santosh Kumar was a businessman in a small town of Utter Pradesh. So far the rent is concerned he was charging the rent very much according to the prevalent rates. Santosh Kumar was not contended with the rent alone Kallu was paying. He apparently had a self-interpretation that Kallu was really paying him a meager amount and that had to be compensated altogether by using him for a regular cleaning and washing of the house. He once authentically instructed Kallu to clean and wash the large floor as well staircases, which became a wont later on.

Whats Missing in your Nearly Finished Book?
Bookcoaching clients come to me at different stages of writing their books. The ones who start from ground zero with a coach and learn what goes into each chapter to make it more readable and sell better. The ones who have been writing a long time, a year or so even. They often leave the project because they ran out of gas--got stuck what to do next. They may think they can manifest their book dream now and make millions.

How To Write Thank You Letters With Class
When I first started tracking the information preferences of people visiting my Writing Help Central Web site I was surprised to find how many folks were seeking information on how to write thank you letters. In fact, "thank you letter" information and sample templates are the third ranked destinations at that Web site.

Create the Writing Life You Want
Ah, writing. For those of us who love to play with words, it's like standing in front of a smorgasbord, agonising over which delicacies to try. You can potter about with your writing as a thoroughly delightful hobby - writing wedding speeches, penning dreadful doggerel for people's birthdays, or writing stories to entertain your children. Or you can work at it, hour after hour, determined that your book is going to be the next bestseller. You can choose the writing life that's perfect for you now, then change direction later, as your circumstances change and your experience grows.

Break in with Fillers: The Best Market for New Writers
Interested in breaking into writing or breaking into a new area? You can't go past writing fillers. Fillers are one of the most overlooked opportunities in the freelance writing world and offer one of the best opportunities for new writers.

Getting Looked Over, Without Getting Overlooked: Writing for Scanners and Skimmers
* Scanning and Skimming Practices *

From Book Notes to Book Reports
Writing papers and book reports has long been the bane of high school and college students' existence. It seems that no matter how hard you work to stay caught up, there is always a paper due tomorrow. Using book notes to help get the ideas flowing can save you time, heartache, and the stress of getting a bad grade.

Writers Turn to the Internet for Support, Friendship and Advice
Riding on the fumes of potential, you take pen to paper or keyboard to monitor. Endless hours of creativity intermingle with apprehension, but your need to write engulfs your spirit. You swim high on the waves of excitement and trudge forward through the waves of doubt. Finally, your manuscript is complete.

Write Strategy: Think, Believe, Attack
Think of writing like karate...it's about DISCIPLINE.

Building a Character Wall
For any great novelist, defining your cast of intriguing characters is the key to the success of your story. So how do you maintain the image of your characters―both their physical attributes and their personality? It's easy! Build a Character Wall?paper by paper.

Knock-Out Writers Block: Listening To Your Inner Voice
When I was young, I used to talk to myself. Long, drawn out, one-sided conversations. I didn't have an imaginary friend, I just talked to myself. My mother says that's why I became a writer: because of my overactive imagination. I admit she may be right. Those conversations currently get me through my worst cases of writer's block.

Writing Internal Newsletters: How to Build Your Network and Your Reputation
To help build your profile and reputation within a large company create or contribute to, an internal newsletter. Your company collegues are an excellent network for you - lift your internal reputation by writing an internal newsletter that people will read. This article is full of tips to help you get started.

Write Again! - The Art Of The Written Letter
Remember the days when we wrote with pen and paper? We took time and thought into each note written. There wasn't email, text messaging, cell phones, or instant messaging. Don't get me wrong these advances are great and useful. I have even succumbed to their wiles.

Reasons for Recording Your Life Story
1. No one else will do it for you.

Before You Write Your Book, Organize Its Parts - Part 1
If you are a serious writer who wants to publish and sell books and informational products, you need to be able to find all of its parts in a minute or less. Filing only the important parts of your book will yield fast-writing your book. With the tips below, you will find any book-related paper within two minutes!

Slow Pokes: Short Story On The Changing World Of Writing
"No one will ever know who I am, I'm a nobody-writer from nowhere? I've had a thousand rejections from all the major publishers. It seems my destiny is never to be read, another nameless soul lost to the sands of eternity." Johnny's face twisted into a pained grimace, you could tell his heart was tied up in a pretzel knot of self-deprecation.

A Book Note Vs a Book Report
Introduction

home | site map