Journaling and Lung Cancer

I remember people telling me to journal after my diagnosis. They said it helps you get your feelings out and is good therapy for your mind. I must say it does help build mental strength, and I have gotten a lot out of doing it.

The power of journaling through a cancer diagnosis

I started journaling when I was diagnosed back in 2014. I remember friends and family buying me journal books, and they would tell me, “Journal, it will help you get through this journey.”

So, I began to journal and wrote every single thing down. I wrote in that journal book my feelings, my anger towards lung cancer, my hopes and dreams, my expectations, what inspired me to fight, you name it, I wrote it.

I also journaled some dark stuff, but I’m so glad I did because once I wrote all that stuff in my journal, I felt relieved. I felt like a heavy burden was just lifted off my chest.

Your own personal testimony

I’m a true believer that journaling is a type of therapy, and it does help us get through the toughest times in our lives. If it wasn’t for my friends and family recommending me to journal, I’m not sure if I would be as mentally strong as I am today.

Journaling has helped me get it all out and put it in writing. Journaling helps. It got me through the toughest times in my life.

I thought about blogging and sharing it all with people, but I'm not going to lie; I would forget. Plus, I’m a busy woman, and blogging requires lots of attention and work.

But journaling, I can do it in the comfort of my home anytime, any day, and it’s more intimate. It’s between you and that journal book, which holds everything you have felt.

What I love about journaling is that you can go back and read what you wrote. I know I have, and I was very surprised to read some of the stuff I wrote in there, especially the dark stuff!

When going back and reading what you wrote, you can see how far you’ve come in this journey we call lung cancer or in anything else you’re dealing with. I know I’ve seen so much improvement in myself and how I handle things differently.

Some things have brought tears to my eyes, and some things that I wrote brought a smile to my face. But sometimes I tell myself, “Oh my goodness, you wrote that,” and I laugh about it.

Capturing life's moments

I haven’t journaled in some time now, and I really thought about starting again because I feel that I missed so many memories because I didn’t journal. My excuse is that I’m so busy, but I really need to find time to journal, even if it’s a couple of minutes before I go to bed. Yes, I do find excuses for not journaling, and I don’t know why because I know how much it has helped me.

So, if you’re like me, let’s set a goal to start journaling together again. If you haven’t, I highly recommend starting.

Trust me, you won’t regret starting it, and you’ll thank me!