I have started journaling every day.

Although I’ve always kept a teacher journal, I’ve only occasionally kept a personal journal.

My goal is to write a page every day about one thing I’m thinking about or grappling with.

In a recent journal entry I wrote about fear, in general, and “being afraid”, more specifically.

Being afraid of the small, medium and large things in my life.

I wrote about how I’ve let fear direct my emotions and my actions.

This is not a new feeling for me, but it has intensified in the last two years, and not just due to COVID.

But in my journaling I also realized how small my life has gotten as a result of being afraid and how I don’t want that anymore.

So, I resolved to confront my fears (mostly unfounded) so that I could make my life more expansive. More enjoyable. More full.

And, right away, I started to see some changes.

Not only did nothing catastrophic happen, but for every fear I confronted, the next challenge became increasingly easier to manage.

And I felt better and happier. Stronger even.

And, without journaling about it I wouldn’t have confronted this feeling or resolved to do something about it.

Writing does that: it helps you discover what’s important.

Cross posted to Two Writing Teachers Tuesday Slice of Life Story Challenge.