“Listen, dear journal, (and) I will tell you what I will tell no one else.”

– Ella Gertrude Clanton, from The Secret Eye: The Journal of Ella Gertrude Clanton Thomas

Excerpt from my journal, dated 29 September 2003: “Today I am grateful for … the opportunity to capture my thoughts on paper – freely, honestly and without apology.”  

I began journalling over a decade ago after attending a fascinating workshop on the topic of self-discovery. The facilitator had suggested we create a gratitude journal and start each entry with the current date and the line “Today, I am grateful for….” Initially, I was resistant to the idea. It seemed like one more task in an already busy day, but I agreed to try it.

Before ret...

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