Good morning. We are doing an interview with Christin Snyder who has a website and writes articles about healing journals.


1. When did you start journaling?

I started my first journal way back when I was in elementary school and the habit kind of stuck and evolved from there. I think it was as early as 2nd grade.



2. What was your first journal like?

Very messy and childlike and full of playground drama. It also was a hiding place though. It was a safe space where I could talk about things I felt without fear of anyone else seeing it. I had a lot of problems being bullied at home and at school and that was my place to vent.



3. What is your journaling like now?

I use a variety of journaling techniques. Some have memories and pictures of favorite places and events. Others are just lists of ideas or thoughts in no real order. Sometimes I see something like a poem or a quote and I record those too. I am also partial to my electronic journal because I type much faster than I write. My journals are sort of disorganized, but I like to just get things out and then later on I can review it and make it more cohesive or organized if need be.



4. What kept you going through the years with your journal?

My journal has always been like a close friend. It helps me in so many ways that I would be lost without it. It helps me with everything from being my memory, to getting more organized (always an uphill battle) to dealing with life challenges. It is an outlet for grief and anger and has allowed me to process those things, but it has also allowed me to record the joys in life. I write down what I am grateful for very often. I also keep a journal of just inspirations and wisdom and life lessons I want to pass down to my son when he is grown up.



5. You created a website to help people with journaling can you share it with us here?

My website is based on the Journaling exercises I have developed over the years. It is called Daily Power Words and I share them with my subscribers for free several times a week. http://www.dailypowerwords.com

It started off as a personal journaling exercise where I would come up with a simple concept and elaborate on it by expressing thoughts, emotions, and symbolism that came to me. As I did this, I began to notice things about myself, my thought patterns, habits, beliefs and behaviors. I found the process to be very enlightening and healing. Eventually, I narrowed it down to starting with one word, a daily "mantra", bringing out all of the positive connotations of the word - it's "power". I used that to develop visualizations, more journal entries, or whatever I needed to keep myself motivated on my quest for healing and wholeness. I learned so much in the process, and it was so healing to me, that I decided to start sharing them with others.


6. Do you have any other dreams or desires at the present time?

My dream is to live a serene life and I feel that I do for the most part. I am always working on assorted projects. I am a single mom and I run two businesses so time is not always easy to manage. My biggest desire is to be a good role model so that my son feels inspired to develop his talents and live his passion. I feel that the best examples are the ones we set by living them ourselves. Eventually I want to retire near the ocean on Tybee Island my favorite place to go when I need to reconnect with my spirit.



7. How has your journal helped you heal? Do you know of others it has helped?


Journaling helped me heal by allowing me to express and understand myself. Reviewing entries from years previous and comparing them with present day I can see at a glance how far I've come, what I've learned and what I still need to work on. I believe journaling in any of its various forms can help anyone who has the desire to heal. Typically people who are using journals are searching for deeper meaning and purpose in their lives and that in itself brings with it many possibilities.