This is a rough chapter from my book. What do you think? Does it inspire you?
A journal is a safe place to ask those big questions: WHO AM I? WHY AM I HERE? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF MY LIFE???
When you feel like your life lacks meaning, (which we all do from time to time,) try making a list of all the many things you already are in this life...all the hats you wear, all the roles you play. It can be quite illuminating, as well as a great mood-lifter. Here's an example from one of my old journals:
I am a child of God. I am a woman. I am an artist. I am a writer. I am a Christian. I am a niece. I am a daughter. I am a cousin. I am a human being. I am a fur-mom. I am a nature-lover. I am a friend. I am an animal-lover. I am a gardener. I am a self-lover. I am a driver. I am a road-tripper. I am a poet. I am a reader. I am a correspondent. I am an organizer. I am a cook and caterer. I am a college graduate. I am a teacher. I am a hiker. I am a photographer. I am a good hostess. I am a book-maker. I am a good neighbor. I am a paper-maker.I am a grant-writer. I am a student.
~journal 69, page 46
15 years later I added this to the list:
I am a lover. I am a girlfriend. I am a mate to a good man. I am blessed. I am flexible. I am a proofreader. I am a good communicator. I am a videotographer. I am a home-owner. I am a painter. I am a keeper of journals. I am an adventure columnist. I am a published writer. I am an organic gardener. I am a vegetarian. I am a maker of organic beauty products. I am a tither. I am a supporter of the arts. I am a professional artist. I am a life-long student. I am an adventurer. I am a care-giver. I am a pen pal extraordinaire. I am a good gift-giver. I am a smiler at strangers. I am a budgeter. I am a housekeeper. I am a savvy shopper. I am an ocean-lover, so I am a beach trash collector.
I feel good when I look at my lists. It shows me what is important to me in this life, and what has continued to be important over the years. I see where I have taken my interests and gifts and gone even deeper with them. I see where I can go deeper still, and I find it thrilling.
Now it's your turn! What hats do you wear in this life? What roles do you fill? Start small and easy, and then build on your list. We all have lived infinitely interesting lives. If you really think about it, you could fill pages with all the amazing titles you've held in this lifetime. It's hard to feel unimportant or to think your life is meaningless when you see a list like this. You might want to even print it out and keep it handy as a pick-me-up when the world seems to be trying to beat your down and steal your confidence. Or you could even go all-out and create a poster with photos and colorful words for your many titles.
Now look at your list and answer these questions in your journal:
-When I look at my list, I feel:
-My favorite thing on my list is:
-I wish I could add this title to my list: