[Melbadaze]

I remember a few yrs back on another forum, someone posted about makin a decision to burn their journals. I remember feeling very defensive about it and stayed away from that post. This past week it came back to me and I now understand where that person was coming from.

i have journalled for 8yrs and have journals galore in my wardrobe and use to feel so attached to them. This past yr my journalling has lessened, I'm more able to work hins hrough in my head now, I journal occassionally. But he need to keep them has gone, they use to feel like such a safety blanket, the though of throwing them away was unbearable, but now? i feel that safety blanket comes from me, from within so I've decided this wkend to say goodbye to them. when I think back to that persons post now I understand.

Some say they'd like their journals to be read by others when they've gone, that thought makes me cringe, I'd never want anyone to enter that crazy world I wrote about.

[Perna]

I had a wonderful time with my 5-6 years worth; taking notes in my "new" journal about each of those and when I finished reading each one, tearing it up/shredding it and moving on to the next; it was so freeing and I still got to read/remember and "keep" any ideas or good thoughts I had/wanted and move forward. I had about 10 pages total in the beginning of my new journal that was stuff from my old journals. It was exciting, freeing, and gave me inspiration for moving forward in my new journal.

I did what Perna did. Read through my old journals and compiled only the highlights of them into one journal. It only was about 10 pages worth. Showed me how much of my journals were just nothing but yacking. Nothing really worth saving for the most part. The old journals went by way of the trashcan. I really value the one journal of really poignant ideas now.

[cmac13]

I have made art journals for many years and as soon as I completed one (50 pages or so) I would immediately destroy it. I never wanted anyone to find my journals. But about two years ago I began to bring them into my therapy sessions and in sharing them with my therapist I began to appreciate the art I was creating and have saved them ever since. I was so afraid what people would think of me if they found them but really as my therapist has said to me they are really up for "interpreatation" They are not actually written pages. I even published some of them on blurb.com - check it out:

http://www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/1682111

http://www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/851074