caged liberty's Journal, 19 June 2008

THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING A JOURNAL

We have all probably kept a diary or journal at some point in our lives. As a child, I remember trying to write daily about how my day was going. I probably did that several times but they were just phases.

But Fatsecret is different. When you journal on here, you still are writing about your personal feelings and experiences but you get the added bonus of support. While we may not feel comfortable with family members reading our personal details, the power of sharing with strangers is strangely incredible.

Strangers seem to allow you to remain anonymous and 'safe' and that in turns allows you to be yourself more. I once had a friend tell me that he loved me because for the first time in his life 'I can be myself around someone'. We are always playing a role, whether it be wife/hubby, mother/father, daughter/son, and all these roles are so complex and interwined that you seem to forget HOW to be yourself. You see parents, children, siblings every day so there is a lot of guidance on how to be one, but where is the guidance on how to be yourself?

What I have felt here is that I have finally found genuine friends. I dont socialize because you meet mostly fake people who are all trying to present an image which they feel you will like. Well I like real people who are honest with themselves and others. I also like proactive people who dont spend all their time complaining but actually try to find ways to solve their problems. Fatsecreters tend to be proactive people by the mere step of joining and journalling.

Reading other peoples journals has been a wonderful therapy for me. I get to see that there are so many others facing similar situations as me. Yes, we are all dieting and that is the one common thread but then when people talk about their day to day family lives and problems they encounter, whether it is the husband or the daughter or medical problems, I feel more connected.

Then there are members who have been kind enough to share their family photos. I feel truly honored when people share their photographs because it is as if they consider us part of their extended family. (I am officially adopting Leannes gorgeous son Finlay as my nephew!)Its not just about putting a face to all the words you are reading but connecting on a higher level through the constant sharing.

Inspiration is another word that comes to mind when I think of numerous journals that I have read recently. There are people fighting physical illnesses. There are people fighting mental or social illnesses and yet are strong enough to write about it. There are people who share before and after pics and that is truly inspiring because you also want to strive for that goal.

After perusing journals, I became confident about sharing my own pic online (something I NEVER DO!). I felt 'normal' finally after reading so many people going through the same problems and issues as me and also not knowing what to do. I could share my problems here and have all these amazing people take the time to give me advice. Even if they didnt have advice, they always shared support which is equally considerate. I have the most phenomenal buddy, Sharonfriz, who always makes a point of checking in on me and making sure my exercise and diet is going well. Just knowing that she is there in case I stumble makes me more confident about my dieting. Its like walking on a tightrope but knowing that your buddy is there with a safety net to break your fall.

I have changed my diet goals as well because of peoples journals and pics. After seeing Lucybells and Kellybos before and after pics, I realized that 140lbs will be a decent target to go for. Anything more than that is going to be my bonus. I have also learnt that I dont need to stick to a particular size or a particular weight, I just need to be the healthiest number I can be. People weigh more than me and are several sizes smaller. There are also people who (claim to be anyway) lighter than me but are wearing the same size clothes as me. Knowing all this has helped me become more comfortable in NOT wanting to be a size 6 or weighing only 114lbs. Also, because of learning about all the health tests people have done, I am now determined to get myself also checked to find out my health level. I havent done this in ages and have always been meaning to do so, but reading about other people having the sense to do so, has also encouraged me.

People may not realize that by simply journalling as often as possible, you are not providing therapy for yourself by putting your feelings to paper, you may actually be helping someone else in their lives. What may appear as an insignificant comment or picture, could speak volumes to someone else. What we say on our journal, could impact and change someone elses life without us ever knowing it.

So, I want to take this opportunity to thank every single person who has been journaling and allowing me to share in their lives. You all have impacted my life in so many ways and all for the better.

Finally, PLEASE PLEASE CONTINUE TO JOURNAL REGULARLY!!

Long live the journal!!