The Gratitude Diaries

Janice Kaplan, a journalist, makes a New Year’s resolution to be grateful and look on the bright side of whatever happens. She realizes that how she feels over the next twelve months will have less to do with the events that occur than with her own attitude and perspective. Over the year, she consults with psychologists, scholars, teachers, doctors, and philosophers sharing with the reader her witty journey to discover the value of appreciating what you have. Relying on her personal experience of practising gratitude and her research, the author explores how gratitude can transform every aspect of life including marriage, friendship, finances, ambition, and health.

Living Life as a Writer is an enjoyable and encouraging book that draws in the reader with engaging photographs, inspirational quotes, and the right mix of humor and insight.

With each richly described segment of this lighthearted reflection on the author’s relationship to writing, you will likely find yourself with similar  day to day challenges encountered while you are writing.

The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris.

Are you caught in pursuing happiness rather than experiencing it? This author offers insights and techniques that invite readers to do something differently. It is a great book to read with your journal right beside you to respond to the questions and suggestions.

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

On the outside, this author had it all, but she knew something was missing. To respond to that nagging feeling, that absence of lightheartedness, she set out on a year-long quest to better enjoy the life she already had. Bit by bit, she began to appreciate and amplify the happiness in her life. Written with a sense of humor and with insight, the Gretchen Rubin’s story is inspiring. It is a reminder of how to have fun.

Here is the link to a free trial site that has numerous examples of forms.

Daily caregiving notes are helpful for organizing care.  No one form fits all applications. You will want to review a number of forms that would help you create meaningful records for your situation.

You want me to do what? Journaling for caregivers. 

This book allows users to process their stress and celebrate what is right for them. It provides readers two hundred open-ended sentences for exploring feelings and situations in the safety of a private journal.

Over fifty million caregivers spend every spare minute driving to medical appointments, stopping at the pharmacy, cooking, answering questions, paying bills, and helping with matters that used to be private. They feel trapped in an endless loop and need to release the stress of caregiving. Journaling can support them in their efforts.

In Writing to Change the World, Mary Pipher draws our attention to how writers have helped reshape our society.

The Train in Winter is a truly chilling portrait of ordinary women who found the courage to do extraordinary things as part of the WW2 French resistance.

My all-time favorite read in the area of therapeutic writing is Deena Metzger’s Writing for Your Life. (http://deenametzger.net). It was the hook for my wanting to deepen my understanding of the use of writing for self- understanding and self-development. It has one of the best chapters on seeing our lives as “story” that I have read. The author intersperses challenging and meaningful exercises throughout. First published in 1992, it is still popular. I agree with the commentary on Amazon:

In the tradition of Annie Dillard and Natalie Goldberg, this resource for writers and non-writers alike shows the act of writing to be a dynamic means of knowing, healing, and creating the body, mind, and spirit.

Writing Alone and with Others by Pat Schneider makes visible the author’s years of experience. Her conversational style speaks to the author in us and invites the reader to begin writing. Simply begin. To do so, she offers a wealth of options without intimidating or overwhelming the newcomer to writing. Whether you write fiction, non-fiction, or poetry, you will find this a very good read. The latter part of the book speaks to how writing can be used in the context of various group, a rich and helpful resource for those ready to facilitate writing in their personal or professional settings.