the art of journaling (or not)

I don't consider myself a writer.  I consider myself a list making record keeper who takes notes, draws diagrams and marks time with photographs.  These are the tools I use so I can better remember, reflect, notice patterns, solve problems and make room for new ideas.  As an introvert, it's also a tool I use to quiet my (frequently) overactive mind.

It isn't unusual to have resistance when it comes to "writing".  Most people do.  Some people wait and wait for the perfect journal, finally finding it and then not feeling their handwriting is worthy enough. There isn't anything pretty about my writing methods but this daily process has proven to be extremely helpful for me.  It is always the first place I start when working with other creatives (regardless of their medium of preference).

There is a lot of research regarding the benefits of taking pen to paper as opposed to our fingers to the keyboard.  One of the reasons this research says handwriting can be more beneficial is because the act actually takes longer.  And because it takes us longer to write, this research says we are able to process, sort, and calculate more quickly.

I was talking to a friend yesterday.  She said she was going to start referring to journaling as "illustrative writing".  If you have an aversion to the word journaling, how can you reframe it?  

If you were to take pen to paper, how would you choose to "write"?