Today, is as good as any to give you a real B-I-G challenge. I know you can do it, but you will need to put some energy and your mind into this one. And, of course, your pen.

Let's go ahead and dive in...

This is a journaling exercise to learn to write in an "autobiographic voice." Okay, you want to know what is an autobiographic voice. Fair question. Let's begin by defining voice. Our voice is the way you choose to express yourself either verbal or written. A voice comprises of tone, attitude, choice of words, and the person's point of view.

There are various types of voices. Each voice comprises of numerous elements and each as unique as DNA. You can use an encouraging voice to build your creative self. Or a judgmental voice to assess an issue. Or, use a voice of history, like Alex Haley, to speak to future generations, or Martin Luther King's, "I have a dream" speech. Voices in writing come from your feelings at the time recorded. Voice expresses your message and in turn determines your audience, even if the audience is only you.

Expressing our autobiographic voice in writing is different than other voices because you are writing in the "every- moving present." Autobiographic writing is in retrospect. It is a voice of recollection in which you look back at your memories and use them to tell the story of your life. You are the main character with goals and desires. Your autobiography is the story of those desires, of what you wanted, how you struggled and what you learned in the process.

Let's take this process one step at a time...

Step 1: First you need to access a memory. Just for fun, return to your earliest memory as a child. For me, it was when I was four years old. Place yourself in a particular place and date. Can you remember the date? Was there music playing somewhere? What about smells? Was Mama cooking? Were there any body memories? I remember having a scraped knee, I could see and feel the band-aid, but I don't remember the fall.

During this step, my first preference is to write one or two word details. You could complete this in a list format or continuous with comma separations. As you begin to return to that particular point, and as the smallest, largest details pop up, and the details continue, the list will grow and the memory will grow stronger.

Memories aren't hard to remember, they just get placed in storage box. It's like going up into grandma's attic, finding the right box, and then opening it. As you pull from the top, the next appear but not until the top one goes. You will want to continue going through the box until its empty.

If the childhood memory is too vague, use one that is stronger, or maybe there is a picture somewhere in the scrap album you can revisit. You can use your wedding day, or a birth, graduation, or some other particular period or date.

Step 2: Continue adding more and more items that are uncovered in the box as you begin to pull things out. Even if all you can pull out are fragments. Even if need to add blanks for missing names or other gaps. Use all your senses to make the memory come alive, both in your mind, and on paper. You can even interview a parent about your memory and include their feedback in a small dialogue illustration.

Keep the writing in the present tense. Nevertheless, don't panic if you accidentally write in the past tense. Sometimes that is the only way I can get the thought on paper. If that occurs, don't stop after writing in the past tense. Rewrite the sentence or paragraph in the present tense. This is a good way to practice anyway. Remember, present tense means: as if you are actually right there at that time.

As you progress through the memory, you will discover that your early perceptions and your mature perspective will overlap. This occurs because the memory is about the past as seen from the present with all the insight and perspective that time inflicts.

You can also choose to address a conflict memory for this exercise. Conflict memories many times form major themes in journals, especially relationships that need tending, issues you need to confront or change in your inner self, for instance spirituality. These are all loose ends that need tidying up. And journaling through it is a great way to heal and forgive.

Step 3: Use real experiences with real people. Don't play make believe with the people or places. If there are blanks at the time you write, leave space. Continue building as the memory expands. Tidbits will appear from the darnedest places and triggers.

Also know, that it is easy to take a particular memory and transfer it into a structured framework, like an article.

Keep expanding the memory in additional journal entries. Add dialogue or humor. As children, we see things as mysteries. Was there missing information that looked like a mystery before? Can you ask someone what their memory is? Ask after you finished flushing your memory so it doesn't influence yours.

At some point, usually when you are tired of deepening, or the memory feels closed, you will want to stop and reflect how this changed your life or other people's lives involved. Are there any special connections between then and now?

Okay, I did give you a warning; this isn't an objective for the weak. Autobiographic voice writing is an exercise that can bring exceptional value to your current life. It isn't a dump and go journaling exercise. Over the years, the results of this exercise have oozed into speeches and presentations, shared stories to my children and siblings, and found their way into many conversations, books, and articles. You, too, will find yourself having the same experience.