I’ve kept some form of a diary since I was probably about 8 years old--whether it was prompted, like my Ramona Quimby Diary; or a simple notebook where I jotted down scattered thoughts. I still keep a journal as an adult, and though I don't write in it as often as I would like, I always come back to it eventually. It’s the perfect sounding board for ideas, keeper of secrets I don’t dare yet reveal to anyone else and reminder about dreams deferred.
Here are some of the reasons that you might also want to keep a journal, if you don’t already:
- To chronicle your thoughts and help assemble them in a way that makes sense for you
- To help you sort out any unfamiliar or negative feelings
- It’s a judgment free zone; it lets you get it all out without interrupting or giving advice, allowing you to figure out what’s right for you
- To keep track of your growth, as well as any changes you’ve gone through; and manage your goals year over year (or weekly, or monthly)
- It’s a great place to conduct self-development exercises or self-evaluations. I still refer back to my 31 Day Reset journal from over a year ago because it houses so many of the wonderful discoveries I made about my values (learn more about 31 Days to Reset Your Life at the Happy Black Woman blog).
- To jot down notes, mantras or favorite quotes; or clip inspirational photos
- To draft blog entries, poems, shorts stories, sketches etc.
- To write letters to loved ones, or people you need to forgive as a form of closure
This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but hopefully a good amount of reasons to get you started.
Do you already keep a journal? In what ways does having it benefit you?
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2 comments:
I keep a journal, but I do not write in it daily. I need to start because I always feel better when I do.
I have the same issue. It's funny how we fail to make time to do the things that give us what we need emotionally. That's something I'm working on big time.
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