“Dear Diary…” This is what often comes to mind when people talk about keeping journals or anything of that nature. I’m here to burst that bubble and say that it simply isn’t true! Keeping a record of feelings, ideas, memories, and just about anything is a healthy habit and results in something that is wonderful to look back on.
The easiest way to keep a journal is to have no structure to it. This is just one way of doing it and the reason it’s so easy is because we don’t have to make it impressive. The writings in a journal are for no one’s eyes but your own and that means we don’t have to over think anything! Think of it as a stream of consciousness. Using this style is particularly helpful when your emotions are sky high. Whether it’s anger, sadness, excitement, or love, when we are feeling something strongly it is easy to let the words burst out of the pen.
Of course, an alternative to no structure is structure! Pick a theme or style for the journal you want to keep and stick to it. I personally have one where I am only allowed to write positive things about my life and what happened in that day. I won’t let myself write about anything sad or bad because I want that to be the one place I can go and see all the wonderful things I have going for me. Some people like the idea of a journal full of quotes; anytime they find a new quote to love they jot it down in a cute book for a compilation of all the best quotes. I’ve even heard of people starting a journal for their future husband. This is certainly one that take commitment and planning, but if it is kept up with, just imagine how sweet of a wedding gift that would be!
The best part about keeping a journal is that it’s yours. You can make it what you want and keep out all the rest. It can be as relaxed or intricate as you like, but the important part is to capture what is important to us and have it on paper. If you don’t write already, give it a shot and you may be pleasantly surprised.
HCXO!