Why do I journal?
I like to think of myself as a memory collector. Or some days, when I’m writing fervently about a recent and profound experience of mine, I think of myself as a moment hoarder. But mostly, I journal because my mom gave me a purple diary when I was sixteen. I was off to an acting-intensive summer program for an entire month the day after she gave it to me, during which she encouraged me to document everything I thought I would want to relive or reflect on. And I’ve loved journaling ever since.
Journaling has had a positive impact on my everyday life in multiple ways. On a typical day, my excitement for writing in my journal later would encourage me to be present throughout the day so that I could recall my experiences more easily. And similarly, my ability to recall events increased, which I loved because I could better recall a story. Storytelling is one of my favorite things, and I find that the most difficult part of crafting a story is recalling its events. With this problem eliminated, I was able to find even more enjoyment in one of my favorite activities.
When I began to keep a consistent journal at 16, what I least anticipated was to actually…really like it. Recording everything I wanted to remember, questions I wanted answered, and topics I wanted to explore on a regular basis was something I quickly began to look forward to. As a matter of fact, I found myself feeling let down some days when I didn’t have anything to write.
Writing about my experiences gave me new insight. Physically writing my everyday observations and feelings on paper creates a document that I can read to myself. Or abandon. Or abandon temporarily to revisit another time. But whichever I choose to do, writing my account creates a text I can attempt to make meaning out of. Or chose not to. But looking for meaning while crafting journal entries helps me imagine new perspectives about my life.
My entries give me the space to ask myself what I think and feel, and to choose whether I can or will or want to do anything about those findings. I may not be the same person as the one who was filling her first journal five years ago, but despite our differences, she and I still share those experiences she recorded.
Journaling rocks. I highly recommend you give it a try.