Dear Diary,
Here we go again. There have been quite a few times in my life that I started journaling, then very quickly gave up or forgot about you as a way to process and document what is going on in my life. Sometimes, I didn’t know what to write or who I was “talking” to, so it was easy to give up.
This time around, I am a little older. I realize that a lot of what I think goes unrecognized and unprocessed. I have been undervaluing my emotions around events that happen to me by “dealing with them.” Some pen to paper processing might have been more productive.
Here is how I came to the conclusion to start journaling again:
1. It was in a book I helped write. Translation: Take my own advice.
In First Year Student to First Year Success, we wrote about the value of journaling to help map out feelings and discover themes and patterns in your life. It can be in the form of a blog or opinion pieces for your local newspaper.
2. It was in a book I read.
Recently, I read the book “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod. It maps out six things he does to start each day in the best physical and mental position. While I am not yet sold on the morning part, his section on journaling intrigued me. I realized that it was okay to ask questions in my journal. That is the only way to gain clarity and acknowledge growth.
3. I needed something else. Could journaling be it?
Have you ever felt frustrated? Emotionally taxed? Unsure of where to channel that energy? It was a yes to all three for me. As I was wandering the aisles of a store, I found myself in the journal section. I spotted a book with, “The best way to predict the future is to create it” on the front. Add to cart.
Do you keep a journal? How do you feel after writing in it? Have you tried in the past and couldn’t keep the momentum going? If you don’t think writing by hand is your thing, try a digital journal instead!
