As the new year rolls in, I’m sure you’re inundated with dozens of self-improvement posts across the blogsphere – and are probably sick to death of them already as well (and if you aren’t check out my writing goals and one word resolution *wink wink nudge nudge*). Whatever your resolutions this year I want to suggest one very good one that you can keep going for as long as you please.
Start a personal journal.
There are many very good reasons to start one but here my own, personal top three:
1. You can be completely honest with yourself
You know those thoughts you have in your head that you feel like you cannot tell anyone for whatever reason? Get them down in that journal. You can be as crass, gross and unapologetically honest with your journal because it’s literally just you reading it.
2. You can use it to clear your head
Whenever some ‘big’ happens to myself in my life or if I feel overwhelmed, I journal. Just the act of getting thoughts out of my head and onto paper works wonders in terms of trying organise my thoughts – like a Pensieve!. I’ve often found a session of physically writing out my train of thought in my journal ended with me coming up with a resolution to the problem I was writing about.
3. You can see how just far you’ve come
Whilst my blog is fantastic for documenting my current passions and interests, and my social media is good for documenting those more public ‘ life’ memories, my journal chronicles my mindset, how I really felt and my mental health through all of this. Reading back journal entries from even a few months ago makes you realise just how much you’ve changed as a person, good and bad, and can provide you with an idea of just what you need to do to move forward.
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Do any of you keep a journal? Will you now? And what will you use it for?
Ria Xx
