Ever since I read the Dear Dumb Diary series in 3rd grade, I’ve been captivated by the idea of journaling.

 

Jamie Kelly’s dramatic middle school life taught me that mean girls could be brought down with scissors and an annoying 2nd cousin twice removed, that bad meat loaf ruins lives, and that the seemingly unending abyss of time could be filled with exciting moments in ordinary lives. 

 

As time went on, I moved on to reading more serious diary books. The Royal Diaries for instance, was a series of fictional diary entries by real female royalty figures in history. I was inspired by Cleopatra’s cunning, by Anastasia Romanov’s resilience, by Elizabeth Tudor’s power. Books, but particularly these journals, convinced me that anyone could change the world for the better, that as long as you can write, you can create your own story to share with the world. 

 

Thus began my own venture into journaling. 

 

As a third grader, I was thoroughly impressed by Jamie Kelly’s cool teenage attitude. I sought to emulate her writing to the best of my ability by beginning every journal entry with the words OMG. Creating drama in my life gave me a special sense of purpose, as I had the satisfaction of writing down those three epic letters. 

 

However, upon entering middle school, my approach to journaling took a turn.  

 

After reading Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl, I began to realize that journaling was an extraordinary tool for developing perseverance; Anne’s stubbornly hopeful attitude in the midst of all of her challenges allowed her to overcome the brutality of her circumstances with grace and strength, revealing how honest self reflection was an extraordinary catalyst for personal growth. I was ingrained with the sense that, regardless of what happens in life, hope and optimism could carry a person through the darkest of times.

 

“Only lonely people keep diaries.”-Lucy M. Montgomery 

 

Journaling became a necessity for me during a particularly difficult time in my life — where I felt that when no one else would acknowledge me, I would accept myself—and spill the recesses of my brain onto a page.  

 

Although I’ve had more than my fair share of embarrassing diary entries, ultimately, I think the point is not to try to make yourself sound good, but to be honest with yourself. Remind yourself that you’re not writing for anyone but yourself and you can be as ridiculous or serious as you want. 

 

Throughout the entirety of high school, I’ve continued to journal, finding comfort in the ritualistic and cathartic experience that writing generally evokes. 

 

Other benefits include: 

 

• Free Pyschoanalysis: 

In AP psychology we learned that free association is the primary method in which therapists help their clients. By providing an open and accepting environment, a therapist can have a client share all of their deepest and darkest thoughts. Although you’re most likely not a professional therapist, you can essentially do this to yourself through writing, as long as you remain honest and accepting.

As Mr. Scott has mentioned countless times, “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I change.” ~Carl Rogers

 

• Romanticizes ordinary life:

 It’s easy to get caught up in the mundanity of day to day life.

Journaling gives space for appreciating the small moments that make life meaningful in verbal format. Memorialize snippets of happiness to smile back on:) 

 

• Builds self-reliance:

By actively reflecting on stuff going on in your life, you can take initiative for creating change. 

 

• Keeps thoughts organized:

As a more introverted individual, journaling gives me space to unleash a lot of my contained thoughts throughout the day. Usually, when I take time to write things out, I can contemplate whatever has happened throughout the day in a more objective light or attempt to reason my way through confusing emotions. 

 

• Helps set personal goals 

I recently jumped onto the bullet journal bandwagon that everyone else (besides Grace Petzold and Jubilee Wang) has jumped off of. Although bullet journaling is quite different from the kind of free association journal I’ve written about, I think it has a lot of benefits. Writing goals/tasks down and crossing them out establishes concrete steps towards achieving them and can give a huge sense of accomplishment when you cross them out. 

 

• Lets go of perfectionistic tendencies:

As 3rd grade came to an end, I began to keep journals of my own. Unfortunately, I became so embarrassed by them, I ripped out all of the pages, shredded them, and threw them in the trash. I still mourn the loss of my cringey 3rd grade thoughts. Their destruction really deprived me of a good laugh. 

 

I for one, have always been intimidated by the site of a blank page. Journaling has helped me let go of my fears of imperfection and just vent. 

 

If you’re considering beginning a journal, just remember to have fun with it. After all, it’s the cringey stuff that make the best laughs:P