A beneficial habit that will change your life forever.
I started keeping a journal when I was in Grade 7. Five years later, I haven't stopped writing in one, without fail, every single night. What keeps me writing? A lot of different factors.
Throughout my life, I have always been addicted to nostalgia. The wanting, the craving, of going back in time and experiencing a different mindset, a different era, or a different memory. Although no such thing as a time machine exists as I speak, a journal is perhaps the closest we can get to this.
Although photography can capture a memory, it does little to capture what is going on in your mind when the photo as snapped. We fill in these blanks, come up with our own idea of what was going on at the time, and create new stories that we tell ourselves about who we were.
But writing in a journal instantly preserves a portrait of who we were. It's a high-definition landscape of our ever-changing mindsets and beliefs. I write not only to escape into the relaxation of getting my words onto paper, but also for the knowledge that one day I can look back on this and travel to who I am right now, at the time I am writing.
Journalling is similar to a vlog or a blog in that it allows you to express yourself, but nothing comes close to the private freedom that a journal allows you to experience. Knowing that your journal is for you, and only you, allows you to truly write how you want without the need to impress or alter yourself. In my journal, I write songs and poems without filter or consequence. It's incredible the feeling of power this gives you; the sense of uninhibited creativity.
Writing is something I look forwards to every night without fail. For me, it was easy to make journalling into a habit, because I enjoyed it. But journalling for you doesn't have to be page after page after page, an endless escapade of words. Even buying a guided journal that lets you write a single line every night is rewarding, because it allows you to express yourself fearlessly and preserve a portrait of who you are in that moment.
Above: 15 of my filled-up journals, lined up consecutively.
Journalling can be anything you want it to be; that's the beauty of it. Altering it so it fits you and your creative needs is what makes it so fun. If you like drawing or painting or collage, you can incorporate it into your journals. If you're like me, and you enjoy poetry or songwriting, you can add that in as well. You can write about the difficult things or keep it simple; it's all up to you.
Why not attempt to write in a journal? Even writing in a journal once a week is rewarding; find ways to build your journal, and your journalling schedule, around you and your needs.
There are many other reasons to start a journal, but those are just a few of the factors that drive me to write in a journal. It no longer feels like a commitment, or a practice; it's simply engraved in my nighttime routine and I would feel empty if I didn't write. I promise you that if you start to journal--and do it in a way that feels right for you--you will begin to feel the same way, and start to reap the many benefits of journalling!
I will be writing about lots of different journalling ideas and ways to turn it into a habit on this blog, so stay tuned.
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