We as social beings have the need to interact with someone, be able to share our thoughts and all the things that take us through. But as we mature and cross a certain age, the inhibitions abstain us from being able to express ourselves completely. The feeling of uneasiness to let someone know our deepest secrets, our feelings and the shortcomings could leave us being vulnerable. There is an easy breezy fix to this problem. Keep a diary.
Now, I know this might sound a little old school to some as whenever we think about a diary, our mind associates it with a picture of a teenager penning down the words ‘Dear Diary’ to rant about all the things that took place at school. For adults, it is attached to a notion of young people trying to figure out their lives and deal with the raging middle school hormones. Well, it is certainly helpful for these purposes, but keeping a diary is not exclusive for teens, it’s for all those who can express themselves by writing. Diary entry is a form of self-expression that can enlighten and empower people by helping them understand their complex feeling and find peace with it.
Why a diary?
Journaling is an exercise that puts us in touch with our emotions and allows us to express ourselves freely. You can tell the pages of your diary what you would never say to anyone else. It's liberating in its own way. Get it all off your chest, rant about the happening of the day, describe the things you are thankful for, wonder about weird stuff, make that tiny little dirty joke, give way to your feelings, complain, express your concerns, mention your likes and dislikes, things that you wish were certain, write about your victories and the triumphs too and even about the deeds of the world. Adriel Boals, an author and a postdoctoral fellow at Duke University suggests that at least for the fairly minor life problems, something as simple as writing about the problem for 20 minutes can yield important effects not only in terms of physical health and mental health, the anxiety triggers, the emotional imbalance but also in terms of cognitive abilities.
Keeping in mind what the experts have to say about journaling, why not give it a shot? There are numerous benefits of keeping a diary, here are a few, that will make you want to keep a personal diary for yourself.
- A diary is your confidant- Writing a diary gets you drawn to your feelings, it is the only time when you are under no pressure and fear no one. You do not have to pay heed to any criticism or judgment on the thoughts you are expressing. So, in a way, a diary is a best friend to whom you can pour your heart out and who will always be there, whenever you want to share your smiles and sorrows. You can keep a traditional diary or have a diary app like Chiku which can also be your personal mood tracker.
- Journaling inspires creativity- Compiling a journal is a great way to unwind your creativity. We all have that undiscovered creative potential and your diary is the best place to start exploring the inner creativity. It is a way to motivate you, boost self-confidence and unlock your creative side. Start by making an appealing and personalized diary cover. Let your imagination race wild, write whatever comes to your mind. Record your journey.
- Reduces stress- A study published in the year 2011 Psychological Science journal stated that writing down your thoughts helps you overcome the negative blockages, it frees you from anxieties, pain and frustration. Keeping a diary will help you release and reduce the stress that has been accumulated overtime. The diary can also be used as a mood tracker bullet journal to help indicate the sentiment level and boost your mood.
- Enhance your writing skills- If you always wanted to practice to improve your writing, the best thing you can do is write. You do not have to be perfect at it or have the best topic with a delightful theme, you just have to start putting your ideas on the paper. The more you write, the better it will be for you to expand the horizons of your writing ability. It is a way to practice expressive writing without being under pressure.
- Helps you stay organized- You can use your handy dandy dear diary to plan your day, record daily events, random musing, the feelings you have or write down your views you have about specific events. Your diary will help you organize the scattered thoughts, overcome the reluctance and will keep you in a happy state of mind. You can also keep a multitude of diaries for specific topics like the daily planner, the travel diary, mood tracker, dream journal or one to randomly write away.
- Save the memories- The diaries or journals you keep will be like your personal memory banks, the reminders of the events in your life. It is a way to preserve those beautiful memories you have against the ravages of time, to get an essence of how clearly you remember the small but important things that hold importance to you. Your diary will be a time capsule for you to rekindle the joys of the moments passing by. It will be a recollection of the past to guide you through the future by correcting the errors of yesterday.
- Helps you introspect- Life is a school of self-awareness, the experiences are to entertain and the hurdles to instruct. Use a diary to record your thoughts and aspirations daily. At the end of each day review and analyze the progress. Discover yourself, find out what you are and how you imagine yourself to be as self-examination is a noble art of progress. True introspection is when you do not engage in dwelling over the negatives. Your diary will tell you track your progress which will encourage you to make it worthwhile.
- Help solve problems- One of the best ways to set a goal is to write it down on paper along with the hopes, plans and ideas you have regarding it. Noting down your problems enables you to reflect on them, can inspire you to ponder and reach a solution. When you pen down your concerns, it allows you to examine them in a way which was not possible when thinking about them.
There are no rules when it comes to keeping a diary, it is important to know what works best for you. Explore the options to give way to your thoughts. Keeping a diary has numerous benefits that you will discover yourself. So when are you planning to start?
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