Growing up, I remember watching movies that always had someone who kept a diary. I would admire how they would have memories to look back on and I knew I wanted to start one myself. I started journaling when I was super young and as I have grown up, it truly is the one thing that has kept me grounded.
It started very simple when I was younger. I would write about how fun recess was with my friends or the small crush I had on a boy but as I have gotten older and have filled up tons of journals with mindless thoughts and to-dos, I have begun to make intentional steps in my journaling experience. Recently, I have been giving myself certain questions to answer and turning my really sucky yesterdays into a better today and an even better tomorrow.
Asking myself questions like “How was today?”, “Did anything not go the way you planned?” “What was the highlight of your day?”and “How can I make tomorrow better?”, helps me to not only get my feelings onto paper rather than holding them in, but it can also help me to find a positive outlook on my day. Reflections like these especially got me through quarantine where my mental health was at an all time low. In a time where I felt I had no control over anything happening in my life, it was easy for me to fall into a spiral of scary thoughts and emotions. But, by pulling out my cute little journal in the morning and pouring myself a cup of coffee, it became a time I actually felt the most grounded and sure of myself because I knew exactly how I was feeling and helped me to understand to just take life one day at a time and show gratitude for what I do have control over.
Journaling can be extremely healing, even though it can seem intimidating and maybe even a little silly. By taking time out of your day to have a small check in with yourself can be exactly what you need to turn your day around.