More and more wellness gurus invite us to journal or write a diary as a method of self-help and/or well-being. And they are not on the wrong track... Writing daily has many benefits for our mental and emotional health.
Have you ever kept a diary in your life?
I have… And many of them. I keep all the diaries that I have written since I was a child "at home"... I think there must be something like 7 or 8.
The first time I discovered a diary I think it must have been about 10 years old. I was at my grandparents' house, going through the drawers, when I discovered my mother's diary. It was not written, but I was fascinated by the fact that it had a golden padlock, with a tiny key that opened it. I remember very well that it had red leather covers, and the edges of the pages were gilt. I figured something magical waiting to be written on those pages... That was my first diary. And since then there have been many.
Writing a diary, however, is not easy... There always seems to be more important things to do than writing what happened to us the day before, or what did not happened... Writing a diary is a super powerful introspection and relaxation tool, and here I present a series of tips for you to help you do it day by day.
Step 1.
Go to your favorite stationery or bookstore and choose a journal that you like aesthetically. Touch it, open it, smell it and choose one that goes with you.
There are people who write their diary on the computer, but I always recommend paper, because it is not just about writing, but about creating a special moment of calm and reflection.
Step 2.
Choose the right time of day for you
Writing in a journal at a suitable time of the day or night is key, and it is important to keep it, because only then can we create a habit. I do it in the morning, when I get up and I'm drinking my coffee. For about 10 minutes I write about what happened the day before, from a perspective that is a little more detached from the emotions I had on the day things happened. Another reason I write in the morning is so I can write down my dreams, if I remember them. You'd be surprised how premonitory they can be...
Step 3.
Write, even if nothing "important" has happened.
Sometimes it's normal to think: "Meh... I'm not writing today because nothing relevant happened yesterday."
Mistake!!!
Write whatever it is: what you dreamed of, what you would have wanted to happen and it didn't happen, whatever. If you really can't think of anything, here are two ideas:
- Write 2 or 3 things you feel grateful for in your life.
- If you like tarot, take out a card and write about what it suggests to you and how it relates to your life.
The purpose of a journal (unless you intend to write your memoirs for your children or to publish them somewhere in the hope of becoming a Best-Seller) is to empty your mind and let it run free. There is nothing to censor, rewrite, change. It is not about achieving perfection. This practice is really just for you.
Comments