Who knows you inside and out? Do you know? I do; you. There is no one who knows you as well as you know yourself! I’d like to think my husband knows me or that my children or my best friends do! Perhaps you know me more than a little bit? But there’s no way I’ve been able to convey to you all that stuff that’s in my head and in my heart. No way. And I need to express this stuff, if only in a journal! That’s why I keep a diary.

I gave my daughter a diary as soon as she was old enough to write in one. My friends receive beautifully bound books from me for Christmas and they know I love to receive them! I believe keeping a diary is one of the best things I do for my mental health and happiness.

Who else would want to listen to my random, chaotic thoughts? Who would have that kind of patience? Keeping a diary spares my friends and family of the obligation to listen to my grandiose dreams and trivial annoyances.

I keep a diary because it:

• connects me with my self, my soul
• helps me release emotions that are better consigned to paper than given voice
• sorts out issues that are made clear by the writing about them
• gives me a faithful secret-holder and a willing, listening ear
• validates a goal or dream by its commitment to paper
• “can… ease stress and depression” and more

I think it’s important to have a journal that feels good to you, with line spacing that you like. I choose a pen that I love. (My current favorite is my Cross fountain pen.) Keeping a diary may be the only time in my day when a pen hits paper in any significant way. I want the experience to be special.

Do you keep a diary? Did you start when you were a child?  Do you think it matters if the diary is a paper journal or can keeping an online diary have the same benefits?

photo credit: Zitona