Have you ever listened to a long-winded analysis of events from long ago? You know, when the older generation tries to sort events into pieces, explaining who thought what, what they did, what came of it. Were you not surprised that over time the assessment of facts and emotions sometimes changes beyond recognition? This is especially evident if you yourself took part in the events being analyzed. The fact is that this is human nature. Opinions change under the influence of new information, thoughts are erased, disappearing into oblivion. In order not to miss out on invaluable experience, to preserve data about events in their original form, the idea of keeping a diary appeared and took root. This is when people write down their fresh impressions, thoughts, ideas. This is a useful matter, sometimes extremely important. But not everyone knows how to keep a personal diary. And the rules are simple. Let's get to know them.
Selecting “physical media”
It is now customary to write down your thoughts “for public use", that is, on the Internet. Not everyone will like this, and technically it is not always convenient. If your thoughts concern only fleeting events, then you can post them on a social network. But why expose something secret to everyone? If you are interested in how to keep a personal diary, then start with goal setting. Answer yourself the question: what is it for, what do you expect from it, do you want? An ordinary notebook will help you preserve emotional experiences, priceless impressions, and exciting sensations. Most often they take a total of ninety-six sheets. And even with a hard cover. The diary is often kept until old age. So, the carrier is needed so that it can survive moving, floods and other shocks, and not crumble into pieces after a few years. People who are inclined to draw buy albums with thick covers. It's just awkward to write in them. A notebook is much more practical. Psychologists have noticed that people live exactly the way they keep a personal diary. Someone chaotically makes notes only from time to time, his path is tortuous and thorny. Others try to regularly put their thoughts on paper; they are prone to thoughtful decisions and a stable strategy.
How to start keeping a personal diary
From the first entry, the author’s personality begins to emerge. Some, not knowing how to keep a personal diary, talk about themselves. There are even official biographies. There's nothing wrong with that. This is individual creativity. The most interesting thing, it seems, would be to state the reason why this notebook appeared in your life. Maybe many years later, when you re-read the entry, you will be surprised by your thoughts or experiences. Creative individuals can include in the “epigraph” favorite poem or stanza. Sometimes they just draw what’s in their hearts. It is recommended to date this significant event. You will then be interested in what period such an interesting idea matured. Although some people start and stop taking notes. It's OK. If you want to know how to properly keep a personal diary, then understand that this is not an obligation, but a “command of the heart.” There are no strict canons. There is something that you personally like.
What should I write in it?
Here you can give some tips. Regularity of recordings is a personal matter.
It is recommended to create content that is interesting and meaningful. Most likely, a person who is interested in how to keep a personal diary has not yet internally matured to write it. The soul does not yet “ask for a pen.” People who are ready for self-expression take a notebook and begin to write, not being particularly interested in other people's advice. But the thought process is good for its ability to develop. The desire and ability to express oneself and analyze events can be acquired through practice. Therefore, first, write down vivid impressions and thoughts. Some people try to recount exciting events in detail. This is useful in order to understand them correctly. Especially when it comes to feelings, subtle moments, extraordinary cases. The style will come later, in the process of work. It is quite possible to change it. You are not going to write a test, but to implement the dictates of your soul.
Start with goal setting. For example, your decision to keep a diary is based on the desire to record thoughts so that you can later understand them. This means that you should state not only what comes to mind, but also the circumstances under which this happens, which influenced you at that moment. It is important to describe how you see people with whom these thoughts came to you, naturally, if they are connected with them. It doesn’t hurt to share on its pages your general impressions of books you’ve read, movies you’ve watched, or shows you’ve watched. Almost everything that comes into our field of vision during the day can become the topic of a new “post”. Once you practice, you will be surprised at how rich life is with events and impressions. Beginning writers are advised to present what has touched or excited them, focusing on the reason for such a reaction. This will help you better understand yourself and the people around you.
A little about needlework
Some people are interested in how to beautifully keep a personal diary. Philosophy and psychology can be boring for people with creative inclinations. They leave the analysis to those who have their head in the clouds. And they are looking for an interesting thing for themselves. Here are the cards in their hands.
A diary can be made into a real work of art. Naturally, it is recommended to decorate it in a style that especially touches you. For example, embroidery lovers create covers for notebooks. A fascinating creative process and an amazing result. One can argue, but most of the entries in such a diary will be devoted to beauty. Nowadays many girls are engaged in beadwork. Why not create a cover using miniature beads. Each page can be decorated with a “monogram” of them. It will be beautiful and original. This is just one topic. And there are many of them. Based on your preferences. Maybe you don’t want to write, but rather make collages in your diary. So who's stopping? The main thing is not to forget what they meant!
Secret or not?
There is such an extremely subtle question. There are few people so open that they are ready to throw out any feeling on others. And they are unlikely to keep a diary. Others wish to keep the records confidential. Therefore, the question of where to keep a personal diary sometimes arises. One piece of advice: if you want to have a secret, don’t share it with anyone. What two people know is known to the whole world, so popular wisdom says.
It’s worth making another recording alone. Firstly, so that no one gets confused. Secondly, in order to hide information from indiscreet eyes. You know, the literature describes cases of keeping diaries using codes. It’s unlikely that an ordinary person would like this. First, give birth to a thought, then encrypt it using a special key, then write it in your notebook. It is difficult, however. Therefore, it is advisable to simply not loom with your secret in front of those from whom you want to hide it. As long as they don't suspect it, they won't reveal the secret.
Relation to records
Diary as a strict controller
Sometimes records are made with the goal of “taking a tight rein on yourself.” This comes to mind for very purposeful people. Believe me, the one who gives up what he started is unlikely to control himself. What can you write there in this case? Start with what exactly you want to achieve. For example, lose weight. Write down all the rules and restrictions. Now all that remains is to state how you adhere to them, when and why you violated them.
Keeping your own diary is a fascinating and extremely useful process. Try it, you won’t regret it, as the famous joke says. Good luck!
Michael Grothaus
Writer, independent journalist. Founder and CEO of SITU Scale.
I have been running a personal account for many years. Twelve to be exact. When I tell people that I keep a diary, some begin to think that these are some kind of work-related notes. Others imagine a teenage version in the spirit of: “Dear diary! Now I feel...” And that’s all.
When I first started journaling, the first page was a real pain. But today, journaling is one of my favorite parts of my day: writing down my thoughts makes me feel better both physically and mentally.
Surprisingly, improving your well-being by keeping a diary is not just psychosomatic. This is really a matter for those who deal with it. According to Dr. James Pennebaker, a psychologist and leading expert on expressive writing, journaling helps strengthen immune cells called T cells. Thanks to this, mood improves and social activity increases. It also has a beneficial effect on the quality of close relationships.
Most studies of expressive writing measure physical health to track changes. As a result of numerous scientific experiments, it became known that thanks to keeping a diary, one begins to function better. immune system, blood pressure is normalized, stress is improved, and stress is reduced. After several months of keeping a diary, people begin to see doctors less often. Other studies have found that this activity promotes faster wound healing and greater mobility among people with arthritis. And the list goes on.
So what is journaling? This is the combination of personal reporting, based on facts, with the study of one’s own, sometimes irrational, but always important.
giphy.com There are weeks when I write every day, and sometimes I a whole month I don't write a single word. The point of keeping a diary is not only to organize your thoughts - after all, you can simply think about them carefully, and this will also bring certain benefits. When keeping a diary, it is the act of writing down thoughts that brings the greatest results.
When you take notes, the left, rational hemisphere of your brain is working. While it's busy right hemisphere can do what he does best: create, predict and feel. Keeping a diary removes all psychological blocks and allows you to use all the capabilities of our brain to better understand ourselves and the world around us.
Maud Purcell, psychotherapist, writing expert
Already intrigued? I think yes. But maybe you're like me 12 years ago, when I didn't know where to start. Therefore, I offer the following 8 tips that will help you master the art of journaling in no time.
1. Use pen and paper
The modern world is all about keyboards and touch screens. But when it comes to journaling, regular pen and paper have more advantages.
I find that most of my patients intuitively understand that writing down thoughts by hand is more effective than using a keyboard. And research confirms this. It turns out that while writing, the reticular activating system is stimulated - that area of the brain that filters and brings to the fore the information on which we focus.
Maud Purcell
Writing by hand has additional benefits. This keeps us from editing our own thoughts. Although many people in their 20s and 30s have lost the muscle memory of handwriting and may find it slow and awkward, it won't be long before you feel comfortable writing by hand again.
When I can convince young people, especially 20-year-olds, to take good old-fashioned notes in cursive, they are always amazed at the results, because it really calms them down and helps them cope with problems.
Maud Purcell
2. If you don’t like writing with a pen, find a suitable tool for you
Perhaps, after trying to write by hand, you will realize that this option is not suitable for you. There's nothing wrong with that.
Luckily, there are a huge variety of options available today. Personally, I prefer to journal by hand using the V5 Hi-Techpoint pen, which has a very thin tip. Yes, only this specific option. I think it's the perfect tool to help my thoughts flow from my head to the pages of my Moleskine notebook.
But, if paper and pen are not for you, turn to their technological counterparts. Standard editors (Word from Microsoft or Pages from Apple) and more minimalistic solutions like . Perhaps you prefer touch screens. In general, look for the most convenient solution for yourself.
3. Set a reasonable limit for yourself
giphy.com Previously, people set themselves a limit on the amount of writing, for example, 3 pages every day. But experts agree that more effective solution There will be a time limit when keeping a diary.
Rationally consider how much time per day you can allocate to this activity in your busy schedule. Even if it's only 5 minutes at first.
Time limits help people focus on a specific goal when they start journaling. Seeing 3 blank pages in front of you can be difficult, and the matter will end before it even begins. And the time limit will not seem like an ordeal.
4. You don't have to be Shakespeare
Most (regardless of what they write: journal entries, an article for a popular magazine, or a lengthy novel) are usually mistaken in believing that everything they write must be deep and sensual. And when you start keeping a diary with such a delusion, you can be sure that it will lead to failure. Such activities are directed outward, at others, but you should keep a diary for yourself. True depth appears naturally, spontaneously, even by accident. Pretentiousness occurs when people deliberately try to appear smarter.
Shakespeare was a great writer because of his natural talent and careful study of human nature. But what's good for him doesn't have to be good for you. You don't have to show off your literary talent. You just need to write.
I advise my patients to forget about spelling, punctuation and just pour out their stream of consciousness on paper. This way, keeping a diary will help bring to the fore information that is stored a little deeper than consciousness. Let it pour out.
Maud Purcell
5. Don't edit
One of the purposes of journaling is to explore areas of your mind that you may not want to explore. Diary entries are not articles. No one will check your spelling, grammar, punctuation or content structure. When you edit, you start to think and focus on your writing rather than your thoughts.
The essence of journaling is to write without thinking. By thinking, we interfere with our intuition, and therefore the whole meaning of the diary is lost. Journaling can help us explore ways we may not consciously discover. We can find extremely interesting topics if we stop thinking for a while.
6. Journal in the same place every day.
giphy.com You don't have to lock yourself in a secluded ivory tower to write down your thoughts. However, having a specific place where you write your personal journal will encourage you to take better introspective notes.
I have a favorite cafe in London where I like to write. Even when it gets noisy with clinking cups and people talking, I find the background noise calming. It helps me immediately get into the right frame of mind, and I dive into my diary. If coffee shops aren't your thing, try writing in a quiet room at home or on a park bench.
Let it be an attractive place, where it is cozy, where there are things that inspire you, where you can see, touch or smell them: flowers, sentimental items, memorabilia or pleasant drinks - your choice.
Maud Purcell
7. Leave room for content.
When I buy a new Moleskine, I always skip the first two or three pages before I start journaling. When I fill my entire notebook (usually in a year), I wait a while and then re-read it.
As I re-read, I highlight notes or thoughts that I think are important, note the page numbers or date of writing, and then move them to the very beginning of the journal. This is how the content gradually develops, thanks to which I can easily find important entries. This helps me a lot when I face difficulties. I can look at how I have faced challenges in the past that seemed insurmountable but that I was eventually able to overcome.
Experts do not have a consensus on whether a diary needs a table of contents or not.
“Some people like structure, some people don't,” Pennebaker says. - Some people like to reread what they have written, others don’t. The point is to find a way that works for you."
Purcell has a different point of view: “I like the idea. Of course, some parts of the journal will seem more relevant to your life as a whole. AND quick access these notes will be useful, especially in confusing or life. It's great to be able to remind yourself how you dealt with seemingly hopeless situations in the past".
8. Keep your diary away from prying eyes
Find a safe and secure place for your journal. For this activity to be truly effective, you must feel as free as possible and write down things that you cannot tell even your best friend.
A personal diary is not a letter to another person. This is not a document by which others should judge you. Do you want? Fine. Write a book. The diary is just for you alone. If what you write may hurt the feelings of others or harm your reputation, destroy the diary or hide it in a safe place.
Remember that you are writing only for yourself.
Personal diaries. To write or not to write? To store or not to store? Have you ever asked yourself these questions?
I have been keeping a diary since I was 10 years old until now. How did I get this idea? It's hard to say... I don't remember anymore. But it completely fit into my life at that time.
The love for beautiful notebooks, notepads, pens..., the desire to achieve something, to make yourself and your life better - all this already existed in 1996. It still exists now.
I remember how my friend and I scribbled thick notebooks where everything was about healthy lifestyle. How I enjoyed creating my own profiles and filling out others’. How I wrote poetry. How I wrote down the lyrics of my favorite songs.
It also contains a description of the first relationship with a young man. Relationships similar to adults. Experiences, joys, difficulties, happy moments together - all this remained there... in that diary, which now does not exist and will never exist. And he still stands before my eyes.
Student diaries
3. It also contains a lot of pleasant memories and meeting new people. Including Lesha, whom I already wrote about on Alimero (“Love at First Sight”).
And even though I myself made the decision to break up with him and quite quickly, I really like this story of how we met, it’s nice to remember it. And in general, I have the best human feelings for Lyosha, despite the fact that I refused further communication.
I also wanted to burn another diary, for 2007 - the year that was for me the happiest and most painful at the same time. I decided to re-read it first and then... they turned off the lights for the whole night. I decided that this was a sign. Now, a month later, I am incredibly glad that I left him!
To store or not? Psychological aspects
If you use diaries only as a way of psychological relief, then it is not necessary to keep them. And if those memories are dear to your heart, if these notes mean a lot, you need to leave them! Now, after burning most of my notes, I am 100% sure of this!
I write a diary exclusively for myself. Therefore, there is no show, everything is extremely sincere. And when I write, I don’t expect anyone else to read them.
However, the thought that I would have children and they would want to read my writings came more than once. Would I be happy about this? I don’t know... Probably, first I would look through them myself, and then I would decide whether to give them or not. Although, who should read them then (if read at all), except the closest people who are an extension of you?
There is one more aspect. By reading your thoughts from the past, you can understand a lot. Understand the circumstances of life, the actions of people around you... In the end, understand yourself! After all, this can sometimes be very difficult! Understand what you were like and how you have changed...
I’ll finish again with lines from my poem:
There is no person who can
So listen to me.
Ah, my diary, you helped me
Don't lose yourself!..
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What associations arise in your head when you hear the word “diary”?
I'm sure it's either something to do with school, or with romantic girls furtively writing poems in a notebook under their pillow. Meanwhile, keeping a personal diary can be useful not only for schoolchildren and writers, but also for you. Moreover, it can really . Below you will find six reasons why you should start making daily entries of your life.
In our digital times, when the tools for recording information are undergoing a real revolution, the forms of keeping a diary can be very different and largely depend on your preferences. Someone may want to record video or audio clips for this, others will prefer to use one of the many special programs or, others will remain faithful to a good paper diary and pen.
No matter what tools you use, the main thing is strict adherence to two principles that have remained unchanged since the days of candles and goose feathers. Firstly, the diary must be personal, that is, inaccessible to a wide circle of people, and secondly, you must be extremely honest with yourself, otherwise it all loses all meaning.
So, how can you benefit from journaling?
How do you really feel?
A journal can help you recognize and articulate your feelings that are usually hidden deep inside. Modern life often has such a pace that a person rushes like a horse at a race, ignoring his emotions and sensations. As a result, we have constant stress and mental breakdowns. You will now have legitimate time for self-reflection, giving you a deeper and more realistic view of yourself, your life and your work.
Point of view
We are bombarded with a barrage of information from all sides, which contains dozens of different opinions on various topics. The only trouble is that these are all other people's opinions. What do you personally think? You have time to formulate your point of view on important topics day?
Let off some steam
Sometimes they really do difficult days. You are frustrated, embarrassed, defeated, angry, confused. It may even be that you cannot talk to someone close to you about it. Keeping everything inside will drive you crazy. Get your emotions out on paper. Then read it and smile.
Life is a great thing!
We read and hear many fascinating stories about different people. Why not write a best-selling book called The Story of My Life? Imagine that your diary will be published after... well, sometime later, and try to fill it with such events that future readers cannot tear themselves away. This is a great way to make your life more interesting and deep.
Hello, my name is...
Yes, do you really know who you are? Are you sure of your desires and goals? Get to know your real self. Many people are so intertwined with job and family obligations that for them submitting an annual report and buying a fur coat for their wife can overshadow their actual dreams. It's time to sit down and think (and be sure to write down) about your actual aspirations. And a lot, a lot, carefully, but strictly, cross out from your life.
Message
Imagine that you were rummaging through the attic and found your father's personal diary. You drop everything and, unable to tear yourself away, flip through page after page until the evening. Here he is meeting your mother... here is your birth... now he is worried about work... complaining about his health... Can you imagine?
So why are you depriving your children of these sensations? They need to know about you and what you really were like.
Do you keep a diary?
IN adolescence most of us keeps a personal diary, pouring out your emotional experiences on its pages, telling secrets that you cannot share even with the closest person. But we grow up and forget such a good habit as keeping a personal diary. And it’s completely in vain, because it is a personal diary that helps you look at yourself from the outside, understand your aspirations, and analyze your failures.
Personal diary - This is our main assistant in terms of self-analysis and self-development. By recording practically everything that happened during the day in it, you get the opportunity to most thoroughly understand the mistakes made, actions and your actions. In other words, keeping personal records is a great habit that has many benefits. Let's try to understand the key points that prove the effectiveness of a personal diary, and the basics of how to properly keep a personal diary.
1. By writing down our thoughts in a diary, we create a basis for achieving our goals.
If you want your plans to come true, try to write them down on paper. After all, what slipped into your head, but was not reflected on paper in time, can easily be forgotten over time. But the written down goal is clearly fixed in your consciousness, becoming a kind of landmark, a beacon towards which you must move without fail. At the same time, your brain itself looks for any possible ways achieving the goal, working as if in autopilot mode. Various studies show that people who have not achieved their desires answer negatively when asked whether they wrote down their desires on paper. In turn, those who have achieved their goals almost always keep personal notes, recording their thoughts in a personal diary. And they have a lot of explanations for the need to keep such a diary.
2. Journaling makes your life more mindful.
By writing down in a diary every day the thoughts that visited your head, various observations, you get the opportunity, after a certain period of time, to look at yourself from the perspective of an outside observer. This opportunity, in turn, allows you to rethink in some places the lifestyle you lead, to evaluate how correctly you have chosen life path, and whether you are putting in enough effort to achieve your goals. Our lives are so full of various little things that we often forget about serious things. That's how we are made. Therefore, by recording everything in a diary, we ensure the safety of important moments. How does the life you live correspond to your previously formed ideas? Are you able to implement what you have in mind? Or maybe you are so buried in the little things that you have completely given up on your real dreams and aspirations?
3. Keeping a personal diary means being able to save ideas.
From time to time, almost all of us have good ideas, but without writing them down, we simply forget. Capturing brilliant thoughts on paper allows you to avoid this. And even if it seems that the idea that has visited you cannot be realized, everything can change overnight. Therefore, listen to the advice, write it down and wait for the right moment.
4. A personal diary develops your discipline.
This argument echoes the above-mentioned opportunity to realize recorded deeds and desires with the highest degree of probability. And here the explanation lies not only in the fact that thanks to the diary you will not forget what you planned to do. The main advantage is the ability to distribute recorded cases by importance, as well as draw up a plan for their implementation.
5. Keeping personal notes improves your ability to formulate thoughts and express them competently.
Suppose you are a fairly disciplined, ideological and purposeful person, and you cope well with daily difficulties without a personal diary. Then the reason for starting it can be precisely the opportunity to become more literate, learn to formulate thoughts beautifully and succinctly, and talk with a mute listener, in whose role the diary acts. Keeping a diary can be compared to a person telling a story about his life. You can be compared to a writer who improves his literary skills every day. In addition, like any other writer, you will want to make your work more interesting and positive, and accordingly, the actions you perform, which you will tell the reader about, may become better over time.
6. Keep a journal and learn from your mistakes.
By rereading the events described in the diary and the actions you committed, you get the opportunity to look at everything that happened from the outside. And, believe me, this is a very effective tool for changing yourself. It becomes clear to you what and where you did wrong, where you chickened out, and where, on the contrary, you went too far and, most importantly, how it ended for you and the people close to you. All this helps to avoid the repetition of similar situations in the future.
7. A diary allows you to become more confident in yourself.
Another important reason for keeping a personal diary is the opportunity to become more self-confident. By analyzing what happened to you in the past, understanding your inner feelings and experiences, you get the opportunity to change yourself, become more confident and purposeful.
8. Increase your efficiency.
In any business, the main thing is to start. Try writing down everything that happens to you during the month. Return to these notes after some time, and you will realize that you have become a little wiser and gained some experience. By spilling your thoughts onto paper, writing down ideas, you get the opportunity to structure your life, increase its efficiency, and achieve your goals.
9. Keeping a personal diary means getting rid of negativity in your life.
Surprisingly, the fact remains that recorded positive thoughts receive double power. You gradually learn to get rid of all kinds of negativity, envy and anger. In addition, you do not take out your negative experiences on your loved ones, avoiding scandals, but simply describe everything to the same dumb listener. And he, as they say, will endure everything.
10. Learn from yourself with a personal journal.
Having decided to keep personal notes, treat this with complete dedication, describe in detail the situations in which you find yourself, try to find the answer to the questions that arise in front of you. Don't get carried away with the little things, but really important points pay close attention. You will see own experience that the beginning of the diary will be significantly different from its middle and even more so from the ending. Over time, your thoughts and life guidelines will change, and you will take a new look at life. And the reason for this is self-development, the gradually acquired ability to live and think more correctly.
These are the key 10 reasons why you should start a personal journal.
In conclusion, I would like to note how important it is to keep a personal diary correctly. At first, of course, you will still be learning to express your actions, as well as desires and plans for the future. But over a certain period of time, acquiring the habit of sharing thoughts on paper, you will learn to write deeper, more meaningfully and competently, moving from a standard description of events to their thorough analysis. Rest assured, this is quite a valuable skill that can be very useful in many life situations. In other words, get started and the effect will amaze you.