I love to write. I have always loved to write and I have kept journals ever since I was a kid. I've written embarrassing poems, songs, journal entries, drawings. Anything cheesy and stereotypical that you can associate with having a diary, I have done. I used to be so scared that someone would read what I had written or drawn, not because of anything I had written, but because I liked having something that was private and mine.

My love of writing and keeping a journal has carried on and I have benefited in countless ways because of it. Today, I am able to share my writing with people through Odyssey which is a big step for me and my personal growth. Additionally, I now mix my habit of journaling with my planner and organizational skills. While still fairly private, I am a lot more open about my writing and journaling.

My journals have helped me grow in more ways than you might think. For starters, keeping a journal has been a way for me to collect personal data on my emotions, the way I think, and different patterns in my life. What are the common types of things that I write about? What tends to be a stressor in my life and how did I resolve that stressor? Re-reading and analyzing what I have written over the months and years has helped me to see more clearly what things have helped me and what things have hindered me along the way. And being able to analyze that information has helped me to move and adjust my course as needed. I can see the things that are are stunting my growth and remove them if they are still in my life. I can see the things that help me flourish and rinse, lather, and repeat those same habits.

My journals also help me to remember and be thankful for the smallest of things. Sometimes I will go back and re-read about a day where a stranger complimented me and how it made my day, or how a friend took me out for lunch, or a quote I had found while reading. My journals help me relive the best and the worst parts of life. They are a great way of tracking my journey. They also allow me to leave my past between the binding of the pages which helps me to clear my head and focus on the present.

Journaling has been therapeutic for me in so many ways on so many days. Being able to vomit ink on the pages of a physical notebook helps clear my head, organize my thoughts and feelings, and move on. By journaling, I have been able to work on healing and letting things go. It almost always starts as a simple stream of consciousness and taps into something more. Writing, reading, and reflecting on who I was before has shown me how much I have grown, how I have changed, and the little things that have stuck around. Different people, morals, mindsets, and beliefs have stuck around over the years and some have changed. It's helpful to see who you are at your core despite the passage of time. It fosters self-love and self-understanding which is something everyone seems to be looking for these days. So if I were you, I'd give journaling a try!