Many of my friends casually comment about the naivety of my keeping a journal. Even though I don't always mention it, I get really excited when I start talking about my journal. This is because my journal is a helpful source for many situations. As an introvert, this is something that makes me really excited and definitely holds a great value in my heart and soul. Hence, I will dedicate these few words to speak of my journal. Because, why not? It definitely deserves some praising.
My journey with writing started not long ago in 2012. Here, I am talking about a specific and rare kind of writing. I am talking about that kind of writing which heals the self and refreshes the soul. This kind of writing one does when they feel lost or when they feel like talking to someone but are out of options except for their good old friend, their journal. I enjoyed writing essays in school and writing extensive notes about various topics I took in primary and middle school. But in 2012, I got introduced to the idea of keeping a journal and updating it regularly by my host family in Minnesota.
Although I briefly had an idea about writing in a journal, I never got to experience it until I indulged in it on a regular basis. Here, I would like to point out that I currently, and unfortunately, only write in my journal occasionally, like once a week or bi-weekly. But in the early days, I would change my journal of around two hundred pages every six months. I would write every single night about my daily experiences, interactions and lessons learned. Eventually, keeping my journal became a daily routine. It wasn't just a simple part of my life, it became a habit that I would deliberately engage in no matter how busy my days were.
With time, I started to discuss more issues and become more open about them. From a descriptive journal, I started analyzing my life, including my daily experiences. I also started writing messages to myself. They are both messages of motivation and also messages of self-actualization. My journal is also my keeper of self-analysis and reflection. The latter developed to become a very important reason as to why I write in my journal. That being said, I want to convey an important message which is that I only wrote to myself. Yes, exactly, whatever and whenever I write, I write it for myself and make sure it benefits and relates to myself and not to any other entity.
Writing makes me feel better. It works both as an instant remedy for bad days, and long-term cure for bad life experiences and encounters. Often, when I find no one to talk to, I find my journal and I can speak thousands of words and convey tons of feelings to it. For many days, my journal becomes my best friend, my first responder, and a thoughtful companion. With a mix of reporting, analyzing and planning, my journal serves as an effective soul energizer. As an introvert, writing is one of the very few drugs that work as a power bank to instantly charge my social batteries. Therefore, I uphold my journal a lot as it remains my loyal friend for good and bad times alike. I write, therefore I am. I write because writing gives me a place in this world.
