There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who loved english class as a kid. They lived and breathed books. They loved writing their own short stories, full of imagination and creativity they longed for every class to be as fun and as imaginative as 3rd grade language arts. There are also those who despise every english class they've ever taken. They don't enjoy reading, they rushed through every essay and writing project they were ever given and never looked back once they got through their english requirements. I know both, and although I appreciate every type of person I think everyone needs to write.
Journaling is a lost form of self expression. When I was a kid, it was so "in" to have a diary with a lock on it so nobody could ever read my secrets. This never worked out for me because with tiny locks came tiny keys which I always lost, therefore ending my buying of these journals and ending my journaling career.
I recently started journaling again and it is an amazing feeling. To be able to let loose on a page that is not for a teacher, or a grade. It's an amazing felling of self care, and inspiration to put all my feelings on a page and walk away from it. Knowing it's always there if I need to go over it again.
Journaling doesn't have to be the typical "dear diary..." it is so much more than that. You can have a book full of only words, you can also have a book of anything but words. In recent years, bullet journals, art journals, bible journals and so many others have become extremely popular. They all offer a variety of options for the journaler to add their own flair.
In our world today that's full of hate and divide I think it could be extremely therapeutic to write down what we are thinking. It gives us time to think about everything so that in the moment we don't say something we may regret later.
This is something even I need to work on. Many of us can classify ourselves as someone without a filter. A journal can serve as that missing layer that separates what you're thinking from what you are actually trying to say. But it doesn't even have to be that! A journal can serve as a one stop place for grocery lists, calendars, phone numbers, you name it. No matter what how unorganized your life, a specific journal is out there to help you get it in order.
