What should I Write in a Diary?

I started keeping a diary lately, and it's been making a big difference in how I feel. I take a few minutes to think about the "big picture" and write down a few things about the day that might be of interest to me in 5 or 10 years.

As I thought about starting to keep a journal, I remembered how my Grandma kept a small notebook diary that she often referred to. I learned a lot from my Grandma, a kind woman who never learned to drive and loved to read. Here's a picture of her with me, when I was just a little one.

On these page, I will explore the types of diaries, the kind of things to write in a diary, and reasons to keep one.

Do you ever feel like time just passes you by? I was feeling this way, and I thought that writing in a diary could help me to remember each day so that I wouldn't wonder months or years later what happened to all this time....

So now I take a few moments to think about each day and I try to write about things that I accomplished, interesting things that happened, and other events so that I can later read back over it and see how I spent each day. I try to think positively and for the most part keep my diary entries happy. As someone who copes with depression at times, this is a good mental exercise for me.

I try to imagine myself in 5 or 10 years and think about what I would like to remember from this time period in my life.

So, for me, it's a small ritual that allows me to stop time for a moment and to appreciate life.

Everyone has their own reasons as to why to keep a diary. It may be a record for your future self, a journal for your children to read, or it may be a private way for you to work through emotions.

I usually try to think about what my life might be like in 10 years from now, and I try to write down things that my future self might like reading about. Here are some of the stuff I've written about:

• The Weather - Temperature, Storms, etc
• Food you ate
• Places you went
• Animals you saw
• News, local or world events
• Your Feelings or Mood
• TV or Movies you watched
• Books you are reading
• Something special you bought recently
• Gifts you've received
• Family news and events
• People you talked to
• Learn anything new?
• Dreams
• Funny things people said (especially kids)
• Seasonal changes - first frost, flowering plants, etc
• What your kids or pets are doing

You can form a habit by repeatedly during the same thing day after day. At first it may be hard to remember to write in your diary, but after a couple of weeks, it should become an automatic part of your day.

A good way to form a new habit like writing in a diary is to do it at the same time every day. Try to pair it up with something that you already do every day. For example, you may want to do it in the morning as you're making coffee or in the evening right after brushing your teeth. If there's a TV program you watch every day, you could do it before or after that. You could write in it while on the train or bus, or after doing homework or putting the kids to bed.

If following a routine is not for you, an alternative way to form the habit of diary writing is to write something in your diary right after it happens. Keep your diary nearby, and as your day unfolds, if you think of something to record, take out your diary and make a quick note right then.

Studies say that using a journal to get your emotions out can be very good for your mental health. You may find a need to write every day, or only during stressful times. A blank journal puts no limitations or expectations on you.

I wrote in a journal on and off as a kid, but never really stuck to it for longer than a few months at a time. Now, as an adult, I'm pleased to say that I'm in Year 2 in my 5 year diary! It is really rewarding to see what I wrote about last year and gives me a better sense of what happened when.

I'd love to hear your experience with journal writing!