Keeping a Journal: the Gift That Keeps on Giving

This is a sacred practice which I've been doing for more than 10 years. I write every "day", even if it's been a very long one and it's gone midnight.

I still do it the old fashioned way, in notebooks, and I keep them around. I also write daily notes in Obsidian, but not necessarily every day. While I find writing by hand more cathartic, it's nice being able to easily search and link on Obsidian. My handwriting is so bad that parsing some of my old entries can be tricky!

For me there are very clear benefits to keeping a journal. Here are a few:

• A reasonably objective record of what you felt and did at the time. We are very often wrong about how we felt in the past or indeed how we will feel in the future. Going back to a journal takes you closer to the truth.
• Extends your long term memory. I've learnt over the years to write down the interesting details, the ones you might forget over time or find it hard to recall. These things can be fun / cringe / happy to read about years later.
• See how much you've changed. I can see that who I was as an early 20 year old and who I am now are quite different. As with our emotions, we often underestimate how much we will change over time in terms of what we want and value.
• A channel to express emotions. When I'm having a bad day I can vent in my journal, and I can record happy moments too. Beyond that I can explore why I feel a certain way or why my thoughts are headed in a certain direction.

So why don't you also give it a try? It doesn't have to be daily, and it can be about specific things, e.g. things you are grateful for. I try to include some of that too.