Diaries have a reputation for being cheesy and childish; most people underestimate their benefits. Personally, I have had a journal ever since I was fourteen years old that I wrote every single night. Not only did it help my writing and organizational skills, but it also gave me a chance to truly reflect on my day and get everything out on the table. Keeping a diary has changed my life and affected how I approach situations and move forward with a clear head and conscience. 

Track progress and growth

Keeping a diary, especially when you are going through a transitional period in your life, could help ease the process. Change is hard, and growth is even more challenging. Writing in a diary daily, even if it is just about what you did during your day rather than how you feel about every aspect, could improve your situation. For instance, if you are going through a rough patch and find it hard to look at the bright side, writing in a diary forces you to reflect on your day. Maybe you’ll realize that even though it wasn’t the best day, you have been through worse and have gotten up; therefore, it gives you proof that you can do it again. Keeping track of your progress is almost as if you are giving yourself an encouraging hug and a boost of motivation to keep going. 

Improve writing

Not only do diaries have emotional benefits, but they also have educational ones. Even though one page a day does not seem like a lot of writing, one page a day for a year is 365 pages…long enough to be your personal autobiography. Consistency and discipline are essential; you will not see a difference in your writing if you write one page a month. Staying consistent every day will force you to improve. 

Improve organizational skills 

Keeping a Diary is definitely worth the 10 minutes a day that it takes up. Getting all of your thoughts that day on paper and reading it back can help you understand your own mind better by organizing your thoughts. You can start with the beginning of your day by explaining events or feelings and then move along throughout the day. This could be extremely helpful if you have a lot on your plate and are stressed. It will give you some clarity on how to structure your day to get all of your work done. 

Time for self-reflection

Nothing is worse than getting ready to go to sleep, being so excited to slip into your pajamas and your comfort and dream the night away only for the glorious moment to finally come yet not being able to stop thinking about your day. Whether it was an embarrassing moment that haunts you or your crush smiled at you, it’s keeping your mind awake and is keeping you from some much-needed rest. This is where keeping a diary comes in handy. You get the opportunity to reflect and write down those critical moments in your day while also putting them to rest, flipping the page, and getting ready for a new day and a fresh start. 

Do not buy into the stereotypes of keeping a Diary as being childish and useless because they are most definitely not. The benefits of keeping a Diary will change your life and impact the way you look at your own mind and body.