# Keeping a journal has helped



## daaaaave (Jan 1, 2007)

About 2 years ago I started keeping a nightly journal of my life. In the past, I had tried to do this and failed, but this time I put no pressure to write if I didn't want to so it has been easier. I write about a paragraph a night which works well for me, as I don't like to be long-winded. Somewhere along the line I took the good advice of looking at things positively and trying not to be negative. I usually am relaxed enough at night even if I've had a bad day to try to find the positives. So, for example, if I do bad on a test, I may mention it, but say "i still have time to pull my grade up" or "i will start working harder." I don't dwell on the negatives. I try to do this in my life. I am not one of those negative people anymore. I remember about a year ago a girl in a class of mine I was talking to sorta made fun of these girls in the class for having missed an easy problem on a test. I said, "well sometimes you miss the easy ones and get the hard ones." 

Keeping a positive attitude in a journal has helped me carry it over to my every day life and make comments like that. The guy who lives downstairs plays music loud all the time, occassionally but not too often it will be loud enough to bother me. Instead of sitting here sulking about it, I have gone down there twice and asked him to turn it down. Turns out he just happens to like loud music all the time (lol, I don't get it, but it's okay). But, now instead of hating him, I can say hi and we have a respectful relationship even though we don't have anything in common. Instead of letting negative thoughts eat me up, I just expressed myself and turned it into a good situation.

This was a lot longer than I thought. The main point I wanted to make is actually summed up in a quote I have posted in my bedroom, something about you are what you do repetitively. Make it a HABIT of being positive and squash out negative thoughts. A great way to make it a habit is to keep it a journal cause you write something every night and its easy to read your journal and get an idea what your tone is. If you have a positive tone, it will carry over to your life. I know a journal isn't for everyone, but try to do something where you write stuff down. Whether it is making goals, or rating your day 1-10 in a few areas, it will help.


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## FairleighCalm (May 20, 2007)

I have started to walk around with a journal and write all the time now. Odd but I really like to write stuff down. I hate for my thoughts to get away, or worse get plugged up.


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## TorLin (Nov 14, 2006)

yes keeping a journal is helpful.

i didn't like writing it out, so i just typed it in word and kept it in a folder in my documents.


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## Fireflylight (Sep 2, 2004)

I keep a journal too, and I've been writing in it a lot lately. I find it therapeutic to just put my feelings down on paper. Daaaave, I like your idea about being positive / journal writing, I think I'll try it.


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## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

Yeah. I like to keep one too. I dont always feel like writing in it and I don't always have time, but it's there when I feel the need.

At least if you write something down in a journal it feels like you've told someone. Kind of therapeutic (sp?).


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## Strength (Aug 12, 2006)

I have kept journals on and off. Sometimes I feel it's really good because it keeps you in check of your goals. Other times when I'm relaxing I just like to go with the flow and not over-think things. I'm starting my goals again because I need to get some things done.


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## themockingbird (Aug 19, 2007)

yeah keeping the negatives away from your journal is a good idea=D but i like to write down everything, negative and positive so that then i can see improvements i make over time and/or write down the reasoning behind the negative thinking


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## tomcoldaba (Jul 1, 2007)

themockingbird said:


> i like to write down everything, negative and positive so that then i can see improvements i make over time and/or write down the reasoning behind the negative thinking


Same here. I do the write down the negatives and the positives. I keep my journal on an excel spreadsheet. Whenever I feel negative, I use the find function of excel to find the negative thought and its associated positive outcome. I feel better quickly.


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## chiz (Aug 17, 2006)

Keeping a journal is indeed helpful. For me, it made me evaluate myself and keeps me in track with my goals as well. My journal gives me encouragement also in pursuing my goals and helps me to have a positive attitude towards life. 

Upon reading it sometimes, it makes me realize where I went wrong and what should I do next. A journal is a sort of motivator also for us that would help us in getting positive most of the times.


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## Becomingfree (Oct 22, 2010)

I've started to keep a journal the passed few weeks. I've learned that typing one is better then writing one. I just don't have chronological thoughts when I am keeping a journal. Typing one has helped out so much. I've been able to write my feelings and activities of the day. :yes It has been great keeping a journal. I can't wait to read back on my journal to see how the days went and what I did.


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## noyadefleur (Oct 26, 2010)

Journals are definitely beneficial, I have one that I write in whenever I can. I find, if I feel like absolutely no one is on my side, and no one wants to listen to what I have to say, I'll just write it down. Then there are no judgements, and granted you don't get any advice in return, it helps me to organize and collect my thoughts.


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## krista91 (Feb 11, 2011)

This is interesting. I might give it a try actually.


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## jmw1112632 (Mar 8, 2011)

In a way, this forum is my journal. I've been typing on here to get my thoughts out and its definitely helped. A journal hmm....I think I might give it a try. Its a great idea, I didn't really think of it.


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## chewren (Dec 23, 2010)

i could consider keeping a journal but, sometimes when i am writing something, i would fear that people behind me would see what i have written.


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## ambergris (Oct 15, 2010)

I keep a daily journal at 750words.com, it only takes about half an hour out of my day and you do get a sense of achievement from earning the badges and completing the monthly challenges. It even analyses your writing over time to tell you whether you're being positive or negative, or looking inward or outward. And you don't have to worry about anyone else finding it and reading it.

Also, rating your mood 1-10 every day has really helped me. It's something my therapist used to ask me to do at the beginning of every session, and over time it does help you work out which activities make you feel better and which make you feel worse.


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