writing it down

I have been journaling ever since I was in 7th grade. My father gave me a green leather journal for my birthday. At first, my entries were very censored and guarded. No lie, my entries would only be a couple of lines about what happened during the day. I was afraid to really write down how I felt because that meant I had to be honest, and who wants to see your bare soul written down on paper? But by my second journal, I started to get real. Instead of a couple of sentences, my entries begin to be half pages. I wrote about who was getting on my nerves, what I wanted, my thoughts and feelings. Now, I’m 25 and I can’t imagine not journaling. Writing down your feelings forces you to confront your issues. It’s also very liberating. Sometimes it can be funny to read journals from your past; it’s funny to read about what you thought was so important was not that important for you to remember five years later. I encourage everyone to journal because it will make you understand yourself better. You are tracking your evolution. Trust me. It will alter your life.