Why Write?

I've been writing since I was maybe 8 or 9 years old. Nothing profound at first - I mean, how deep can you be when you still think boys are gross and a source of imaginary diseases? I wrote anything and everything I could think of - poems, short stories, quotes I thought might be recited in business and commencement speeches, anything I thought sounded good. I kept a diary, as most girls do around that age, recording my daily observations and innermost thoughts.

Little did I know that what I was doing would soon become a cheap form of therapy.

Around the time I was in 6^th grade, I started to get more serious about my writing. My short stories increased in length, my poems became more meaningful, and my diary entries became more than just the musings of an 11-year-old girl. I started writing about the state of the world, how I saw people treating each other, how I myself treated other people... and I really began to think. "Wow," I must have said, "this feels good. I don't have to talk to anyone about how I'm feeling. I can just write it here, and it has the same effect". That same year, what was once a hobby became a passion. That passion won me an essay contest - the ultimate validation that what I had to say meant something, and people would actually listen. It was then I decided that I wanted to become a writer.
Once I realized what I was doing, my diary went from being a diary to being a journal. But more about that later.

Most people don't consider themselves writers just because they like to write, or just happen to write whenever something is on their mind. Those people couldn't be more wrong. Anyone - and everyone - can be a writer. It's quite simple. And it really, really, is beneficial to one's mental health and well-being. This is not a crock-pot theory; it really does work. The University Counseling Center at Binghamton University, on their website, has this to say about the benefits of keeping a journal:

Self-expression.
Stress reduction. Many people say they feel calmer and spiritually at ease after a journal-writing session.
Stronger relationships. Writing about people you know will help you understand them better and put you in touch with your own feelings about them.
Better organizational skills. By structuring yourself to write regularly, you automatically develop stronger organization skills, such as list making and time management.

Those are all really positive, powerful things that can result from taking 5, 10, maybe even 15 minutes out of your day just to sit down with a pen and paper and write down whatever is on your mind. If (and when) you begin to see results, you might even consider taking a half an hour, maybe 45 minutes to write each day. After awhile, you might not even time yourself, and will just continue to write as long as you are moved to. It's not hard, and it's cheaper than hiring a shrink whenever your husband or wife is driving you crazy, and your boss is being a pain in the butt by keeping you late at the office again. That isn't to say that a journal can solve all your problems, but it's a good start. The only costs are those of the pen and paper, or, if you're adventurous, a notebook, or nice journal. The possibilities are endless!

I know some people out there may be reading this thinking "this girl is nuts. How is piece of paper going to do all that?" Well, and this is going to sound like a major cop-out, I really can't answer that question. The answer can be seen in the results. If after a couple of days of writing down your thoughts you begin to notice that you feel more confident and positive about yourself, your relationships with the people around you, and generally happier with your life, you'll know that everything I've said here really does work. And if I'm wrong... well, I guess I can't quit my day job as a high-school student (not that I would anyway, but you get what I'm saying). But just try it for a few days, and see what happens. What have you really got to lose?

The other nice thing about keeping a journal is that nobody has to see it but you. If you live in a house with a bunch of nosy brothers and sisters, snooping parents, or are just afraid that someone might get a little bit "curious" while looking for the nail clippers, you can always get a locked journal. Nothing says "respect my privacy" like a nice lock, with the key nowhere in sight.

I mentioned it briefly earlier, but there is something I would like to clear up. There is a difference between a diary and a journal, even if it is a very subtle one. A diary is more for writing down daily happenings, as the word diary is derived from the Latin word dies meaning day. A journal is more about personal development and introspection. OK, that's my personal opinion, but my basis is well-founded. Dr. Asoka Selvarajah, Ph.D., in an article for CirclesOfLight.com, has this to say:

"a Journal is NOT a diary. Although the line is definitely blurred, a diary largely deals with externals. A Journal is about your inner being. It is actively used as a tool for self-improvement, as opposed to passively recording events.

The benefits of keeping a Journal are that through doing so, you monitor your own internal processes. It can be used to integrate psychological parts within yourself that have long remained in conflict. A Journal can help you see the changing cycles within your life - processes that only become evident when rigorous self-examination is used. It helps you to remember your dreams, and begin to understand and gain insight from them. Most importantly, the keeping of a Journal puts you ever closer in touch with the Higher Self - the highest part of you responsible for creativity, wisdom and for orchestrating the events of your life.
In short, keeping a Journal turns your life from a seemingly random succession of events into a well-defined school. You begin to see the lessons in your life and put them into practice."

So there you have it. Keeping a journal is not just a great way to get your thoughts down on paper, but it can also help you make sense of your life when things seem too muddled. Just try it for a couple of days. If things don't seem to make more sense, or are clearer when you look at them again, then I was wrong. But if I'm right, and I believe I am, the results will amaze you.

Oh, and just as a side note, I stand 100% behind everything I've written here. I still write in a journal daily, still jot down ideas for poems and stories, sometimes even turning to napkins and scraps of paper when I can't find a whole sheet. And I've got to say, those few minutes when it's just me, the pen and the paper, have helped me maintain my sanity through some of the most stressful times of my life (junior year of high school anyone?). If it can work for me, it can work for you. Guaranteed.