At one of my very first Scholastic Book Fairs, I begged and pleaded with my mother to get the “Dear America” package. It was one of my favorite book series growing up, and it even came with a hardcover journal so you could add pages when you ran out. To my great joy, my mother said yes. RELATED: Why Journaling Is The Best Form Of Self-Care + 10 Writing Prompts To Spark Creativity Every month, I would get a new book to devour along with paper to add to my special journal. I wrote in that journal every day. All my thoughts, feelings, and dreams poured into that journal. It became my confidant, my best secret keeper. Suddenly, it became “uncool” to keep a diary. It became something my classmates and older sister teased me for. It was dorky, she had told me. And because she was my big sister and the coolest person I knew, I took her word for it. I didn’t want to be dorky, or uncool, so I stashed that journal in a box without a second thought. Years went by. I went from middle school to high school, and from high school to the adult world. Can you believe that when I was moving out of my childhood home, I found that journal hidden at the bottom of a box of junk? I couldn’t even remember the last time I had written in it, and why I had kept it all those years instead of just throwing it away. I sat down and read it front to back, laughing at myself and being flooded with a ton of childhood memories that I was now grateful for recording. RELATED: How Keeping A Journal Helped Me Cope With My Rainbow Pregnancy And now, at age 30, I keep a journal again. I admit when I first picked up a journal at the store to try again, I felt embarrassed to be doing so. But, why? Who decided that self-reflection is dorky? I shook off all preconceived notions of popularity and bought the journal anyway. Remember, you are the only person who can hold yourself back from doing anything. I have absolutely zero regrets. I journal almost every single day, writing down my fears, my hopes, my random thoughts. I’ve even begun adding a daily affirmation and space for gratitude. I also keep a Notes tab on my phone open for journaling if I’m unable to physically write it down. Keeping a journal is a wonderful way to vent and reflect, process your feelings and thoughts, and create new goals for yourself. It is one of my favorite parts of my self-care routine. I highly suggest everyone give a try at journaling. And don’t let anyone tell you that it’s not cool — it’s self-care. RELATED: 108 Reflective Journaling Prompts To Help You Get Out Of Your Own Way Taylor Seering is a 27-year-old writer and mom of two who blogs about chronic illness and self-love on her website, Chronically Taylor. This article was originally published at Unwritten. Reprinted with permission from the author.
