Writing it Down

I actually kept a diary when I was a kid, long before I became a teenager as I had a really tough childhood. Then for no reason I never wrote in it again. Now as an adult I am going to be doing this again. I actually want to begin early next year, as I would like some day for my children to read more about my inner feelings and somehow be able to relate more to how I have lived. In fact I am also considering writing for TV as I have done did once and it went quite well. I have a life long lived horrid life and feel that it would contribute to life time movie channel. So wish me luck as this is what I plan to do.

I keep a daily diary, but I'm 19 so you might think I'm still in danger of "growing out of it". I really don't think so though, I really love keeping a daily journal. I write about my day, anything that's on my mind, my feelings about this or that. I've got quite a few happy entries, and a fair number of frustrated and sad entries. I think it's very therapeutic for me. While I may not feel better at the time I'm writing down my sad or angry entry, I may turn back a few weeks later and re-read what I wrote and feel encouraged. Why would I feel encouraged when reading what I wrote while I was going through a tough time? Well because I made it through that tough time, and I can look back on the past with a smile and look ahead to the future feeling less afraid. I don't want to forget the places that I've been and the things I've been through. I think that I'd lose sight of these things if I didn't write them down. I'm not afraid of my parents or my friends reading them. They're not invited, my journals are not open books! But I wouldn't be too angry if they did. I don't think I have any secrets too dark or anything that would break their hearts in them. I won't quit writing for fear of someone reading it.

What a great idea, a "gratitude journal" I also had what I called a diary as a kid, but like you because it wasn't a happy childhood, I did keep it. In English class I learned one way to improve ones writing is to keep a journal, but even today with some bad things happening, (not super bad, but you know what I mean), I never started one. But now I think I will, a gratitude journal is a wonderful idea..

hi ambiepam I was journaling but just threw all that out as I re alized I was actually talking about the various characters here and felt that if Iwanted to write a novel I cou ld not use their names anyway so am now going to start work on my own autobiography instead. I had this need when I first came here and its grown sgtronger. as I looked back at my child hood and my marriage and all thats happened and how frightened I w as learning we were homeless. I think it would ease my soul to write abvout all that has happened.better than jo urnaling I think.

I have kept a journals for years now. I also keep a gratitude journal and it is what keeps me surrounded by positive energies. I also have a gripe journal. This is one I use to just write everything out that comes to mind, every little thing that bothers me. It's a great way to get things off the mind so that those negatives do not pollute the rest of my being. Namaste-Anora

I've kept journals for years and I am in my 50s. Sometimes I write daily activities, sometimes thoughts, sometimes it becomes a scrapbook, sometimes I draw in it, whatever. You can definitely tell when I've been pi$$ed off. The pages have huge bold letters scribbled across the pages, sometimes they're even ripped. But yes, I do feel better once I've expressed whatever is bothering me by putting it on paper. Then I can close the journal (put the matter to sleep), and move on. When I am feeling sad or blue, I try to think of a happy thought and I write it down. Sometimes I will write pages, sometimes just one word.

Writing dairy is a good habit. The habit to be cultivated when you are a kid itself. Thats the best age and you dont have to be afraid of what you write. Its all about individual feelings and the feelings at that point of age. I need to cultivate the habit of writing the dairy. I would like to jot down all the things happened for the day so that I may feel good.

I use to do a lot of writing, as in my early years had a diary. One of my girl friends game me the diary. Now I just write on web sites like Mylot and that can take quite a bit of time.

Hi AmbiePam, Like you I kept as a chuild and teenager but also destroyed for similar reasons, I still write poetry but that is not aimed at any individual so if they read and felt guilty then thats their own guilt coming out as no names ever mentioned if that makes sense. A gratitude journal sounds like a very positive thing to do but these days I just keep a diary for appointments. Huggles. Ellie :D

I used to keep a diary off and on when I was younger. I always felt better after I'd written my thoughts down, too. I haven't done it in a long time, though, and I probably need to start back. I do tend to worry a lot, which I'm aware doesn't do any good. I do think it would help me feel better to start keeping a diary again.

I just turned 50 this year and I have kept a journal for years. I write it all there too! When I am gone I won't care what anyone thinks! I know my daughter is looking forward to my inner thoughts being exposed once I am gone from this life! However, my son was in a terrible wreck two years ago. He is slowly improving but is still unable to speak or move much on his own. I found his writings to be very encouraging especially in the time right after the accident. It let me see a side of him (a deeper side) that I hadn't known existed. I actually respect him more...

I've never kept a diary or a journal. I thought about a journal, but it just seemed like too much work. And if I did, I'm sure I'd never want anyone to read it!

having a journal would have been a great help in order for us to reminisce our past experiences but unfortunately i wasn't able to have one. If I could only turn back time I would love to have a journal/ diary because through this I can document all of those best and worst experiences i had in my life.

when i was 16 i also kept a diary on my draw whit a lock.at that time,at first,i just wanted to write something to improve my writing skill. but 2 weeks later i had liked a girl in my school,so i kept writing about my first love on her.when i'd written down all the things i'd done about her i felt very happy,it was pity that she didn't lkie me ,aha. now the diary is torn by myself.think about what happened,i felt meaningful!

Hi Ambie no I do not keep anything like that at all The only thing I have here is the Book I wrote about my Life which is hidden in my wardrobe I never looked into publishing it lol

I di das a kid keep a diary then later I just wrote things down in a tablet of places we moved to and people we met then I stopped dont know why just did

When I am upset I sometimes write down my feelings...but since I am a writer by profession I guess I do alot of writing down! LOL...but alot of what happened in my life finds its way into my stories so I guess in a way I am journaling. I kept a diary for a while when I was young...but didn't keep it up. For a while I suffered from depression and I wrote things down then......now I put them in story form.

I have done this periodically. I never seem to stick with it though. I have written my feelings, and also kept a gratitude journal for a while. I guess i lose interest in doing it afterawhile. I sometimes like to look back and see how I wa feeling at a given period of time.

I love to write but I admit I don’t keep a journal either. I used to when I was a kid and I did have a few laughs reading some of the stuff I wrote back then when I came across my old diary a couple of years ago! I know that writing about my woes can make me sad and some topics can bring back a lot of emotions but I don’t use writing as a therapy tool; I find that if I’m feeling depressed I would rather listen to music.

I have never made it a practice of keeping a diary, but I sometime regret that I haven't done so all these years. There are so many things that I would have chosen to write down for my child and grandchild to know. I could have been selective about what I wrote and left out the things that would be too painful for them to read. Journal writing is suppose to be good therapy; releasing stress and depression is important to healing. So, I think you got a lot off your mind, even if no one will be able to share what you were feeling at those time.