Before you start keeping a diary, you'll need a notebook, a pen, and a commitment. The first step is to write the first entry. Then, you can think of ways to keep your writing routine on a regular basis. Use a diary as a way to explore your deepest thoughts and feelings, what you normally can't share with other people.
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Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Diary
Step 1. Find the diary
You can use a simple diary or an ornate one. If a simple diary will suffice, buy an ordinary notebook. If you want to be more serious, look for a leather-bound diary, perhaps one with a lock and key.
- Choose a lined or unlined book. Lined books are better for writing, while lineless books are great if you want to draw on them. Think about what tools you usually use to share ideas, and choose a diary that inspires you to fill it out.
- If you plan to carry the diary with you (in your bag, backpack, or pocket), be sure to choose a book that is small enough to be easy to carry.
Step 2. Decorate
Make your diary unique by incorporating your personal style. Add words, pictures, stickers and colors to the cover. Take a clipping from your favorite magazine, and stick it inside or outside the book. If you're not very smart or like to decorate, there's nothing wrong with a plain diary.
Consider numbering the pages. You can number all the pages at once or affix them as they are filled. It's the perfect way to keep track of what you write
Step 3. Choose a digital diary
A digital diary is a safe and accessible means of pouring out your thoughts. Enter the entry in Microsoft Word or another word processor. Save them in special directories, or collect them into a single document.
- Consider using a password-accessible system via cloud storage or the internet. This way, you can open and edit your diary from any computer or device. Try WordPress, or even an email client.
- Despite all the advantages of a digital diary, you probably won't get the pleasure of a physical diary. Try the digital version if you're curious. Consider writing some things in a physical diary, and other notes on a computer drive.
Part 2 of 3: Start Writing
Step 1. Write down the first entry
The most important step in keeping a diary is writing down the first entries. Book selection, decoration, and security are just ways to make a diary feel like a safe place to write. Think about what kind of diary you want. Then, write down what comes to your mind.
- Write down what happened today. Record where you went, what you did, and who you talked to.
- Write down how you feel today. Pour your joys, frustrations, and goals into the pages of a book. Use writing as a way to explore feelings. Also consider keeping a dream journal.
- Take study notes. Write down what you learned today. Use a diary as a way to explore and connect thoughts.
- Make this a channel of art. Use a diary to write stories or poems, sketch, and plan projects. You are free to combine all of these with other entries.
Step 2. Date each entry
If you want to keep a diary on a regular basis, find a way to track when you write it. Write down the full date or any way you want to make the time of the entry easy to remember. For example, 2/4/2016 or February 4, 2016. For more detail, write down the time (morning, afternoon, evening), your mood and/or location. Write the date at the top of the page or at the top of each entry.
Step 3. Let your writing flow
Try not to think critically about what is written. Let go of doubts, and write the truth. The benefit of a diary is that it provides a means to share what you wouldn't normally be able to tell others, such as the deepest thoughts and feelings that underlie your day-to-day decisions. Take this opportunity to explore yourself.
- Imagine you are chatting with someone. Apart from talking to a close friend or writing your thoughts in a diary, you're actually bringing out what's in your heart and mind to the world and making it real. It's hard to understand what you're thinking, until you decide to make those thoughts come true.
- Use the diary as a healing tool. If something is haunting or bothering you, try to write it down and understand why it can't get out of your mind.
Step 4. Think before you write
If you're having trouble finding your groove, try reflecting on how you're feeling for a few minutes. By scratching the pen, that feeling can be evoked. However, sometimes it's hard to write if you don't have an idea where to start.
Step 5. Set the time
Take a certain amount of time to write a diary. Set a 5–15 minute limit, and put your feelings and thoughts on paper. This "deadline" can motivate you to write. Don't worry whether your writing is perfect or not. Just write down everything that comes to your mind.
- If the time is up and you are not done yet, please continue. The bottom line is that deadlines don't limit you, they spur you on.
- This is a great way to incorporate the habit of keeping a diary into your daily routine. If you're having a hard time finding time to write, you may need to schedule it.
Part 3 of 3: Regular Writing
Step 1. Carry a diary everywhere
That way, you can express your thoughts at any time. Put it in a bag, backpack, or pocket. When you have free time, try to get the book out instead of the phone. This may help you to fill it regularly.
An added bonus of carrying a diary everywhere is keeping it safe. If books are always with you, they are less likely to fall into the wrong hands
Step 2. Keep it in a safe place
If the diary holds your deepest personal thoughts, you may not want anyone to read it. Hide it where no one will find it.
- Hide behind another book on the bookshelf. Place it under the mattress, or in the drawer of the bedside table. Place it under a pillow or behind a photo frame.
- Try not to label your diary with words like "Personal! DO NOT read!" because it will only make people curious and actually want to read it. If you really want to label "My Diary!" or "Private!", hide it well because if anyone saw such a label, they would be curious.
Step 3. Write regularly
Get used to writing regularly. Experience the benefits of understanding emotions on your mental health. Every time you write in your diary, remind yourself to be honest and tell the truth.
Try to schedule writing time into your daily activities. There are people who like to write before bed, or right after waking up. Some people write on the train or bus on their way to work or on their lunch break. Find the time that works best for you
Step 4. Keep a diary if you want to recover from something
Studies indicate that keeping a diary is a powerful way to process grief, trauma, and other emotional suffering. Make the habit of writing your reinforcement when things feel like they're falling apart.
