Beauty in Journaling

Beauty in Journaling
by Lily Simmons
Water & Stone Intern - The Madeira School

To have someone who knows everything about you that you can fully trust is such a freeing feeling. A journal can be this person for you. Journaling is a very important part of my life, and there is not a person in the world that I would not recommend it to. 

Expression
Sometimes your brain can feel cluttered, or you feel a weight holding heavy emotions and thoughts. When you can throw these thoughts on paper, there is an immediate lightness within. You don’t have to think so much anymore: the thoughts rest in the journal, and they can stay there. They no longer waste space running through your mind. The journal is yours and only yours. It is a safe space to express any idea or thought no matter how strange, dark, or seemingly insignificant. The filter is gone, and your journal contains only authentic thoughts.

Remembrance
So many thoughts and ideas run through our minds daily. Some stick, some come and go. Some of the ones that come and go could be important, but you forget about them. Because of this, I carry my journal everywhere. I will jot down thoughts and ideas often throughout the day. For example, I saw an Instagram account called “Toutes est temporaire.” I wrote this down to remember it, along with a couple thoughts about the quote. Going back and seeing past thoughts is amazing. You can see growth, make connections, and reminisce about certain memories. 

Acceptance
The mere act of expressing yourself in a journal is a step towards accepting your complete self. Journaling provides a space to write down your thoughts without shame. It is a beautiful thing: to be able to be authentic and true. 

Personally, I journal at all times of the day. Whenever a thought comes to mind that I want to remember, I write it down. There are some nights where I write for longer, though. Maybe I had an eventful night that I want to unpack. In this case, I light a candle, play some soothing music, silence any distractions, and get in touch with myself. This moment of peace only exists between you and your journal. In a busy world, moments like this are special and important. When you start journaling, you have the opportunity to feel more connected with yourself and the world.