The Journal Dilemma

I'm not sure about any of you, but I personally struggle with the concept of a journal. I think about how much I would like to write my feelings and thoughts down so I buy a journal. The journal is almost always pretty--almost too pretty to write in. Then the very item that I've chosen for writing just lays there. Blank. Why? Because I'm too indecisive and worried about what to write on that first page. Perhaps intimidated even. What if someone were to find it? Won't this seem so childish and insignificant years later? Sooner than I know it, my thoughts and feelings that I'm trying to outlet swirl into a dark cloud of more indecisiveness, thus making the issue at hand even worse. Sounds silly, I know. But it's the truth.

So as I was pondering (yet again) what to make for a first blog post on this site, I came up with this as my conclusion. Why not make a blog entry about writing, or should I say, the inability to start writing in a journal?

Though I have not yet written in the journal I just bought (shown below), I have written many times before and I truly believe writing helps the mind and spirit, as well as painting a picture for an audience to interpret. Otherwise, why would there be blog sites and careers in journalism?

This is my current journal. Still blank, of course

I chose it because of it's contrasting patterns, nature imagery and purple pages, as well as the beautiful silver edges.


The following are frequent questions and reasons for both starting and keeping a journal:

How can a journal possibly help me?
A journal has been best described, in my opinion, as a canvas for your unspoken soul.
There are various types of journals, each serving their purpose. A journal can be a form of self-therapy in the sense that opinions, thoughts, and even bursts of creativity are released. A journal can reveal things about you that you did not know you possessed or feelings you've bottled up inside.

What do I write in my journal?
Anything and everything. I worried at first what to write about, but as soon as my pen touched the paper, the words flowed with the ink as if it were natural.
Journals come in all sizes, page numbers, colors, patterns, you name it.
I have both the journal above and a leather-bound journal from a culture shop for anything that inspires me poetically. That I specifically write in outdoors as nature is the world's masterpiece, in my opinion.

What about the fear of being found?
If you hide the journal in a safe place, it should not be found.
Sometimes, however, we subconsciously place something in a place so that it can be found.
This depends on the type of journal you want to write and if you're trying to spread a message.

Journals are only meant for little children or angst-filled teens.
Not at all. I've discussed this with various people and none agree that only those ages should write in a journal.
Sure, when you're young journals may have little locks and cute pictures such as Unicorns and Kitties on them, and even skulls with bows etc for teens, but that's only to entice the child/teen to begin writing. You are never too young or too old to write.

I don't think I'll hardly write in mine.
A journal does not and perhaps should not be written in everyday. Not everyone's thoughts need reflecting everyday. If the journal is for poetry or events, for example, there may not be anything to jot down.
Sometimes I'd go weeks without writing anything.

Writing feels foreign like I'm talking to a stranger.
Remember: A journal is an extension of yourself, so treat one as such.
You need not title each entry with "Dear Journal/Diary", though I do suggest putting at least the month and year of the entry in case you find or look at it later on. Some people create names for their journals. It really is up to you.
You are the creator of everything that is contained in the journal. You decide how comfortable you are or aren't when writing. Don't hold back. There are no grammar police. The ink does not have to be perfectly aligned to the page. Just write. Write, write, write!




This first journal entry may not be viewed very often, if at all. I just know that when I would search about starting a journal, most sites did not help me at all. My intentions were simply to be informative and personable at the same time. I'll let you decide for yourself whether or not I've succeeded :)