So here is my story.
At the start of the summer I found myself doing a lot of traveling back and forth from my home state of Virginia, to my family state of New York, specifically Manhattan (the best place on earth… at least in my opinion). While on the many amtrak rides, I occupied my time by reading the novel, Go Ask Alice. For those of you who do not know this famous work, it is the real personal journal of a teenage girl who spirals down the dangerous path of drug addiction. It was published in the 1970's and sparked a lot of important dialogue. My school is doing the stage version next year for our spring play, to use as an anti-drug awareness piece in hopes of re-sparking that dialogue. So to prepare for next year, I read the book. I fell in love with the idea of keeping a journal, not just for day-to-day accounts, but for feelings, and thoughts and ideas. So when I arrived in the city I walked down the street to the Strand Bookstore and purchased my very own moleskin journal. That night I only wrote four pages, but I felt like I could write forever.
All summer I have been diligently writing in my journal each and every night, although sometimes I skip a night here and there if I have nothing interesting to say. I have really found that what I like to use my journal for three purposes.
1) Power of thinking. I really believe in the power of creation. We have the ability to create our futures for ourselves just by believing and envisioning. By simply writing what I want to get out of my life, and goals I want to accomplish, I am attracting those things from the universe. I specifically ask for things that I want to receive in my life. Going into my senior year of high school I always get asked by adults "What do you want to do?" and sometimes that can be a very difficult and stressful question. I have found comfort in writing ideas of "life plans" I have for myself, or where I see myself going. I find my journal to be very therapeutic for me to map out what I want from the world to make me happy.
2) Rants. We all find ranting to our friends to be therapeutic. But sometimes in reality as much as our friends love us, they don't want to constantly hear about our insecurities, problems and agitations. In fact I've learned that ranting to someone, even if you trust them, can be a dangerous path to go down. It can make you seem ungrateful, and whiny. So writing your rants down in a journal is a great way to get it out without running the risk of being judged. You can complain about whatever or whoever you want, and you never run the risk of hurting anyones feelings.
3) Nostalgia. Partly why I love my journal is because I know I will read it someday in the far future and remember my 17 year old self. Parts will make me laugh, and parts will make me cry. But I want to remember all of it. And I can't wait to look back at it and know I came a long way in life. Maybe someday it will make a difference for others. I think that's a huge reason of why I wanted to start the summer going into my senior year. A lot changes. Seniors go through a period of changes and feelings, and I want to preserve this time and all that happens in it. Also how cool would it be to read 30 years from now and know what I was doing on a day to day basis and who I was hanging out with.
Journaling is a great way to have a personal conversation with yourself. When you are writing there is no such thing as "wrong". You can't do a journal "wrong". There is only right. Who you are, and what you choose to share is unique to you. You don't have to pretend to be something you aren't and you can really be honest with yourself. No one has to read it but you.
I encourage all of you to keep a journal.
It is a great way to unlock your heart. You may discover
things you never knew were inside of you.
