All plans, dreams or desires should be detailed on paper. Over time, an unwritten goal can be forgotten, distracted by other activities, pushing it into the background due to circumstances. And the recorded goal is sure to be firmly fixed in consciousness, it becomes a guideline for movement in life. The brain independently begins to look for all possible ways to achieve the outlined plans. Some scientists compare this behavior of the brain to the work of an autopilot on an airplane. If you ask people who have not been able to get the desired result if their ultimate goal was written down on paper, they will say no. Conversely, many people who get their plans always write down their thoughts in a personal diary. Ask them why they should keep a journal, and you will hear a whole string of reasons. Writing desires on paper in most cases guarantees success.

The diary allows you to achieve your goals

Any goal must be recorded. An unrecorded goal can simply fly out of your head, and you immediately forget what you wanted. The recorded goal gains strength, being deposited in your subconscious mind. Once you’ve written down a goal, your brain starts looking for ways to achieve it, just like an autopilot. Ask people who have not achieved their goals: have the goals been written down – in most cases the answer is no. On the contrary, most people who achieve the desired results always have written goals in front of their eyes. Write down goals in your diary: for five years, for a year, for a month, for a week, the next day – success will be guaranteed.

Keeping a journal increases your level of awareness.

By writing down our thoughts, observations and remarks every day, we get the opportunity to look at ourselves from the outside; think again about whether we are living the life we want to live, whether we are doing the things we want.

Diary helps keep your brilliant ideas

Agree that we all have brilliant ideas from time to time. But, either we are busy, or there is no pencil at hand, or we are about to go to bed. How many brilliant ideas are lost in this way? Do not let this happen to you – look at the geniuses, such as, for example, Leonardo da Vinci – he kept a diary.

Keeping a journal increases self-discipline

When you write down your plan for the next day in your journal, the likelihood that you will complete everything is much greater than if you had everything in your head. From the handwritten “jog at 7.00” is no longer “get out”.

Diary helps to express thoughts better

By keeping a diary, you become a writer, a journalist who describes the life of one very interesting and good person – you. This way you improve your writing and speaking skills.

Keeping a journal allows you to build on past experiences

Scrolling through the diary, we can look at all those things that happened to us in the past. We can use this invaluable experience in the present and in the future.

Keeping a journal can help build self-confidence

Look at all that you have already achieved, starting, say, from birth! Firstly, you were already born and have learned to read if you read this far))
When I re-read my diary, it amuses me how much the goals that I set for myself a few years ago seem to me ridiculous and elementary today. It gives me a boost of energy and positiveness every day.
You can also build up your self-confidence by doing a simple exercise: Every day, write down at least 5 things you completed and enjoy the results.

Promotes a mindful life.

Recording their thoughts, remarks or observations in a diary every day, people get the opportunity after a while to look at themselves from the outside. This allows you to think about your lifestyle, analyze its correctness and your purposefulness. We can forget a lot, this is human nature. The diary will tell you. Are you living the way you previously wanted? Are you doing what you planned? Or are you “mired” in everyday problems, difficulties at work and do not at all strive for what you really wanted?

Personal diary will keep ideas

From time to time, all people are visited by brilliant thoughts. But if they are not written down on paper, they are lost and forgotten. To prevent this from happening to you, enter all ingenious thoughts in your diary. Even those ideas that seem unrealizable today can “shoot” tomorrow. You don’t want to forget about them tomorrow, do you?

Personal diary disciplines

If you write down in a diary all the things that you plan to do in the near future, then the probability of their completion increases significantly. It’s not just that you don’t forget about them. You can distribute the tasks written in the diary according to the degree of importance for you, in the same place – develop a plan for their implementation.

The diary teaches you to correctly and clearly state your thoughts

If you are disciplined, get along with ideas and achieving goals, and still do not understand why keep a diary, what exactly this activity will give you, then you should pay attention to this point. Keeping a personal journal is a kind of story about the life of one person. You become a writer who improves your skills every day. This way of presenting thoughts motivates to make your story better and more interesting.

Lets you learn from your mistakes

Looking at the events and actions described in the diary, you can look at them from a different angle. In this sense, the diary is a powerful transformational tool. You should use your experience in the future to avoid similar mistakes.

And what is a personal diary for?

A woman who finds it difficult to keep all her worries in herself simply needs to keep a personal diary where you can describe absolutely everything: your thoughts about colleagues, how you feel about the persistent boyfriend that has recently appeared, what does not suit you in your husband, thoughts about children and much more …

Yes, of course, all this can be told to a close friend, but it’s not a fact that the information she receives will remain only between you. A personal diary will endure everything and will not “tell” anything to anyone, if, of course, it will be inaccessible to others. Therefore, it is better to keep it in electronic form, and, of course, to set passwords.

Usually girls start a personal diary even in puberty, when they have their first relationship with the opposite sex. There they describe experiences about first love, as well as relationships with parents and peers. A personal diary can be entrusted with the most intimate thoughts and desires, because it will never make public the secrets of its author.

In general, what is a diary for? What does he give? At the moment of an emotional outburst, you transfer your emotions into a diary (paper or electronic). Then, over time, after reading the lines from the diary, you remember those emotions and feelings, and you see the situation from a completely different perspective.

The diary takes us back to the past, makes us think about the present and avoids mistakes in the future.

Women who keep a diary pursue a variety of goals. Someone seeks to hedge against senile sclerosis, for someone it is a craving for self-expression, and someone in the future will want to share their thoughts with descendants.

For example, a pregnant woman keeps a diary and writes down her experiences, feelings and feelings, and then, when her daughter is in a position, she will share her notes with her.

To see the changes in your thoughts from day to day, a chronology is needed for a diary. Therefore, it is better to put the day, month, year and time for each entry.

What is the use of keeping a personal journal?

The benefits of journaling are clear. By describing events, remembering details, you develop your memory. By writing down the events that happen every day, and then analyzing them, you develop the habit of remembering the details of episodes that you did not pay any attention to before;
The ability to structure your thoughts appears. And also to choose the right words for certain emotions and feelings that arise when reproducing the described situation;
In the diary, you can describe your desires, goals, and also outline the ways to achieve them;
Reading the events described in the diary will help you understand yourself, your inner conflicts. This is a kind of psychotherapy;
By writing down your victories from any spheres of life (business, personal) in a diary, you can later draw energy by rereading the lines. You will remember what you are capable of and the thought flashes in your head: “Yes, I – wow! I can’t do that. “
In the future, it will revive the emotions and memories of long-forgotten events. Imagine how in 10 – 20 years you will open your diary, and how pleasant it will be to plunge into the past and remember the pleasant moments of your life.

Memory games.

The memory is very interesting. A person experiences some events and it seems to him that he remembers them thoroughly. But over time, the picture becomes cloudy and the brain fills in the gaps in its own way. This is often observed when parting with a loved one. In the first days, only good memories come to mind, how wonderful it was together, what great emotions were felt at that time.

But it is worth looking into the diary, as it may turn out that everything was not at all like that. Resentments, suspicions, forebodings written in the diary will help to survive the separation and understand that this is the right step to which you went from page to page.

It happens, and vice versa, resentment cloudes the mind, and the person refuses to remember the good. And here the diary will become a great reminder of the old days. It will help you cope with anger and see everything in real light.

A dump for negative emotions

There is a useful psychological trick. You need to write by hand everything that makes you angry, upset, spoils your mood, and prevents you from moving forward. And then tear, crumple, discard, burn or destroy the sheet in any other way. So a person is freed from negativity. The diary has almost the same function, with one difference, you should not destroy it.

More often than not, splashing out emotions on paper, even electronic, comes relief. It is not always appropriate to express your point of view in the face of offenders. This most often happens during a conflict with bosses, partners, clients. The diary will take everything.

Getting to know yourself

Sometimes a person does not fully know himself. It was not for nothing that Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote: “The main thing is, do not lie to yourself.” On the pages of a diary, you can be yourself – weak, nasty, evil, cynical. The more honest the better. It will be difficult at first, because this can lead to disappointment in oneself, one’s goodness, and correctness. What is written can be intimidating.

For example, hatred of parents, envy of the best friend. But this must be done without fail, because this is the only way you can see your shortcomings and correct them. Praising yourself is also necessary! It helps to discover hidden abilities.

My own psychologist

People go to psychologists to deal with their problems. But the therapist never gives answers, he helps the person ask himself the right questions and answer them independently. The diary does the same, only the person himself acts as a psychologist.

Having coped with the previous point and having gotten to know yourself, you can proceed to the analysis. What exactly causes anger, why does it happen, at what moments, what becomes the catalyst? This will allow you to get to the bottom of the true source of negativity.

The positive aspects are also worth examining. What is the taste of victory, what feelings does it evoke, what does it push to? What causes a good mood, what brings happiness? Sources of positiveness need to be nurtured and maintained “working”.

How are we going to arrange?

A personal diary is a reflection of a person’s soul and his inner world, so it is recommended to decorate it, following your feelings and preferences. How to make a personal diary for girls? It can be a variety of sketches with a simple pencil, or there can be many bright and shiny stickers! The main thing is not to be afraid to create and give free rein to your imagination.

If you like to paint, then use wax crayons, watercolors or gouache. What do you like more. But do not forget that all entries must be neat, it will not be very nice if the pages of your diary are covered with dirty stains from paint. It is recommended to highlight the most important and interesting thoughts with bright felt-tip pens or gel pens.

You can also buy colorful stickers to write down interesting quotes or a to-do list for the day on them – this will help you organize your time and allocate it so that it is enough for both work and play.

Another cool idea is to create a hidden pocket. To do this, you need to carefully fold one of the pages in the form of an envelope, glue it on three sides, and voila – your own secret pocket is ready. Now you can put interesting notes, valentines, memorable tickets there. Design your diary in your own author’s style, and when you finish your work, just enjoy the aesthetic beauty of your “creation”.

“Creativity is contagious”

By the way, continuing the theme of drawings. First, it’s a great stress reliever. Yes, yes, it really is. When you are nervous, you always do not know what to do with your hands, and if there is a pen and a piece of paper nearby, you will involuntarily take them and begin to draw some abstract patterns, flowers, faces and geometric shapes. There is a very interesting opinion of psychologists on this topic, we recommend that you read it. Thus, you can find out what the drawings that you do somewhere in the margins of a notebook or in a notebook say about your character, for example, in a boring lesson.

Secondly, with the help of small drawings, you can diversify and embellish the space on simple white sheets of paper with text. The brighter and more colorful your drawing, the more beautiful the overall look of the spread.

And thirdly, if you accidentally stain the page with your favorite lipstick or the pen decided to leak at the most unnecessary moment, then make a small drawing on a clean piece of paper and glue it on this very place. So you will be able to hide the stain, and even diversify the page beautifully.

What to write about?

Why keep a personal diary? Above, we said that this is a way to share your thoughts and “let off steam” to relieve emotional stress. Be it emotions of incredible joy or, conversely, sadness. What to write in a personal diary? Yes, whatever you want. You can keep records in the form of a dialogue with your diary or with yourself. And if you want, then just write down the stream of thoughts and ideas that excite and interest you at the moment.

Many describe in a diary their past day / week / month, as well as make some plans and set goals for the future. It helps a lot to organize your thoughts and build a clear plan of action to achieve a goal.

Also, for example, you can make your own ratings of the films you have watched, giving them a rating and describing your impression, or the charts of songs. You can also top up your favorite culinary delights. In general, write on any topic, most importantly – from the heart. The most interesting thing is to re-read everything that you once wrote, after a while. Try it, most likely, this is what you really like.

Girly secrets

According to statistics, girls are more likely to keep personal diaries. Very often on the Internet you can see different articles on the topic “Personal diary for girls”. For boys, such advice is much less common, but it is likely that they are simply embarrassed to admit that they also lead them. Oh, these guys!

For example, there are a large number of people who cannot imagine their life without him for a long time. Ask your friends if they keep such diaries. Most likely, it turns out that almost all the girls in your environment will answer “yes!”

It so happens that a person wants to share some thought, but for some reason he cannot tell it to his mother or girlfriend. It is at such moments that a diary comes to the rescue. You can tell him absolutely everything, without hesitation and fear that you may not be understood.

“They meet by their clothes”

What is a personal diary, what and how to write in it, we figured it out. Now let’s think about its appearance. How to decorate your personal diary outside? Let’s consider two interesting options.

The first is to make the diary bright and beautiful, so that you can look at its cover and the mood has already risen. The stores now have a huge selection of various covers for notebooks, notebooks and books of different formats, for every taste and color, as they say. You will definitely find the right one. But if it seems to you that it is too simple, and you are a creative person, then we suggest that you develop a cool design yourself.

To do this, you can use colored paper to paste over the cover. It can be not just ordinary, but for example, velvet or foil. Next, turn on your imagination. Make magazine clippings or search the internet for beautiful and inspiring pictures, print and paste them.

You can add stickers, now 3D volumetric is popular, they look very unusual and interesting. Glue on a beautiful braid, ribbon or bright confetti, or maybe sparkles (there aren’t too many of them, right ?!). As a result, you will have a cool bright cover! It remains to find a secret place and carefully hide the diary. You don’t want someone to read your secrets, do you?

But there is also a second option: you can disguise your diary as a regular notebook or notepad, putting it on the shelf to your entire office. In this case, you do not need to think about where to hide it, because no one will guess that among your ordinary notebooks there is a personal diary. Try it – it works flawlessly.

How do you find inspiration?

So, we have already discussed both the external and internal design of the diary, the content, and figured out its purpose. But where do you find inspiration? So you bought a wonderful notebook, you just incredibly like it in terms of the combination of colors, shapes, and size. But wait, what to do next? ..

And here you are sitting in front of blank white pages and racking your brains with the question: “Where should I start at all?” Before embarking on the active design of spreads, you need to be inspired by something. It must be something that you love very much.

For example, listening to your favorite music, dancing, food, animals, travel, architecture, YouTube videos, blogger profiles on Instagram – and so the list goes on for a very, very long time. Everyone chooses something of their own from it. Find a source of inspiration for yourself, and it will help you get inspired to create beauty.

How to keep a diary?

How to keep a diary: are there any rules? All the rules about keeping a diary are set by the one who starts it. First of all, a person is guided by the purpose for which he wants to keep a diary. Diaries are different in nature and content:

weight loss diary, where the results are recorded, the nutrition schedule, the menu;
a diary of a training marathon, where notes are made and assignments are completed;
a reader’s diary containing information about books read and impressions of reading;
a success diary, in which exceptionally joyful events and achievements are written;
a diary for planning, where all important tasks and dates of their completion are entered;
a culinary diary designed to record recipes and describe dishes;
a romantic diary of relationships that keeps the secrets of the heart, etc.

How often to make entries in the diary, what to write, and what to keep silent about, how important the diary is in his personal life, is decided by its owner.

How to start keeping a personal journal

How to start keeping a personal diary? A question that torments people who decide to keep records from their own lives. Here is the purchase of a beautiful notebook or notepad, an exclusive pen has been bought, the workplace has been tidied up …

The man sat down at the table, determined to make the first entry in the diary. And then he is overcome by thoughts, doubts, attitudes that prevent him from writing even the first sentence.

What to write about? What am I doing? Why did I start this? Who needs it? And if someone sees and reads it? These and other questions take possession of the mind, determination disappears, apathy sets in. The diary is closed and put into the closet until better times. History may repeat itself after a while, when a person tries to make a second, third attempt.

One of them may be successful, and regular entries will begin to appear in the diary. But many people still hesitate to write a few sentences in a diary. The idea has failed.

Why is this happening? Indeed, in the modern world, people constantly encounter those who successfully keep a personal diary: politicians, bloggers, office workers, mothers on maternity leave, girls, boys, mature men and women.

In addition, all psychologists, sociologists, doctors who broadcast from the TV screen and pages of social networks advise to start a personal diary. They cite cases of successful recovery from depression, psychological breakdowns, recovery in business, bringing life and relationships in order.

Why does someone succeed in keeping a diary, and someone does not?

How to keep a personal diary

There are many recommendations on how to start a personal diary. We have selected the main ones and offer to familiarize yourself with them.

Decide why you need a diary: for a particular area or in general for recording events in your life.
Choose a format: paper or electronic. Modern technical means can greatly facilitate this task. The electronic format is often chosen by those who do not want their entries to fall into the eyes of strangers, as well as those who plan to write down their emotions and events in the diary in the current mode. The electronic diary can be filled with different fonts and colors, use emojis and pictures, insert photos.

A smartphone or tablet at hand will allow you to make notes in the diary several times a day, and a password will protect information from strangers.

The paper format is suitable for everyone who loves to write by hand and believes that it is precisely such records that bring energy, better convey the state of the author. In addition, in it you can draw, scribble, glue something, show a different creative approach on the pages.

Determine the frequency and time of filling. For some diary writers, it matters when to write. Many people like to sum up the day and take notes in the evening. Some people like to write on weekends when there is time and mood.

Someone writes in the morning, combining a diary with a planner. Someone will keep a diary from time to time to record past events and share their impressions of participating in them.

Select post format. Most people write in the first person and do not address the notes to anyone, they simply settle for a consistent (or inconsistent) description of the events that happened, the emotions experienced, the meetings that took place.

Some make notes, addressing them to the deceased: parents, spouses, acquaintances and friends. Someone on the pages of the diary is engaged in a dialogue with a potential soul mate who is not yet in real life or with whom he is simply afraid to speak.

Someone generally leads the story in a third person, as if describing the life of another person, as in a literary work or article. Each author chooses his own format, which is convenient and enjoyable.

Decide what you want from the diary. Some people like to re-read their notes, remember events and relive them. Someone feels the need to just throw everything out on paper or electronic media, and forget about what was written.

Some of them are motivated by their own records for new achievements (especially if it is a diary of success), and some, on the contrary, are oppressed and disappointed.

How to keep a personal diary: practical guidelines for writing

So, we have decided on the format, frequency of entries and the purpose of the diary, it remains to decide how to keep a personal diary. What to write down and what not, how to relate to the recordings?

Let’s try to understand this topic using the principle of working with objections.

I can’t write, I don’t have a style and a small vocabulary, – says the beginning author of the diary. “Great!” – says a specialist and blogger. Why, you ask? Because the process of journaling is one of the best ways to learn how to write, expand your vocabulary and become a competent blogger, albeit in your personal space.

Consider what skills you need to write in your diary. For example, a person has decided to describe a trip or journey. He must remember the events in chronological order, feel and fix in his memory the emotions that he experienced in the process of choosing a tour, preparing documents, collecting things.

Surely in each area there were some memorable moments: the painful choice of a country or city, a delay in a visa or a sharp change in the cost of a ticket, the lack of a suitable suitcase or swimsuit, being late for a train or plane, etc.

All these elements can form the basis of a beautiful story in a diary, and rereading it, the author will again feel the very emotions that became the basis of the event. Remember what is happening, set out everything in order, in your own words. The more often you write, the better you will get.

“I’m a serious man. Only Turgenev girls full of silly hopes and romance can keep a diary “, – someone will say. What can I say to him?

Give examples that many great politicians, military leaders, scientists and cultural workers had the habit of keeping a diary, and they did it quite successfully. The diary helps to organize space, direct the train of thought in the right direction, trains memory, speech and broadens one’s horizons.

“I have nothing to write about, nothing happens in my life.” This objection is quite common. However, if you start to live consciously and look closely at your own life constantly, you will see and understand that you were wrong.

Set a goal to find what you can write in your diary, experience what you want to tell, even to yourself, see what you want to share.

For example, your morning began with a wonderful cup of aromatic coffee, sunshine, warmth, a kind word. Write it down in your journal. While walking or jogging, you meet pleasant (or unpleasant) people, describe them.

Formulate your own feelings after exercising. Write down an unexpected compliment from a colleague or a child’s smile, a delicious dessert in a cafe, or an interesting article in a magazine.

Believe that as soon as you start looking for reasons to write in a diary, events are sung in your life that you simply did not pay attention to before, even if they happened.

“I don’t have time to memorize and write down all this. Anyway, I won’t last long. “ An objection with which one cannot disagree.

True, the modern rhythm of life does not leave people time for many things, especially for some kind of diary. But that’s why you should try to start leading it. A person does not pay attention to himself, to the people around him, to pass by important events and moments.

Life is rapidly flying forward, but there is nothing to remember. Sound familiar? Want a secret: there is always time. We must find him in a series of useless pursuits. Analyze your own actions.

Surely there will be an hour or two that is spent uselessly: TV, social networks, chatting on the phone, standing in a traffic jam, etc. Shorten this period, keep it busy with journaling. Using the previous guidelines, keep a journal regularly for three weeks.

And see if your life has changed. What have you started to pay attention to? What did you devote your time to? With whom were you able to improve relations? Who has appeared in your life?

Three weeks or 21 days is the best time to develop new habits and skills. If after this period you decide that keeping a diary is none of your business, not a question.

“Why write something that no one will ever read?” Some young people will ask. Young men and women of modern society love to flaunt life and feelings.

In this case, we recommend getting a blog in the form of a blog. The principle is to leave the same – to write down everything that happens in life (or what you think is necessary), but do it in the public domain for everyone (well, or a limited number of people).

You write, you are read, commented on, advised, offered help or options for the development of events.

“I have no emotion, why should I keep a diary. “ Only mentally unhealthy people do not experience emotions. Everyone else is experiencing.

Another thing is that they cannot recognize their own feelings, identify their priorities. Oddly enough, a diary can fix this problem, or at least get things off the ground.

This is because a person will focus on any emotional outbursts, if only for the sake of writing in a diary, and therefore will be able to “thaw out” mentally.

“What if I don’t want to write one day, what then? Why start? “ Well, you don’t want to, okay. So write in your diary: “There is no mood to write today.”

If that’s all, close the journal and do something else. But after this recording there may be a continuation: “There is no mood, because I quarreled with a friend because he …”.

And here she is, a diary entry and a light soul!

How to keep a personal diary correctly

So, in general, we figured out how to properly start and keep a personal diary. The main rule is that there are no rules, all the rules are set by the author of the diary.

Write when you want. Describe whatever you want. Good happens – describe it joyfully. It happens badly – describe it as it is. One should not scold and reproach oneself, one should try to draw a conclusion.

No one except you has the right to decide when, what and how to write in the diary. If you don’t want to share information, close your notebook or notebook in the closet or set a password in your electronic diary.

If you want to share with the world – start an open diary on the Internet. The main thing is that the diary becomes the space that attracts and pleases you, fills you with energy, thoughts and inspiration.

Correct journaling will help you find a way out of a difficult situation, ponder and make a decision, hear the voice of your own soul and look at yourself from the inside.

Keeping a diary – making time for yourself. Get creative, make your diary beautiful and be inspired by your own life!

Diary functions

Written presentation of thoughts helps to structure, analyze information. The diary contributes to the acquaintance of the individual with himself. On paper, it is easier to reconsider life, delete unnecessary things, endow the days with bright colors.

The functions of the diary include:

Psychotherapeutic function: experience, acceptance, expression of emotions. It is not always possible to speak out to someone. It happens that you don’t want to share something even with a loved one. Then the diary will help. Speak out to him. You can even write letters to other people. This, by the way, is another independent method of psychotherapy.
Predictive function: analysis of actions, development of a plan for further action.
Actualizing, mobilizing function: self-knowledge, drawing up a plan for self-development.
Cognitive development. Writing thoughts improves speaking, increases literacy, teaches you to think clearly. You will become a writer, gradually your skill will grow. At the same time, non-standard thinking will develop, the ability to be interesting, to clearly express thoughts. An additional benefit is the development of fine motor skills.
Development of creativity. The diary reveals the talent of a writer, illustrator. Why not add pictures to your thoughts?

It is better to keep a diary regularly, but if it does not work out, then record at least the most exciting events. A written statement of your condition helps to understand the desires and needs.

If you want to work on discipline, then force yourself to take daily notes. In addition, he disciplines the fixation of goals, plans with specific deadlines for implementation.

The paper remembers everything. Keep a journal to increase accountability and mindfulness in life. It is unrealistic to keep everything in memory, but you can reread the events of past years at any time. The diary helps you to look at yourself from the outside, evaluate personal changes, and rethink your lifestyle.

Types of diaries

The classic diary involves daily communication with him as with the best friend. In it, people write down the events of each day, their daily mood. But this is not the only possible option for journaling:

Goal diary. It is helpful to write down your goals and record the steps taken to achieve them. Write down your strengths and weaknesses. Determine what is lacking to achieve the goal. Develop, record your successes. The goal diary reminds of desires, because it is so easy to forget them in the daily rush.
Success diary. You can combine it with the first type or have a separate notebook. In your success diary, note only victories, even minor ones. This is your motivation, your self-confidence. Describe in detail the situation, your thoughts, experiences, actions, the change of emotions, the result. In difficult times, re-read it over and over again.
Diary of ideas. Do you ever have an interesting idea coming up completely at the wrong time? I have yes. In addition, immediately begins testing the viability of this idea, analyzing options for implementation, weighing the pros and cons. And while you think about it or are distracted by something, the idea evaporates and is forgotten. Therefore, I try to urgently write down the thought that came to me on the phone, on paper, on the computer – anywhere. And later, when there is time, I return to her. Try and keep a diary of ideas. Write down anything that seems interesting, even if it also seems unreal. Idea journal entries have no expiration date. Perhaps in a year this thought will seem quite real.
A diary of mistakes, or a self-study guide based on personal experience. Fix mistakes, analyze, do not repeat them in the future. It is possible that over time, some difficulties from the past will only cause laughter and a sweet smile. You will realize that it was a trifle.
Diary of anxieties and fears . Write down your experiences to get rid of anxiety After a couple of weeks, re-read the entries and think about what you came up with then came true. Is it worth wasting time coming up with unrealistic scenarios? Analyze fear to understand whether it is irrational or to find real reasons to fight.
Diary “Me and Others”. Place thoughts on interacting with people in it, describe your environment, your attitude towards specific people. Analyze the problem situation from the perspective of other people, record the possible reasons for their behavior. Such a diary helps to understand yourself and others, improves communication skills, teaches you to solve and overcome conflicts.

If you are in doubt about the benefits of a diary, then at least try to write down your thoughts for a month. Or make it a rule to splash your emotions on paper. You will immediately notice the benefits of this exercise.

There are no rules for keeping a diary. This is your creativity, your personal corner. Write down as you see fit and what you see fit. Do not use expressions, do not follow the censorship. There is only one rule and requirement: be honest. If you are worried that the diary will fall into the wrong hands, then get a notebook with a built-in lock. Keep it in a secret place.

Modernity offers the option of keeping an electronic diary. It can be private or open to the public. Perhaps this will be the beginning of your online career.

Epilogue

People are interested in reading author’s biographies, especially when it comes to someone’s development, overcoming failures. Who knows, maybe you will later want to make a book out of your diary.

So, for example, did the client of the famous Russian psychotherapist Mikhail Efimovich Litvak. Galina came to see him to improve her life. The first thing the doctor advised was to start keeping a diary. After completing therapy, restoring life, achieving success, Galina published her notes. The book is in great demand. It has become a practical textbook on psychology, written in simple everyday language.

Which media should I choose?

After you finally decided to keep a diary, the next question arises: which format is better? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each option.

Paper diary

If you like the “feel” of the process of keeping records, paper is the best option. It is actually a very inspiring feeling to sit down at the table, grab a pen, open a notebook, and start writing.

A huge plus of this format is complete physical control over the letter, as well as confidentiality (no one will hack the site and steal important or personal information, although there are reservations). This also implies a solid minus: if the diary disappears, then everything written will disappear with it. Data cannot be recovered, valuable ideas will disappear forever.

The paper notebook can be combined with online platforms. For example, Five-Minute Journal, where you can find a motivating quote or get a topic and write about it in your diary.

Diary apps

If you can’t imagine your life without a phone, and a paper diary is boring, there are tons of apps that will replace it. They promise privacy, security, and a functional environment for recordings.

The best in their field:

Penzu: Online private diary platform.
Day One: для iOS и OS X.
RedNotebook: A cross-platform diary that can be kept in Wikipedia format.

Of course, you don’t have to use the apps. You can simply save an encrypted text file to Dropbox, use Evernote, Google Keep, or any other note-taking program.

Blogging

This can also be called a kind of diary. Its difference is that it is public, and the main drawback is that you are unlikely to clearly understand whether you are 100% frank with yourself.

Tips for keeping a diary

Keep a diary in the morning

Yes, it is possible in the evening, but it is in the morning that your perception is fresh, and the problems have not yet piled heavily. When you get home from work, it’s easy to find excuses for yourself not to. They say that there are a lot of worries.

So set aside 20-30 minutes in advance for journaling on your to-do list. And do it every day.

Think about what you will write about

There is a freewriting technique (more on that later) where you write about whatever comes to your mind. This is useful, but it can also be combined with a thoughtful theme.

If you think about it for just one hour, you can understand that the number of topics that you can write about is truly infinite. Believe it or not, you can write about anything. About how you spent the day, about your goals, about meeting with a loved one and much more. But if a white sheet of paper kills your imagination, think about the topics in advance.

Reread your diary

This practice gives indescribable emotions: you will see what mistakes you made in the past and what you repeat in the present. This is an effective method of psychotherapy, it allows you to look at yourself from the outside and learn a lot of useful things.

We also forget a lot, and re-reading the diary helps to remember. For example, how many interesting and good things happen in our life.

Be honest

There is no point in keeping a diary if you are afraid to tell yourself the truth or fear that someone will read it. Take all precautions and be as honest as possible. In everyday life, we often engage in self-deception, so for at least these 20 minutes tell yourself everything as it is.

Use every extra minute

Remember, journaling is not a duty, but a blessing. Keep the diary open with a pen on it. If you need to think about something, think on paper.

Freewriting

Freewriting is a mechanical recording of all the thoughts that arise in the head for a certain time (10-20 minutes). It is important to write uncensored, edit, change without worrying about style and grammar. Helps to cope with creative crisis, apathy.

To get the most out of freewriting, follow these guidelines:

No super-efforts

Say no to perfectionism, relax and write.

Hard time frames

This motivates and makes the process controllable. It also helps to dodge and write further when, it would seem, the topic is exhausted.

Develop thought

The essence of this rule is that every thought can have a continuation. Even if it is stupid, you have to develop it – bring it to the point of absurdity or draw a wise conclusion.

Write fast

Since it’s important for freewriting to bring your hidden reserves to the surface, you don’t need to let your brain censor. The faster you write, the better.

Be yourself

Any person, no matter how open and sociable, has such corners of the soul that are completely hidden from everyone. The beauty of a personal diary is that these corners remain there, still hidden from the whole world. Unless someone stole it, of course.

On paper, you can analyze the past and plan for the future. It is not necessary to build a clear plan that will definitely be implemented in 2 days. You can write down any dreams, desires and ideas that in one way or another can contribute to changes in your life.

In psychology, the technique “imagine yourself through …” is very often used, the number of years may be different. If you are on the verge of new events, but do not know where to start or where to go, try to imagine yourself in a certain number of years. Once you have done this, compare the expected result with what you have now. If the difference is colossal, reflect on what needs to be changed in life, or in yourself.

A person at 40 may not know who he will be when he grows up. If you have the same thing, then with the help of a diary, you can reveal your abilities and aspirations. And once you recognize them, you can map out a rough route of action.

In the diary, people write not only about their experiences, but also happy moments. Talk about things that are genuinely enjoyable and interesting. Many people are so immersed in their main activities that they do not notice many of their hidden talents and hobbies.

Keeping a journal for an extended period of time can help you analyze your past, actions, and thoughts. After reading your notes one year ago, you may be pleasantly surprised, because you have achieved what you only dreamed of then.

Maybe you will laugh at yourself and your reaction to a certain situation, which then seemed catastrophic.

Many actions and emotions are worth revising after a time when the storm has subsided. This makes it possible to see your mistakes or correct decisions that you were not sure of before.

If for some reason things are bad with our self-esteem, self-confidence, and indeed everything is very bad, the diary will help you cope with these thoughts. The more you share your experiences, the less they will destroy you from the inside. Agree, it is much easier to buy a notebook than to pay for psychologist’s appointments and tranquilizers.

And, of course, there is proof of everything. American scientists in the course of research have found that fixing exciting thoughts and experiences on paper not only calms a person and improves memory, but also reduces the number of visits to doctors. One psychologist who conducted the research says that this method of relaxation actually helps a person to look at their feelings and unpleasant situations in a different way. And if it is not always possible to understand what really worries the most, then as soon as a person writes it down on paper, everything becomes much easier.

People with low self-esteem rarely pay attention to approval or compliments, but they are extremely sensitive to any criticism. To do this, you need to write down every kind word in your diary. And don’t confuse this with narcissism. Surely you will be pleasantly surprised when after a while you notice that others treat you well and appreciate your work.

It is extremely difficult to cheer and distract someone who is depressed. Few people feel better if others are constantly convinced that things are really not so bad. It is another matter if a person is convinced of this himself. To do this, it is enough to find in the diary not entries that tell about something good and bright. As soon as one realizes that it was not always bad, there is a hope that everything will end soon.

Relationships with other people

If this is not a business diary, then it will definitely contain a mention of someone else besides yourself. And it doesn’t have to be a loved one. Every day we encounter a huge number of people, some of whom can influence moods or situations in general.

For some people, a personal diary is a kind of vest in which you can cry, express your disappointment, sadness or pain. Thanks to your notes, you will be able to assess the degree of each event and understand who initiated it this way and not otherwise.

Having a problematic relationship, you can describe them in detail and ask yourself questions: what is the essence of the conflict, why I / he / she does not make concessions, what will this lead to, what do I want from this person in general.

If you can’t find the right solution because of some understatement, you can write a letter, but not send it. It is not always possible to express to a person in the forehead everything that you think about him and what you really want. This can happen for both ethical reasons and fear of ruining the relationship. To do this, you only need a blank diary page on which you can express everything.

This technique can be modified, and write a face not from yourself, but from the hero of the occasion. Given your personality, demeanor and communication, you can take a risk and try to see the situation through the eyes of another person. In the process of writing, unexpected conclusions may surface that you have not thought about before. These exercises have a positive effect on empathy.

Once you learn to look at things through the eyes of a loved one, you can accept the fact that only one person should not always be right, and this will help to avoid a lot of unpleasant moments.

But even if you see a real friend in your diary, who will always listen and will not reproach, you should not give up real live communication. For calmness and self-development, it is not enough just to put yourself in a comfort zone, in which there are no irritants, there is only me and my diary.

No matter how withdrawn or self-sufficient a person is, he always needs other people. A good relationship with your family and a few loyal friends is the key to a good psychological state. Of course, most of the nervous breakdowns and depressions occur precisely because of others. However, a person will achieve much greater success in life if he has the support and those who can stop in time or just be around.

Creative platform

While some people just need to write in each line, others want to accompany the notes with various drawings or diagrams. What is scattered chaotically in everyday life and in the head, without having an exact image, you can always pour on paper. And believe me, in order to express your thoughts in this way, you do not have to graduate from art school.

Many people like to dance without having a disposition to it, why don’t you start drawing, even if you’ve never held a pencil.

In addition, not every person fully knows about all their talents and capabilities. If you succumb to an impulsive desire to make your diary entry in some unusual way, you may accidentally find yourself drawing as well as Picasso.

As you write down thoughts and desires in a journal, you may suddenly feel that a rhyme is being born in your head. You are naturally a gifted poet, but you didn’t know about it until you started writing.

With your diary, you can do whatever your heart desires:

Write down the thoughts of great people or quotes from your favorite books
List the literature to be read before the end of the year
Describe people close to you
Paint each page, depending on your mood
Make various graphs and charts
Paste photos of yourself, family members or idols
Draw your dreams or desires

You can continue indefinitely. You are free to create whatever you have enough imagination and paper for. A personal diary, this is such a creative platform that gives you complete freedom of action.

Using different ways to design a diary, one day you will make the observation that you like a certain way more than others. The same goes for expressing thoughts. While some people find it easier to express themselves calmly and monotonously, others prefer loud expressions with a bright emotional color.

Be completely honest.

You may wonder why this applies to the rule, what is the point of lying to the diary. However, this remark is quite pertinent. Even without knowing it, a person can hide a lot from himself. And there are times that you want to forget, or ashamed of certain actions in front of yourself. The fact that you do not write the truth on paper, this truth will not go anywhere. Any innermost or oppressive thoughts remain in your head, periodically reminding you of yourself. Believe me, a stone from your soul falls much easier if you can admit everything to yourself and be as honest as possible in a conversation with yourself.

Leave criticism to others

Any activity, from work to choosing a T-shirt, can be criticized. There will always be someone who wants to tell you what is good and what is bad. And since such a person is inevitable, you do not have to be the brother of his responsibilities to yourself.

If we talk about honesty, then it is not only about dumping specific facts or events on paper. Honesty should also be in expressing one’s attitude to certain things. If your point of view differs from what is considered the norm in society, you can pretend in this very society, but not in a diary. The same goes for internal censorship. You can communicate with others in the literary language, every now and then, throwing out a curtsy, but if alone with yourself you are comfortable being a swearing locksmith Uncle Petya – write as Uncle Petya.

You are not writing for someone else

The most important and important distinguishing feature of the diary from everything else is that only you need it, only you write it, and you can read it, rightly, ONLY YOU. It is important to remember this.

If a person leads a personal block, he is doomed to be not completely honest with himself, and, therefore, with those who read his notes. Having at least one reader makes inner critics wake up and throw true thoughts far beyond honesty. A person who plans to share his thoughts with others, without realizing it, will try to please the rules and standards of a certain circle of people. You are not in danger, you are a writer and a reader rolled into one.

Write about the little things

The diary, like a photo album, will eventually become a keeper of information and memories. To return one day to the events of a particular day, you can always find it by date in your diary. Take care of this in advance, and paint everything down to the smallest detail. If an event is honored to be in your diary, then it matters. Describe the details of what is happening, the people involved, your impressions and emotions.

Imagine how disappointed you will be if, after finding the notes of an important day, all you see is “not so-so day.” Although in reality:

“Today has been a terrible day and it’s good that it is coming to an end. And what was I just thinking when I decided to scold the boss. It was necessary, like everyone else, to remain silent. But how could I remain silent if he clearly violates the rights of workers. Perhaps I did the right thing, albeit thoughtlessly. Now I’ll have to look for work again. “

Sources used and useful links on the topic: https://piter-trening.ru/zachem-vesti-lichnyj-dnevnik/ https://www.vitamarg.com/article/causes/1960-10-prichin-dnevnik https: / /www.colady.ru/polza-vedeniya-dnevnika-zachem-nuzhen-lichnyj-dnevnik-zhenshhine.html https://WikiGrowth.ru/razvitie/lichnyiy-dnevnik/ https://FB.ru/article/467672/ chto-takoe-lichnyiy-dnevnik-zachem-on-nujen-i-kak-ego-vesti https://constructorus.ru/psixologiya/lichnyj-dnevnik-neobxodimost-ili-modnaya-prixot.html https: // zen. yandex.ru/media/id/5a31985cad0f220f1933fa89/pochemu-polezno-vesti-lichnyi-dnevnik-5bcefae0b784b200ad47f96f https://4brain.ru/blog/%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B5 BD% D0% B8% D0% B5-% D0% B4% D0% BD% D0% B5% D0% B2% D0% BD% D0% B8% D0% BA% D0% B0 / https://medium.com/@moneymindacademy2018/%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BA-%D0%B8-%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BC- % D0% B2% D0% B5% D1% 81% D1% 82% D0% B8-% D0% BB% D0% B8% D1% 87% D0% BD% D1% 8B% D0% B9-% D0% B4 % D0% BD% D0% B5% D0% B2% D0% BD% D0% B8% D0% BA-b2ed65f6584c

Post source: lastici.ru