The benefits of keeping a daily journal
Online social networks, in their short history, have mainly been concerned with breaking news and the latest events in one’s circle of friends. Yet, as generations emerge that spend larger portions of time on these networks, some websites are now becoming treasure troves for the past as well.
Case in point: Facebook’s new “On This Day” feature, which shows photographs and posts in one’s newsfeed from the day’s date in previous years. We no longer use Facebook simply to keep up with friends, family, and our favourite singers, but also to look back at old photos, videos, posts, and conversations.
Gone are the days of photo albums and VHS tapes. Our nostalgia now comes from Instagram and Vine. This is not necessarily a problem; while I may enjoy flipping through an album of faded pictures, others might one day have the same feeling as they swipe through old photos on a tablet.
However, I would contend that in moving our lives online, we are diminishing our capacity for self-reflection. This is perhaps best illustrated in the art of journaling. Whether we call it a diary, a journal, or a log, periodically putting one’s thoughts and feelings on paper is a healthy practice to maintain. It has no clear analog in the digital world. Websites like WordPress and LiveJournal do offer blogs and journals of sorts, but these are by their very nature public, and are thus written with an external audience in mind. Similarly, Tumblr posts and Facebook notes often end up commenting on outward phenomena rather than looking inward at one’s self.
In contrast, keeping a private log offers a healthy mode for introspection. Having the privacy of one’s writing guarenteed allows one to be as open as possible in exploring experiences and feelings, which is key to self-development. Journaling is an opportunity to face one’s true self without fear of external judgment.
Even the simple task of regularly making note of observations can form fertile ground for new ideas. Some parts of the creative process are not meant for the public, yet they are integral to the final product. Keeping a log offers an outlet for these drafts.
There are other benefits as well: in addition to developing one’s hand at prose, consistent journaling helps the writer see his or her life as something more than a series of random events. Pausing to reflect on a daily or weekly basis helps to contextualize experiences and draw connections between them. Seeing life in a macroscopic view can give a person a greater sense of purpose and conviction. It should be no surprise that many key figures in history and the arts—like Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain—kept personal journals.
Keeping a portion of our lives to ourselves where we can reflect on our own needs and growth is a healthy discipline. We need places where we can retreat from others to focus on who we are.
As well, it is important to have “sandboxes for our ideas” where we can reflect on experiences without the whole world watching.
I have kept journals on-and-off over the years, and whenever I return to them, I find myself wondering why I had ever stopped. As we spend progressively more time on screens in a fast-paced world, I hope we do not forget the value of time spent with a pen, a pad, a cup of tea, and most importantly, ourselves.