Diary plays an interesting role in people’s life. I mean if I were to ask Amy Dunne, a lead of Gone Girl (2014) a blockbuster American thriller film adapted from the novel of the same name, “Why is maintaining a diary an amazing idea?”Her pat reply would be “You need a diary! Minimum 272 entries to categorically frame your low-life cheating husband for your own murder (while you are still alive and on the run!) and make sure the cops find it!” Hell hath no fury like a psycho, murderous and vindictive Amazing Amy scorned! Jokes apart, if you are not maintaining a physical diary, you are missing out on a lot of important things. And people you have to trust when I say this- It is a helpful friend.

Agreed, in this digital age we are swarmed with a plethora of writing a journal, diary and notepad apps, but I am positive that nothing beats setting a pen to paper (no matter how bad your handwriting *wink*). Let’s face it guys, a glowing touchscreen cannot replace the tactile feel of an old-fashioned pen! There is something cathartic about letting yourself go and submitting to the pen and pages. You need not to jot down a blow by blow encounter of your day, enlisting a select few highlights of the day would more than suffice. I have personally benefited immensely from the habit of maintaining a diary or journal, let me enlist a few reasons why:

IT IS A GREAT STRESS RELIEVING EXERCISE:

Writing or journaling on a regular basis is said to have a host of well documented emotional and mental health benefits, not to forget it helps keep those creative juices flowing. Instead of wondering where did my yesterday go!?! you can flip through pages to find exactly where. More than anything else, it’s the cathartic release for people writing diaries that help them cope with most complicated adversities.

MAKES YOU APPRECIATE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS:

Since childhood, we are wired to be critical of ourselves and taught not to let our heads get too heavy for our shoulders. We often tend to shove the things we could accomplish in a day into the back of our minds and keep fretting about the things we couldn’t achieve. Writing down our accomplishments aid in processing what is our real strengths and virtues. Trust me, it feels wonderful to reflect on your triumphs and prepare yourself for another adventurous day. Nobody will help you create your own sunshine better than You.

ASSESS MISTAKES AND AVOID THEM:

Regular writing can better serve as a stern reminder of the mistakes you’ve made. During our worst times, all we want is to unwind and not visit the nightmare that was yesterday! But as it turns out, willingness to acknowledge our follies and to take responsibility is equally important. What better way than a diary to make you realize that? Besides, if you are lucky your diary will assist you in spotting your own mistakes before they’re pointed out to you by others.

SUM-UP A DAY, A MONTH OR A YEAR:

Say on a particular day to-do list is out flown. And you are able to complete only 7 out of 10. Here your diary acts as your mentor by helping you understand how efficiently you could tackle those 7 tasks. Not only that but also notice some of the other things you did get done that weren’t on the even on the list. Writing helps you feel in sync with your inner-self. At the same time, it enables you to re-live memories that are days, months or years old and gain a new perspective on life.

KEEP A CLOSE TAB ON PERSONAL GROWTH:

Penning down your deepest emotions to paper makes you feel much better than keeping them to yourself. A structure is not that important, it’s for your eyes only. Writing about your general experiences not only helps you process them better, it aids in tracking your progress. Diaries written over a period of time lend you an opportunity to look back on something worthwhile in future. Maybe you’ll even get to show your grandkids what you used to be like!

Day after day, we wish away our days but we need to introspect every now and then instead. Without introspection, there is hardly any point in rejoicing our wins nor can we learn from our mistakes. The habit of maintaining a diary makes sure we make a positive impact on our well being. You can also admire or motivate others by your diary. Like how today we read diaries from the history to probably entertain ourselves or go through the hardships of some people. Remember it is never too late to cultivate a good habit. You’ve got to keep at it to make it happen on a regular basis.