Dear Diary… I Love You
Image Courtesy: Scholastic Kids / Dear Dumb Diary
Dear Diary (In this case: Strike readers),
All over social media and TikTok, we have been told: “You need to journal.” A pretty vague thing, but I see where they’re coming from. What I am here to tell you is that they are right, but not in the way you think.
I am a heavy defender of journaling, specifically keeping a diary. Whether you write in it every day or once a month, having a diary is very different. In my opinion, it is more encouraging than having a journal.
Journaling, as it has evolved digitally, has become a daunting, intimidating thing. This carefully picked out notebook and researched pen choice sitting on the desk in front of you, daring you to open it up and discover the deepest darkest parts of your mind. What are your fears? Why do you have them? What trauma from your childhood caused you to think that everyone chronically hates you?
Whoa, whoa, let's slow down a little bit. Don’t worry, that is not the kind of journaling I’m talking about. Writing is a very powerful tool of release, escapism, expression, and comfort. The validation and advice we seek from other people are right at our fingertips. Journaling has evolved into a therapeutic practice for some, using it to unravel their identities between the lines. This has caused the practice to carry a very daunting connotation and, for many, caused them to steer clear of it as a whole.
As an avid Dear Dumb Diary fan when I was younger, I still think she had the right idea. Opening up those pages that beckon you to write– about your day, who you’re crushing on, who pissed you off, hopes, dreams, desires, and at some point, fears– can become something to be excited about.
A lot of the mental blockages we face come from not knowing what to write or how to start. While sometimes prompts can feed into that idea of constant discovery and improvement, they can also be helpful. Here are some of my personal favorite prompts that allow me to just get into the groove:
Write about your day as if you were still 12, let every thought be large and dramatic.
What is something that made you laugh recently? Write it in a funky format of your choice.
Write about a piece of media you binged or were obsessed with (books, TV, songs, etc.).
Ten of your favorite/least favorite things
Close it, put a lock on it, and guard it with your life. Not because anyone’s going to read it, but because it’s your fun, little secret keeper.
I am pro-make journaling less complicated. Start writing a diary again and see what happens.
Strike Out,
Madi Denizard
Boca Raton
Madi Denizard is a content writer for Strike Magazine Boca. In typical Leo fashion, she is a social butterfly and loves self-expression of all kinds. When she’s not writing, you can find her with her nose stuck in a book, mermaiding in the ocean or crocheting her newest masterpiece. You can reach her by email at madison.denizard@gmail.com or on Instagram @mpaigee_
