How Keeping a Diary Can Save You

Diaries are a forum in which we can raise and then galvanise ourselves into answering the large questions which lie behind the stewardship of our lives: What do I really want? Should I leave? What do I feel for them?

FURTHER READING

“What should in an ideal world define someone as a writer isn’t that they publish books, or give talks at literary festivals or wear black; it’s that they belong to a distinct group of people who — whenever they are confused or in distress — gain the greatest possible relief from jotting things down. ‘Writers’ in the true sense are those who scribble — as opposed to drink, exercise or chat — their way out of pain…”

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CREDITS

Produced in collaboration with:

Elaine Song

Title animation produced in collaboration with

Vale Productions

[asmrtiktokcompilations]

A diary can be your best friend . One that knows all your secrets and you don't have to cover your flaws but be your real self

[aryionpetrelle]

My favorite thing is flipping through pages of my diary and seeing each ending with 'I love you so much'

[Jascupz]

Ive been working on my journal like a madman these past couple of years. It saved my life, given me advice I'd forgotten, and been an allied friend. Something I have been doing is looking back at long old text messages, homework assignments, and social media posts and putting them in it as well too. Having my past self from all the ages encourage me is by far the most liberating thing Ive ever done. I cannot stress this enough, it gives the best advice for myself. Cannot recommend more

[carlosr]

"Looking back at what we have written should be embarassing"
Yes, it definitely is. And it's a process of accepting and forgiving our messiness too.

It's impossible to look polite and beautiful in our crises.

[glorianguyen]

Having suicide thoughts throughout my childhood while deciding to do so at 16. I found myself fighting for my will to live. Having my diary once read and punished for my thoughts once when I was 7, I was terrified of putting any thoughts out side of my own brain. Finally had the courage to brush aside the fear of being spy upon by my mother and I've been writing daily diary since then. It saved me from actually committing suicide

[ziksy]

I went through a breakup recently and this video is 100% correct. I wrote all my thoughts down whenever I got too emotional and not only was this an incredibly cathartic experience, but I also arrived at insights about my relationship that I never even considered before.

You know how it's easy to give relationship advice to your friend as a third-party? We don't have emotional attachment to the relationship, so we can think clearly. To me, writing was like an exercise of looking at my own relationship as if I was a third-party.

[bexdiller]

When I was a kid, I kept a journal. One day I brought it to school with me and one of the boys in my class got his hands on it. He broke the lock open and read my diary to the entire school. It didn't help that he was one of the boys on the "boys I like" list I had in there. I was devastated and once I finally got the diary back I ripped it into pieces. I've tried to keep a diary since then but have never been able to, even though roughly 30 years have passed.
Today I have both physical and digital diaries with locks and passcodes, but to this day I haven't been able to write more than a few pages a year, and I can't sit down and write without getting very emotional and thinking about that evil little boy. I'm sure he didn't understand what he was doing, but I can't help but feel like he robbed me of myself.

[elihan]

I started a diary in college. It was after a series of setbacks, failures, and humiliations that I now call "the collapse". I just wanted to state my thoughts and views without a filter. 10 years and 10 volumes later, I'm still writing.

[sol.f]

The one tip that worked for me to make writing in a diary a habit is to not feel obliged to write every day or every week. I only write when I feel something very intense and I feel like letting go. Sometimes I won't write for months, but I have been doing so for a couple of years now. Whereas in the past when I forced myself to write it didn't last more than two weeks. Hope this advice is of use to someone. Journaling is therapeutic!

[mindfulnesswithmatt]

When you put your thoughts and emotions into the dairy/journal, you are no longer alone

[danielgerber]

Writing diary was (next to therapy) the most helpful skill in overcoming my major depression!

[yohaizilber]

Journaling really is an excellent way to self-reflect and off-load all the jibber jabber in your head. This video is such a great demonstration of that. Keep up the great work.

[unicornjasminesun]

I love that you said being a writer isn’t someone who has their work published, it’s someone who writes through their pain. It validates those who’s work goes far beyond a dollar bill and fame

[dante_felix]

After watching this, I consedired to buy a diary book and now I've just bought it for 2023! Such a helpful video to someone who struggle for life

[snsmystic]

I journaled since I was 12 and am now in my 30s. And in looking back I can say journaling helped me reflect and gain insight, and it was the friend I never had and my secret keeper who never judged.
And I also noticed since I became physically sick and gotten out of the habit of journaling more regularly since I was 18, I've noticed that I'm not doing as well mentally. Rather than process my emotions as a write, I find I ruminate on negative emotions and dwell on them and end up lashing out on others but negative emotions will still remain. I need to get back to writing.

[jkanclark]

In 2014, I began to audio journalize on my phone, using the voice memo app. It was a distressing time in my life, and I would simply talk to myself most days on the drive to and from work. It definitely helped to crystallize my thoughts and feelings, which to that point were little more than nonsensical ruminations in my head. Idk if it saved me, but it certainly helped me.

[ThisIsMyFullName]

If you feel worried about writing a diary again, try using code names for people and also when referring to events. It can even be various signs instead of words that only you know the meaning of. For instance, an 'O' can be code for mOm, an 'A' can be code for dAd, and 3 can be code for a wife/husband, girl/boyfriend or crush <3. This can help you feel less anxious about someone potentially reading it, as there's an extra layer of protection.

[ritikarana]

I am 20 rn, started maintaining diary after reading Anne Frank's 'Diary of Young Girl' at the age of 10. And boy! what a pleasure it is to leaf through pages of my life. Makes me realize how beautifully I have evolved, been stuck at some areas and degraded at few. It helps me get aware of my toxic patterns, my triggers and helps me understand myself better. Reading past entries is literally my favorite thing to do, they prove to be source of strength on dark days knowing I have overcome far worse in past, and at times amaze me by making me aware of wisdom of my past self. Diary cultivated gratefulness in me by showing how divinely things can turn out through manifestation. Unfailingly, it has been my greatest ally in my euphoric honeymoon phase to dismal break up days, it was there when I was fighting suicidal thoughts and also there when I was celebrating my victories. I feel gratified for 'writing my way through life' and will continue doing so!
Thank you for this video.

[trinaq]

I kept a diary when I was younger, and it really helped me to vocalise and assess my feelings. I must start it back up again. 📝

[acelynn]

When I graduated from my high school, I will read all of my high school diary and I will be super proud of myself because I’ve been through all of the hard situations that I thought I couldn’t make it - public speaking, judgements, presentations etc. The only thing that made me survived school is journaling. When I’m nervous, mad, sad, happy or even can’t express my emotion, I journal. And I’ve never felt much more better than it. Ever since then, I’ve never felt school is boring.