“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train. – Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest.
Writing in your journal regularly is not a waste of time because you are not a waste of time. Each person has intrinsic value.
Some people might protest, ” But my life is so boring. Why should I write about it?” Is it?
If our lives are boring then let’s challenge ourselves in our journals to go broad, or go deep, or both.
Go Broad
For instance, if you are tired of writing about your feelings, go broad and include something else. Write a movie review. Draw your best friend. Describe the couple at the next table and reverse engineer how they arrived there.[This is how screenwriter Aaron Sorkin practices creating characters.]
The point is to give yourself variety to write about.
Go Deep
Or go deep. You are bored of writing that you like flowers. Go deeper. Could you include a photo of a flower you saw today and write it’s botanical name and its common name? Could you read a book on flowers and discuss it? Could you join a botanical society and get even more ideas?
The point is that there are worlds beyond the surface. Explore them.
Your thoughts, goals, dreams, observations are assets to your life. Writing them down can provide focus, appreciation, perspective, or even entertainment. Journaling is not boring and neither are you. Dig deeper or embrace more of what is right in front of you.
Onward!
Deborah