Dear Diary,

When I was a kid, I wrote in a journal pretty regularly.  I still have one from when I was five or six and entries are literally: "I had a fight with Jenna and Jennifer on the bus today because they wouldn't share their My Little Pony's".  The last time I read my journals from my early teenage years I threw them out.  Who wants to be reminded of that?  Since then, I have picked up the pen and then dropped it again depending on what I was experiencing at the time.  Somehow, though, I always pick it up again.

For me, writing in a journal is a way to clarify thoughts, express emotion and ask questions.  After all, you are essentially having a conversation with your true best friend - you!  It is not something I force myself to do, but it has never been a chore.  Robin Sharma, the personal development coach and leadership expert advocates writing in a journal regularly in order to have one-on-one conversations with yourself.  He believes the process allows you to reflect on the state of your life and the progress of your dreams.

When I sit down with my journal (ie my Macbook), I don't think about what to write, it just comes.  If you are a newbie with journal writing, here are some tips to get you started:

• Write about what you hope to happen in your day or week. The idea is not to write a to-do list, but rather to plan out how you want to live your week and the expectations you have of it.
• Note down things you are grateful for. Many people advocate keeping a gratitude journal, but personally I find that tedious.  I prefer to incorporate gratitude into my regular journal-writing.
• Write truthfully. Your journal is just for you so let it all out.
• Don't worry about spelling or grammar.
• Don't feel like you have to keep your journals. For some, writing in a journal is about recording your life.  For me, it is like a workbook for life.  There are some journals that I keep for entertainment purposes (hilarious!) and others I toss out (after carefully shredding) because I don't need or want to hold on to painful or uncomfortable memories (we all have them!).
• Protect your journal's privacy. Hide it, lock it up or password protect it.  And if you ever catch someone reading your diary, never speak to them again

What you write in, whether it is an old exercise book, a pretty journal or your laptop, depends on your preference.  I tend to fluctuate between my Macbook, a moleskine, or a pretty notebook I pick up somewhere.  If you need the encouragement of a pretty notebook to get you started, here are some of my top picks from Etsy:

Coiled:  Mid Century Notebook by PS Paper Goods

Bound: Radio Sweethearts Mini Journal by A Punkin Card Company

Recycled:  Bursting with Brilliance Notebook by Katie Blair Designs

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Technorati Tags: A Punkin Card Company, Diary, Journal, Katie Blair Designs, Notebook, PS Paper Goods, Robin Sharma