How Keeping a Journal Changed my Writing

For my english class I had to make a journal with a total of 40 entries and 12 life compasses, for the course of two months. The rules of the journal were simple. You had to not cross out any words, write non stop for ten minutes, write about anything that came to mind - that means going for the jugular which also meant to not hold back on anything. Don't mind about grammar nor spelling and let your brain soar with information and memories. For the life compasses, we had to make a circle and four coordinates like on a compass. But in case of putting north, south, east and west, we wrote spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. In which we graded each one of the areas with a 1-3 scale. At the end, we added the numbers of each part to see which aspect of us was lower and which one higher. To see how well or bad we felt the moment we made the life compass. And how we could change it - if it was on the lower scale.

My experience with this assignment started our a bit painful and awkward, but I still looked forward to the project. I really like the idea of writing on a journal but had never started it before because of the time I had to dedicate it. Time I believed I didn’t have. So, I dismissed the idea of writing each day. I do keep an idea journal, in which I write or draw every kind of idea that I come up with, for later use or for an ongoing project or job. It makes it a little bit easier because, of course, one’s memory is not perfect and one can easily forget things. More importantly ideas are hard to come by. Is basically the main purpose of the journal - to remember things. When the professor told the classroom all the rules, I was kind of skeptical because I tend to edit a lot of my writing along the way. I’m sort of a perfectionist when doing this, so I was worried this might have become a challenge for me. All in all, I think the experience was pretty good. I am not gonna lie.

This assignment has made a better writer out of me. I don't worry anymore about my perfect writing or how well written is something, at first. Later I have to edit it. I just feel more at ease with my writing and it comes to me more fluid. So, I write all my ideas regarding the topic of my writing first and then organize, edit or restructure it. I own a blog, so this is gold for me. Now, I can write like If i am talking to the reader. Something a little more informal - which was what I was looking for when writing. My journal entries, at the beginning, where hard to follow. It had lots of random things and no line of thought. Through the course of time, my entries got better and better. Ten minutes where nothing anymore. I got deep several times, in which I couldn’t stop writing. I really began to like writing about my day or my problems on a blank notebook. It made me feel better afterwards or more connected to myself.On the other hand, my life compasses have been very different one from another. Since the start, I have written a lot on them. When I’m at college or stressed out about homework they tend to be more on the lower scale (between a 5-8), in comparison to, when I’m doing something I really love doing or exploring around they are more higher (9-12). The circles got smaller, but that’s because I wrote more of why I was feeling the way I did. 


Eventually, I will keep doing the journal, at least when I travel, that way I get more memories out of it. It’s something I have to do. Honestly, it connects me more to my life and makes me be more aware of all each aspect of myself. Now, I can better understand if something is not wrong, which area is being hurt and viceversa.