Do you keep a journal? Why/Why not?

If so, in what format (online, paper, other)? For how long have you kept at it? How honest/full-disclosure are you?

I’m an over-50 gay man thinking about taking it up again.

Thanks

  • OceanSoap@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    4 days ago

    I’ve tried. I want to be a journaler so bad, but I can’t keep it up at all. I either get bored or I get too detailed and it takes too long to write down one entry, so I stopped trying.

    I was better at bullet journaling, but only slightly.

    • HiddenLychee@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      3 days ago

      Same. I’ve been journaling intermittently from 2019 on, but I’ve barely filled a whole journal with how often I just give up.

  • ScientifficDoggo@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    4 days ago

    I’ve journaled before, but more of a snapshot fashion (once a month or so). Doing this made me realize that I’m never in a good headspace when I feel like journaling, and now I use the urge to journal as a canary to get help.

    Point is, journaling might help beyond just getting your feelings out. Twas the case for me.

  • theherk@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    3 days ago

    I quasi-journal at work, just to remember what I’ve done and why I did it. I do so using markdown files.

  • Sasha [They/Them]@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    3 days ago

    I started a free writing journal to help generate ideas and learn to get a little more creative. It’s basically just a regular journal at this point, I just write in it whenever I have a thought that I feel I should keep. It’s been invaluable for coping with mental health stuff too. I don’t think I’ll ever stop, it’s not something I have to force myself to do any more.

  • danzania@infosec.pub
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    4 days ago

    It’s nice to sit down and just write about your week, like talking to an old friend/family member about what’s new. You never know what comes out. I use an old Kindle Scribe that I don’t do anything else with. It sounds like you have privacy concerns?

    • yool_ooloo@lemmy.worldOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      4 days ago

      Privacy concerns: YES

      Nosy parents found my teenage journals before I came out and that set me up for ‘don’t be gay’ therapy.

  • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    4 days ago

    I have tried journaling numerous times, particularly for mental health reasons as it is supposed to be helpful, and it has never worked for me as something helpful to do. It just makes me ruminate even more.

  • BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    4 days ago

    I kept a Livejournal for many years. I closed it when the Russian government basically took it over for propaganda, but mirrored it to Dreamdwidth. It’s hard to read in places, but it’s helped me a lot regarding ending my relationship and why I’m not crazy.

  • daggermoon@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    4 days ago

    I don’t keep a journal per say. I occasionally write depressing poetry or just things I think sound cool that I come up with. I write things in a .txt file.

  • Suck_on_my_Presence@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    4 days ago

    As an over 30 gay woman, I’m in a similar spot. I journaled just a bit when I was younger, but I was really struggling with life and everything.

    I think it would be a good outlet for me now, but I don’t want to do full pages because I think that would end up just swirling the depressing things all around. I’ve been looking into little guided journals with short daily topics.

  • Brave Little Hitachi Wand@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    4 days ago

    I had really good success doing a daily page of A5, few months ago tried to upgrade to doing art least 1 page of A4 per day. I’ve slightly fallen off the habit.