At the end of every day, I grab a pen and my journal, and hike out into the trails behind Rochester College to absorb the beautiful, imperfect world around me.
Not only does it clear my head of the stressful day I just endured, or the one ahead, but it gives me a moment to think independently about my biggest dreams and aspirations, problems I may face, or things I'm thankful for. To be completely honest, I can't even get a full night's sleep anymore without spending time in my journal first.
One thing that crossed my mind very recently during one of my journaling sessions was the following question: Why don't more people do this? As I tried to conjure up different theories, a few specific ones came to mind. Living in the busy day and age of 2016, an excuse used far too often is, "I don't have time." So, I'd like to take a minute to debunk this excuse:
When it comes to one's mental health, one must make time.
At the end of the day, when you're about to turn on Netflix and knock out an entire season of Gilmore Girls, think twice.
Another excuse I hear often enough is this: "I don't like to write."
Writing isn't everyone's forte, nor is it something everyone enjoys. That's okay. The beauty of having a journal that is yours, and yours alone, is that rules simply don't exist. If you don't feel like writing, then draw, sketch, or doodle your day. If you're sad, draw a picture that expresses those feelings. If you're angry, rip and wrinkle the pages. It doesn't make a difference.
Above everything else, journaling has taught me that every day is a clean page, waiting to be drawn on, written on, ripped, wrinkled, and the like. No matter how much ink you spill, there's another opportunity waiting when you turn the page.
