Written by Devin Miller, Relate Contributing Writer

Feeling like you have so much to say and wish you could just blurt it all out at once? That’s what a diary is for! Whether you want to document every step of your life, the achievements, the struggles, the drama, the funny little occurrences or you are just looking for a way to reflect on your own thoughts, writing in a diary can help you with both. By following a few simple steps you can learn how to keep a diary and stick to it!

Step One: Personalize it!

Find a plain notebook and make it your own. By cutting out pictures from magazines or finding your favorite photos and pasting them to the front of your diary, you can turn the average composition book into something special.

Step Two: Set the mood

Whether it is after practice or before you go to bed, set a specific time to write in your diary. Doing this and sticking to it will make writing in your diary become a habit like brushing your teeth. Before you start writing, play your favorite music on a low volume to put you in a good mood and get your creative juices flowing. Also, try to pick a place to write where you won’t be surrounded by a lot of people that may distract you.

Step Three: Start writing!

Keep these things in mind every time you write a diary entry:

• Always date it! Knowing the date and how you were feeling on that exact day makes going back and reading your entries even more enjoyable and rewarding.
• Think about who you are writing to. “Dear Diary” is standard, but why not change it up? Give your diary a fun name and then address it in the heading.
• Be honest and candid. Saying exactly how you feel on paper is what makes writing in a diary give you that feeling of getting a huge weight off your shoulders. Write as if you are talking to your closest friend or your mom. This is your chance to unleash all of your feelings, thoughts and desires, so take advantage of it!

Need help getting started? Here are some questions to cure your writer’s block:

How was your day? What happened?

Is there something that you’re super excited about?

Has anything been bothering you?

What do you hope to accomplish this week?

What are you thankful for?

Step Four: Don’t forget the extras

Include pictures, movie stubs, programs, crushed flowers, anything that adds to your entry. Also, don’t be afraid to draw pictures or doodle alongside your writing. These extra touches make re-reading your entries even more fun.

Step Five: Reflect on old entries

The best part of keeping a diary is going back, reading old entries and seeing how much you’ve grown up. There is nothing better than finding your diary from your elementary school years, and laughing at everything that used to excite and worry you. [It allows you to see how far you've come in life, how much you've realized  and matured over the years.] Once you’ve started your diary, every so often turn the page to the beginning and read your first entry. You would be surprised to see how much you’ve learned since the first time you put your pen to paper.