Why I Need To Write Every Day
I would be a nutcase without my daily journaling. I have always loved to write and take photos. As a kid, I loved writing poems, had a digital camera with me 24/7, and made physical scrapbooks for every occasion from trips to birthdays to school sports.
When MySpace came about in 2005, it was my jam. I taught myself how to code my own layouts, added music to my profile, shared carefully curated photos, posted bulletin boards, and then redid then entire thing the next week. When Instagram launched in 2010, I downloaded it immediately and have been posting on it for 15 years.
Through all of my life changes, I’ve found joy in documenting my life, both for myself and to share with others.
I recently saw a video on TikTok of a girl saying, “creative people are miserable to be around if they aren’t working on a project.”
That message resonated with me a lot. If I don’t journal, take photos and share online for even a few days, I am extremely unsettled. It makes me feel disorganized and my mental health suffers. Going through these processes helps my brain notice, reflect and compartmentalize.
Writing, capturing and sharing my life doesn’t feel like an extra thing to do, instead it’s the foundation and framework of how I shape my days. I need to journal in the morning to check in with myself. How did I sleep? What emotions am I experiencing? What would bring me joy today? What tasks must be accomplished? What activities could I romanticize?
The work informs itself. When I’m regularly observing my life, it reveals what I’m passionate about, my patterns, habits, favorite places, and an increased appreciation for all the little things. This has helped me discover what’s important to me. Where attention goes, energy flows.
By consciously choosing to romanticize my life, reflecting on the day’s highs and lows, and sharing these moments with others - I am constantly gifting myself the pleasure of experiencing purpose, joy and gratitude.
I’ve found that different mediums fulfill me in different ways. Instagram is very visual, which allows me to share photos of myself, my loved ones, places I’ve traveled, my home, food, outfits and things that inspire me. Podcasting is verbal, so I can go in-depth on various topics without feeling rushed. I love that the audio format of podcasting allows the audience to still go about their life (cooking, cleaning, driving, on a walk) while listening to me share about mine. With my clothing store, having a physical space to decorate, organize and invite people to gives me a sense of belonging and community.
The only thing missing was a place to share my writing, where the content could live forever. Bringing this website to life has been incredibly grounding. It’s helped me grieve parts of my past that I hadn’t previously been able to let go of. It’s allowed me to see how much I’ve grown and accomplished. It’s encouraged me to view myself from an outside perspective and recognize the beauty that I bring to this world.
I write to remain present. I don’t want to blink and feel like years passed without notice. Putting pen to paper keeps me aware of my inner and outer world, and allows me to feel connected to everything. Writing keeps me tethered to real life. It reminds me that I’m just a little human who is doing her best each day, and to give myself more grace.
Receiving feedback and supportive message on these posts has made an already fulfilling project, even more rewarding - so thank you for being here <3 I hope I’m able to provide value to your life, through sharing mine.