Your Year Sucked but Did You Die Though?: The Importance of Keeping a Journal

"Yup, this is the end of the world. There's no getting through this". Well, you've said that before; several times throughout your life actually. Now here you are today, live and in person. You got through it. You may have new obstacles but just like before, you'll get through those too. That's the beautiful thing about having a journal. You can reference some of the darkest times in your life which is concrete evidence that this too shall pass. 

I recently came across some notes I wrote that were stored in the cloud that dates back to my college days. The growth was amazing to see. I was going through real issues that ended up being the impetus to me blossoming into the woman I am today. I thought I knew what I wanted and who I wanted back then. I read fear of the future that kept me up until many mornings. Although some of those times were sad, revisiting those times made me smile because I knew how that chapter ended. I watched dreams come true and pain subside. 

To read a history of yourself rising above the ashes is exhilarating because you know that you're going to do it again. Isn't it crazy that the boy you thought you couldn't live without is far from your type today? Remember that job you thought you wanted but grateful that you didn't get because you deserve better? Another benefit is that you get a refresher of lessons you've learned along the way so that you can continue to apply that knowledge in the future. 

Wisdom has to start from somewhere. It starts from experience so why not document it? Document your desires. Note how you're being loved and how you want to be loved. Be transparent on paper about your struggle with depression and the fear of the unknown. Our lives have multiple chapters. Sometimes our answers lie in those previous chapters. Those pages also make you grateful. 2017 was my "2020"(The year of obstacles). For a while, I couldn't even listen to songs from that year because they triggered me. Luckily, I had this platform to write things down and emote. Now I go back, read, remember who I am what I've overcome, and I feel empowered.

Give yourself that same gift. Use your notes on your phone, get a 50 cent spiral notebook from Target. Just write. You deserve to read your series. You'll see a continuous pattern. That pattern is resilience.