You’ve probably not even started journaling yet and so you may be a bit bemused by the heading of this article. Please bear with me. Having an idea of how to use your completed journals in the future may give you the incentive to start journaling in the first place.
If you follow my advice and journal consistently, you may end up with a stack of journals eventually that you don’t know what to do with. Of course, you don’t have to do anything with them if you don’t want to.
You can keep them, save them, or trash them – it’s up to you. Here though, are several ideas to get your creative juices flowing, about what to do with your completed journals.
Keep As a Record of Your Life and Progress
You can always keep your completed journals as a record of your life and progress. Keeping this record of your life allows you to monitor your growth and see how far you’ve come. In addition, they will make a good reference point in the future, should you ever need to look back on something.
Review and Reflect on Your Entries
Another option is to review and reflect on your entries after you’ve finished the journal. This can be a great way to learn from your past experiences and see what worked well for you and didn’t. In addition, it enables you to identify patterns in your behaviour or thoughts.
Use as a Prompt for Future Journals
You may also use your completed journals as a stimulus for future writings. This might be an excellent method to sustain the writing habit and provide you with fresh ideas and themes to write about.
Give them to Someone Else
You may give your completed journal to a friend or family member. This can be an excellent method to share your stories with someone and assist them on their path. Do think long and hard about this one though, your journals may include a lot of private information.
Destroy or Discard
You may also choose to erase or trash your diary after you’ve finished using it. This is an acceptable option if you don’t want anyone else reading it or don’t want to keep it. Just ensure you’re doing it for the right reasons and not out of embarrassment or guilt. If you do discard a physical journal, then burning it (safely) not only solves the issue of security but can also be a cathartic process.
Use Them to Help You Write a Memoir
If you’re particularly reflective, you may want to use your journals to help you write a memoir. Memoirs allow you to share your story with others and leave a lasting legacy. You are able to sort and sift the level and degree of personal information you’re happy to share before you start writing.
Expand On Different Parts of Them
If there are specific entries in your journal that you find particularly interesting or insightful, you may want to expand on them in a separate writing project. This could be a great way to explore your thoughts and feelings in greater depth.
As you decide what to do with your completed journals, consider all the factors. At the end of the day you should choose what will work best for you.