Dear diary…

For this month’s column, Michelle Gant, Editor of the Engaging Stories books that raise funds for charity, reflects on the benefits of keeping a diary (something she has been doing since the age of eight!)

January arrives and with it so does the annual tradition of opening the pages of a brand-new diary. My 2025 diary is particularly appealing: it’s personalised as a space for my words only, a Christmas gift from a husband who understands the importance that I place on the ritual of journaling. I kept my first diary when I was eight years old – a space where I mostly recorded what I had for my tea – and have pretty much continued the practice ever since. I started because I just love writing. Love it. And it is such an easy way to do something that I love.

But latterly I have come to realise that it is an absolutely fundamental tool for my wellbeing, because it gives me a place where I can bring my whole self and put down all the things that I am carrying.

Writing a diary allows you to write down your reflections, your thoughts, your ideas and, in doing so, process them. Through recounting events that have taken place that day, you can work your way through them and maybe find new perspective and understanding.

A diary is somewhere to store memories, capturing them for posterity to revisit as the years go by, and once again, reconnect with them and the feelings you had. Every now and then, I will bring my teenage diaries down from the loft and find joy within the history they hold; perhaps one day I will give them to my daughter (though I suspect she will consider them to be works of fiction as the thought of me as a young girl is so alien to her!)

A diary can be a confidant, a sounding board that listens without prejudice and allows you to speak freely. You can write like no-one’s reading because they’re not (the caveat to that is the time when my ten-year-old sisters got their sticky little mitts on one of my journals, content from which they gleefully recounted at breakfast!).

A diary can be there for the good times, the bad times, and all the in between times. And, actually, writing in a diary on difficult days can be when you need to do it most. When my mum passed away, I wrote in my diary about her and I think it helped me to process the enormity of the situation and record my immense gratitude for her.

So, if 2025 is the year you want to start journalling, here are some of the things that I’ve learnt about keeping a diary…

• Starting a diary is so easy. And, it doesn’t even have to be a diary – it doesn’t have to be in paper format either. It could be in the notes section of your phone. Personally, I am a traditionalist, and I love a beautiful book and a nice pen but honestly, whatever feels good for you.
• Write freely. Don’t edit yourself. Write until you’re done. And don’t worry about spelling or grammar – your old English teacher isn’t going to be marking your work.
• Don’t limit yourself within the confines of a page. If you need more space, use it.
• Find a time of day that works for you. I am a night writer, just before bed, but I have also been known to scribe in the morning. It takes 21 days to build a habit, or so they say, so keep on keeping on until it becomes automatic.
• One of the things I personally find powerful within my journaling is noticing the good stuff, writing down things I’m grateful for that might otherwise pass me by.
• Writing a diary could also be a great way of getting into a writing habit. And who knows where that could lead?
• Finally (and crucially), if you have ten-year-old sisters who find your antics utterly amusing, then you might want to consider getting a lockable diary…

More Things I Wish I’d Known

Thank you so much to all the amazing contributors – More Things I Wish I’d Known is taking shape, and I’m getting it ready to publish for International Women’s Day. The essays are amazing – moving, thought-provoking, and inspiring. I can’t wait to share the book and raise money for the vital work of Women’s Aid.

To launch the book, I’m teaming up with two brilliant women – Bridgit Richards and Gemma Brown – to host Lift Up, Power On, 6pm – 7.30pm, on Monday 10th March. The free webinar will share learning from the book and will offer a safe and supportive space to hear ideas and techniques to inspire, motivate, and empower. Find out more here:

Tickets for Lift Up, Power On webinar, taking place on Monday, March 10, 2025 at 6pm, are available on Eventbrite. Also, visit engaging stories – our words can make a difference, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Featured image of Michelle Gant – supplied