Do you ever wonder if you’re over-sharing personal information on your blog? If so, maybe a good old fashioned journal (or even a private digital version) would be a better fit. After all, you probably have plenty to say that you don’t really intend to share with the world. Let’s take a closer look at private journaling so you can decide whether a journal could be a good tool for you.
Here are three benefits of journaling — or ways you can use private journals when a public blog just doesn’t make sense.
Journaling lets you write in a free-form manner that wouldn’t necessarily make sense on a public blog. It lets you tap into your creativity without any bounds or rules that you have to follow. That’s why journaling can be such a great tool for writers — it’s about removing creative inhibitions.
While it’s true that you can share your thoughts, opinions, photos, and other personal information on a blog, that doesn’t always make sense. First, it can be a security issue — especially if you’re sharing information about your children or other individuals without their consent. But sometimes it’s just a case of personal information being inappropriate for a blog.
For example, if you run a blog for professional networking, you probably aren’t going to share personal information on a regular basis, or at least not in much detail. Journaling gives you somewhere more private to do this.
Have you lived a particularly interesting life? If so, have you ever thought about turning your life story into a published memoir? If writing a memoir appeals to you, journaling could be a great way to get your thoughts down. Your journal gives you a place to share your most detailed thoughts without editing yourself. Then when you’re ready to organize that information into a book, you have it at your fingertips. Even better, it’s private until you’re ready to publish it.
Would you consider keeping a private journal for any of these reasons? Or do you prefer to share these kinds of personal thoughts publicly on a blog (or maybe not write them down at all)? Do you already have a journal? If so, how do you use it? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.