We’re past the starting line yet again; and we bet you want to record how this year shapes up your life. Step one: Invest in a personal journal. Step two: Write. Step three: Write daily. And you are well on your way towards a less stressed and more thoughtful you.

During my years growing up, my sister and I were given a personal diary each on the first day of the year. The simple, boring and plain looking diaries were a gift from Dad. Each year, we would make the same complaint: They are so dull to look at. And Dad would make the same suggestion: Fill them up with your moments from the year to make them interesting. And that’s how I got introduced to the habit of maintaining a personal diary. Today, in the loft of my home lies a pile of old diaries filled with memories and mistakes, successes and failures, cheers and collapses, relationships and realties and a lot more that made each year worthwhile. People write diaries for different reasons, yet, while a lot of people stick to resolutions, most give up on diary writing. So far in 2015, here are 15 reasons why recording your life in a diary is a good idea:

1. A great stress buster: Writing is a better stress buster than eating desserts or exercising hard. Yes, it’s better to de-clutter your system through words, than saying a nasty word.
2. Your bucket-list: Make a note of the wish list in the diary so that each time you open it, you are reminded to work toward fulfilling the items on that list.
3. A personal feeling chart: When you write down how you feel each day, about a recent event, relationship or situation, you slowly discover what makes you happy and upset. Also, you learn to distinguish between petty and significant.
4. The special days: Making a record of a special day, like a promotion at work or a surprise birthday party, is always a good idea.
5. The non-special days: Recording normal days will give you a chance to see what’s special in the routine. Be it how much you love your morning cup of tea, driving to work, a long walk, or a cuddle with your dog at the end of the day.
6. Think fame: What if you were to become famous and people wanted to know who you were and are? Prepare this record of your life for them. Think C.S. Lewis/Helen Keller…
7. Be organized: Sorting out things in your head can be quite a pain. Writing it down makes the task easier. Record your inspirations, ideas and tasks.
8. Relationship guru: Scribbling down the anger you feel after a fight and the love you experience after a special moment is what you write in here. When in doubt, refer to the latter to know how much you love your spouse, child, parent or sibling.
9. Confessions: Sssh… diaries are a secret. Share your fears, guilt and secrets with it and be assured they are safe.
10. Something to look forward to and look back on: Having someone (in this case a piece of paper) waiting for you to know how your day went, is a pleasant feeling. And so is the idea of flipping through to discover how far you have come in life, relationships, or work.
11. Me-time: Diary writing can be your time to tune out from the world and spend a few moments with yourself sans the distractions of daily life.
12. A dose of entertainment or reflection: This February you are learning to ice skate and nursing a sore arm, you knew it was a bad idea in the first place. See what you were doing last February? Learn to laugh at your mistakes and attempts and appreciate your success and efforts.
13. Want to be a writer? This is going to be your perfect writing ground for 365 short stories. It will help you overcome the writer’s block and discover a new talent; say, poetry.
14. A family and friends album: Your diary is not just a record of your life but the lives of people who are important to you. The first time your child sneezed to the first meal you cooked for your mom: it will remind you.
15. Mirror, mirror… Lastly, this is going to be your chance to get to know yourself.