Why Bridget Jones is a GENIUS for Keeping a Diary ...

1. To-do Lists Are the Bomb in Journals

While most people think that journals are just for the emotional stuff, that isn't necessarily true. Sure, Bridge Jones' did capture a hell of a lot of emotional stuff in hers, she also made herself to-do lists, things she needed to work on, things she wanted to do with her life. You can do the same thing! Seriously girls, your journal is for your eyes only, make any kind of to-do list you want.

2. Keep Track of Your Brilliant Ideas

I actually use my journal for this. I have so many ideas of things I want to do, things I want to implement at work, things I want to implement for my own blogs – it's a lot and I capture it all right in my journal. Where else would I put it? The great thing about it? I can save it for my own kid to read eventually too!

3. Future Self-letters

Everyone should start doing this, when I was fifteen, I wrote a letter to my first 30-year-old self. Last week, I read it back and was so surprised and it was so cool to see what I would write when I was fifteen. What would your younger self say to your older self? Jot it down in your journal!

4. Capture All the Memories

No matter what, you aren't going to remember everything. If you happen to capture it in your journal, though, you'll see just what happened on particular days. My mom journaled about the day she met my dad and just being able to read that back is so neat and so cool.

5. Small Scrapbook

Memories could also mean scrapbooking! You can capture all kinds of pictures, little things like movie ticket stubs, anything that means something to you. You can tuck these items in your journal and use it a little bit as a scrapbook without spending hours on it.

6. Creative Project-keeper

Have a project that you want to work on? A project that you want to start on? Why not capture every one of your creative ideas in there? Or, why not sketch out that outline to your book or the screenplay that you've wanted to work on forever? That's what a journal is for ladies!

7. Jot down Your Dreams

Finally, it can be a dream keeper. I use it for this too. Not only do I keep it for my personal stuff and every item on this list, but if I wake up and I've had a really vivid dream, I'll jot down a few things before I fall back to sleep so that I can remember what I dreamed about in the morning.

So, now that you know some of the reasons behind having a journal … are you going to start to copy Bridget? I know I'll keep this up for the rest of my life probably!