dear diary

I had this great diary when I was little, with a yellow and gold cover and a lock you could pick with a coffee stirrer (thanks, BFF). Like any kid, I used to write down all the great injustices of my life, such as the unfairness of cantaloupe for dessert or my ballet teacher telling me I wasn’t even trying to lift up on my standing leg (because really, what does that even mean?).

It turns out I was doing it wrong. Last week I met with Carolyn Schuyler, a program director and therapist at The Women’s Initiative, for our upcoming wellness article on stress. She advises keeping a diary, but not as a place to vent unhappiness - a place to meditate on the things you’re grateful for. Every day take five minutes to write about three things you’re grateful for, and after a few months your brain will spend less energy pulling up negative thoughts about the past.

My thankfulness for today: I am thankful for Pandora radio - without it, I couldn’t get into my writing groove or have spontaneous office sing-alongs/dance parties. I am thankful for my new bottle of baby lotion - unscented, ultra-soothing, and organic. I am thankful for Gussie, my favorite dog of all time, who gets so excited her tail-wagging causes her body to pivot at her waist like a hinge.

Stressful day at work: averted.

Look for more stress-busting tips in the summer issue of Charlottesville Woman, available in The Daily Progress May 6!