Woman keeps journal for 42 years and realises 1 life-changing benefit

Woman keeps journal for 42 years and realises 1 life-changing benefitFollowing in her mum and grandmother's footsteps, Amanda Close has consistently kept a record of her life through journaling for a staggering four decade periodCommentsNewsAlan Johnson Social News Reporter12:27, 21 Apr 2026View ImageA woman who has kept a journal for 42 years has explained how it has shaped her life (stock)(Image: Getty Images)A woman who has written journal entries for more than four decades has opened up on how it has changed her life. Amanda Close, 54, made her first entry in 1984 when she was just 12 years old.‌Since then, she has consistently logged her thoughts and experiences in handwriting - just as previous generations of her family did throughout their own lives. "Journaling has been the one quiet habit that’s shaped my life over time, steady and grounding," Amanda explained in a YouTube video. "But it’s also a thread that runs through my family: my mum and my grandmother kept journals long before I ever did."‌She went on to urge others to do the same, meanwhile, revealing a pile of journals, each labelled with their respective years. "I wanted to talk about the gift of keeping a written journal and what it has done for me," Amanda explained.‌According to Amanda, keeping her journal has shaped who she is today, helping her through big decisions, hard times, and break-ups. "I've been able to process things through these notebooks," she said. "And I think that has done incredible things for me - it keeps me calm, it gives me clarity, and I believe it gives me resilience."She elaborated: "Memory keeping brings with it a kind of magic. Writing has a way of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary."‌Amanda also told viewers that the journal has helped her deal with major world events such as 9/11. Although she was living in Europe when the attacks took place, she is from New York originally."Tha...