I keep a journal that has evolved from paragraphs style story telling of events and feelings to more of a data grid type of daily charting. It is expanded upon if I need add extra information.

I use a notebook turned sideways, each page a month. The graphs are horizontal with the dates on top, the symptom on the left, with an x or - if I experienced symptom or not. I have a column for 'more on back' if I had something occur that needed additional info.

There are times I needed to chart more on back that took up a whole notebook page, but since so many days are normal weird instead of extraordinary weird, I find charting symptoms enough, and helpful.

I do believe self expression is not a generalized thing. All people must find their own 'voice'. My rigid style would not work for many. But the free flowing ramblings of my random and varied thoughts of the past did not help me. This format not only helps me to see the pattern in the chaos, but I volunteer copies of it to my therapist who says it helps her as well.