Photo: George Burns

I've been journaling since I was 15. It's a wonder that I've managed to be a successful human being considering how pathetic I appeared in many of my daily musings. It's a testment to growth and grace that I've come this far.

I wrote a lot of bad poetry in my teens and 20s, mostly about how some guy had done me wrong. I used my journals as therapy. Oh, the time I wasted worrying about men and weight, and what other people thought!

In my 40s, I got wiser. I started using journals to express my gratitude—and watched my blessings multiply. What you focus on expands.

Now I do a combination of gratitude and trying to give some perspective to whatever I'm writing about. I prefer unlined paper to lined, and I also have an iPad app for journaling. It's astonishing to be able to track your own evolution—who I was, who I'm still becoming.

See select entries from Oprah's journals, dating back to 1970!