The Joys of Journaling

There are so many wonderful benefits of journal writing. Journaling gives you the ability to keep all of your ideas in one place, no matter how all over the place they may be. Even when life gets hectic, writing all your thoughts down will keep your mind calm and help to give focus to thought.

• Brainstorm ideas more effectively

Jot down whatever pops into your head. Just let your mind wander as you explore your thoughts. You can always come back to these ideas, make connections and conclusions that may promote new ideas.

• Stay organized

Journals give the ability to help keep your thoughts organized. You can record daily happenings, the feelings you had about a certain experience, or the opinions you have about specific interactions. It is recommended that you date your entries to provide a timeline of events.

• Reduce stress

The ability to write down your feelings provides an avenue to express stressful issues. This can act as a release and can be very cleansing. Hurt, anxiety, frustration, and negative events can be painful. Expression in writing will prevent things from being bottled up inside. Expressing yourself via journaling is an excellent way of releasing “stress” you may be keeping in.

• Allow yourself to self-reflect

To quote Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Our lives can become very hectic, making it easy to get caught up in the day-to-day. Responsibilities start to consume us. Journaling is a way to take a step back from all of that and reflect on yourself. You may begin to see patterns in your behavior, or in the behavior of others. Once documented on paper, you can look back at pages you’ve written and reflect on how you’ve changed, discover things about yourself, and see things that you might want to change.

• Achieve your goals

Goals are more likely achieved if you have a plan and write them down. By keeping a journal, you can write down a list of ambitions and aspirations, then expand on them. You can monitor your progress and continue to motivate yourself by documenting new achievements.

• Improve your memory

By writing down ideas and thoughts that you have had throughout the day, your brain is more likely to store that information. If you learn something new, a journal is a good place to jot down the details. Journaling can also help you remember milestones within your life, such as a trip or a relationship.  

Finally, consistent journaling may be the key to a better understanding of who you are while providing an outline for what you would like to achieve next.

For more information on the benefits of journaling, take a look at The Benefits of Journaling for Stress Management, or 10 Surprising Benefits You'll Get From Keeping a Journal.