3 Things I Love About Journaling
My Journal Story
I have had an on-and-off relationship with journaling for my whole adult life. I would get inspired, open a fresh notebook, write some things down for a day or two, and then I would miss a day and forget that I even wanted to develop this habit. This all changed in 2017 when I purchased an app called DayOne. I’ve still had periods where I’ve gone a month or two without writing in there, but overall, it’s been a fairly consistent habit. I’ve seen many benefits to the process and truly think everyone should try to get into the habit of writing down their thoughts on at least a semi-regular basis.
Benefits of Journaling
A quick Google search will give you a long list of the benefits of journaling. While many of those benefits are valid, some of them may not resonate with you. For example, one of the reasons people keep a journal is so that their kids (or others) may read it someday. While this certainly can be a benefit, it’s not why I keep a journal. I don’t write in my journal with the thought that I will be passing on knowledge someday. You might, however, journal with the very intent to pass on what you have learned in life to your children. All that to say, there are many benefits to using a journal, but don’t feel like you have to journal in a specific way.
My Favorite Journal Benefits:
Clear your mind
One of the biggest reasons I love keeping a journal is to get everything out of my head. I use it as my brain dump space. Many times I will write an entry and not stop to correct typos or grammatical errors. In this way, I’m able to get everything out of my head as fast as possible. These types of entries help lessen the noise inside my brain. I love having a place to deposit whatever thoughts are rattling around up there. Every so often this leads to other ideas or sends me off in a direction I didn’t expect. Other times I write things out and never re-visit them.
On This Day…
As I mentioned above, I use an app called DayOne to write my journal. One of my favorite features is that it collects all previous entries made on the same date in previous years. Since I’ve been journaling in the app for several years now, it’s great to see old memories, ideas, stories, and photos pop up. I usually take a few moments each day to walk down memory lane using this feature. Some days I’m amazed at how much I’ve grown as a person. Other days, I realize that I’m a work in progress and still have a long way to go. Either way, I find it a great exercise to review my old entries.
Your Space
Life can be hard at times. We don’t always want to share our negative thoughts and emotions with others. With a journal, however, you have a safe space where you can let it all out and be completely honest. The page doesn’t judge you. As I’ve had to deal with the heaviness of things in my life, it’s been great to have a place where I can say what’s on my mind. I can be real, raw, and not be afraid of holding back. This has had a therapeutic effect on me, and has given me a place to grow and change though adversity. Using my journal as a safe space has been a way to reduce the stress of life and give me the freedom to be honest with my thoughts and emotions.
Start Today
There is no “right way” to journal. I use an app, but you might be more drawn to pen and paper. I collect all my entries and review past days. I’ve also heard of people writing out their entry and then burning the page or deleting everything they just typed. Maybe you want to review your day’s events in your journal, or perhaps you want a place to ask yourself deep, meaningful questions. Whatever your reasons, if you are on the fence about starting a journal, I can’t recommend it enough. If you’ve let your habit slip, pick it back up. If you don’t know what to write, do a quick search for journaling prompts and go from there. Remember there is no wrong way to journal. Just get started writing! Happy journaling!