Why You Should Start Keeping a Journal

 

From Richard Franklin to Winston Churchill, many of history’s greatest achievers have kept a journal or diary at some point in their lives. Learn why you should start keeping a journal to document your life as well.

 

Now of course, I’m not saying that journaling is what made these great figures what they were. Nor am I saying that journaling alone will be enough to make you ‘great’. But what I am saying is that they can’t all be wrong. And actually, there are a ton of very valuable benefits to journaling that make it worth your consideration. Here are a few of those benefits…

 

It’s a Record

A journal or diary is used to record your experiences, thoughts, or feelings. Some people even uses illustrations to express emotions and sketch out ideas. When you write a journal, it affords you a record of everything you’ve done and this in turn is something you can look back over in order to learn important lessons and to put your life in perspective.

It can sometimes be a great feeling looking back and seeing all the exciting things you’ve done. But if that’s not the experience you get from your journal then perhaps it can highlight that something needs to change. Either way, this lets you honestly appraise your life.

And imagine being able to read over your journal 20 years – there will be so much detail that you would otherwise have forgotten! This is a way to immortalize yourself and to hold tighter onto those memories. What’s more, it keeps a record for others and means that they can potentially learn from your experiences.

 

It’s Meditative (Why You Should Start Keeping a Journal)

A lot of what most of us do on a regular basis will involve using technology, working on things that make us stressed and otherwise being wired and on the go. Writing a journal at the end of the day is an excellent alternative to those activities. Journaling is almost meditative in its ability to encourage focus. This is due in part because it is quiet, it does not involve a glaring screen and it is a great way to unwind before bed.

Journaling Help Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Sometimes negative thoughts and emotions can run on a loop in our heads. This can be stressful when you’re dealing with a challenging situation — it can even make your present situation feel worse. But if you stop and put your emotions down on paper, it can help you release negative thoughts from your mind. As you write, you may even come up with a solution you hadn’t thought of before.

Improves Writing and Communication Skills

Writing, like anything, improves with practice. When you journal every day, you’re practicing the art of writing. And if you use a journal to express your thoughts and ideas, it will help improve your overall communication skills.

 

It Can be a Powerful Tool

You can also use a journal as a tool. As well as writing about your day, why not also write down what you ate? Or what you dreamt? Or make a note of each day you work out? You can even just make a note of your moods. This lets you assess your performance in any goal at a glance and gives you  some useful contextual data that might help you to find correlations in your routine and the way you feel/act, etc.

 

Related Post: Powerful Signs to Change Your Mindset

Bottom Line (Why You Should Start Keeping a Journal)

A journal or diary is used to record your experiences, thoughts, or feelings. Many others even used illustrations to express emotions and sketch out their ideas.

There are many different types of journaling. These include dream journal, food journal, gratitude journal, etc.  However, no matter which type of journaling you decide to keep, remember there is no right or wrong approach. It’s all up to you. The simple act of taking the time to get in touch with your mind, body, and spirit is what’s truly important.

So let us know in the comments below, what are your thoughts on keeping a journal?

 

Cheers!

Related Source:  kaiserpermanante.org

 

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Wellness and Success Tools (Effective resources from WSS Equity Group)