Why I started journaling and its benefits
Even though I love apps and devices to organise my life and my different projects, when it comes to writing down my emotions or getting a clear perspective on tough decisions, I always opt for pen and paper. I used to own a journal when I was a teenager, but as life got busier I forgot about it. It was only when I found myself in a difficult situation again that I decided to go back to the basics, without any digital distraction.
I started journaling journey again when I got ill a few years back. I was overwhelmed with so many emotions that I could not simply express. Journaling served me in a way that has been really therapeutic for me. I write down my emotions and this helps me get clear and at the same time I see how my perspective on things transform.
This type of writing is called expressive writing. In fact, in a study from Harvard University, they found that the writing process allows us to learn how to better regulate our emotions.
“The act of thinking about an experience, as well as expressing emotions, seems to be important. In this way, writing helps people to organise thoughts and give meaning to a traumatic experience… the process of writing may enable them to learn to better regulate their emotions. It’s also possible that writing about something fosters an intellectual process — the act of constructing a story about a traumatic event — that helps someone break free of the endless mental cycling more typical of brooding or rumination.”
I can say it has definitely helped me regulate and channel my emotions in a positive way, it allows me to view life from a different perspective.
Here are some known benefits of journaling
- It reduces stress
- Improves your immune system
- Helps keep your brain nimble
- Improves your mood
- It strengthens you emotionally
Other ways to practice Journaling
Another way is to practice journaling is to write in your journal as soon as you wake up, every single day. Julia Cameron, author of the book “The Artist’s Way”, promotes the “morning pages“, a practice where you write 3 pages as soon as you wake up. The morning pages provoke thoughts, clarify, comfort, seduce, prioritise and synchronise the day in question. And at the same time it gives room for creativity for the rest of the day.
A quick and effective way to journal can also be writing what you are grateful for every day. This way it doesn’t take you very long and your body and brain to get a boost of positivity. It is reflected in your body, your health and your day.
And finally, the journal can also be used to write down your goals. You can keep track of what you do every day. This will help you improve your life overall. When you write down your goals, you confirm to the universe and to yourself that you are committed to doing what it takes to achieve them. For this one, I love using “Bullet Journal”. One which is dotted and the pages are numbered. This is my favourite brand so far, but any other journal will also work.
There is no single way to keep a journal or practice journaling.
We are all different and each has different preferences and needs. I personally love journaling, and even if I might skip a day or two, I really see a difference in myself when I do it regularly. And I also recommend it to whoever is going through a difficult time or needs to make an important decision in their lives.
Tips to start with journaling
- You don’t need to invest in anything, you can start with just a notebook and a pen and get creative.
- If you are not sure what to write, start by asking yourself basic questions like How do I feel? Ask yourself what you are grateful for? Is something bothering you? Did you learn something new in the day? What can you improve?, for example.
- You can create designs, add stickers, write poems, or paste clippings from your favourite magazine. Your journal is a private space that you can personalise as you wish.
- Make lists to organise different areas of your life to express your creativity. You can make a list to organise your goals, your favourite recipes, your list of books to read and you can even keep track of your finances.
- You can take it everywhere, you never know when you might have a brilliant idea to write down and develop further!
Are you in a situation where these practices could help you?
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