Journaling is not for everyone. I have heard this many times, but I’m here to show you why journaling has been so important for me and how it can also be a part of your life. My sister has always told me, ‘I don’t like writing, it’s boring.’ I always respond to her, “If you are looking at it as you did when you were in school, academic writing is boring. I agree. Writing doesn’t have to be boring. To see your thoughts and feelings on paper, it can really open your eyes. It can be amazing!”
I wanted to find a way to convince Patty that writing can be so much more beneficial than she believes. So, today, I’m sharing my 10 reasons why Journaling can help you be a better you!
- Journaling keeps written memories of your life – How cool is that? Seriously, I can open my journal to any given time in my life and read what I did that day. It keeps your memories alive and well. Now you have a place to go back in time to read what you were up to and, for me, that alone is the number one reason why I journal.
- Journaling is a mood booster – On the days that you are feeling overwhelmed or even underwhelmed, writing down what you are experiencing and feeling can be soothing to your soul. For example, if I’m having a particularly tough day as a special needs’ mom, recording how I am feeling helps me recognize that maybe I need to take a break – take a moment for a little self-care. Seeing it in writing gives me a sense of calm. I recognize it, accept it and do something about it. To be honest, the doing something about it, may be just writing it down. Writing, for me, is cathartic.
- Journaling is a good way of goal keeping – Some of my friends who journal tell me they write to keep their goals visible. I don’t necessarily use it that way, but I love the idea. The idea is to be able to write your goals and. as you see your progress, journal it. Write what you have been working through and see how far you have come. I really like this idea and I am considering starting a goal journal for myself. I feel that this could be an alternative way to traditional journaling. You may not want to write down your feelings, but you may have goals you want to accomplish. Write them down and start making them happen.
- Journaling goals can hold yourself accountable – Piggy-backing off of reason #3, if you are journaling your goals, you are more likely to attempt and achieve them. You are taking responsibility and holding yourself accountable. You could even take it one step further by posting your goals where you can see them – on the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, front door, anywhere they are visible, and continue to remind you of what you are working on.
- Journaling helps you learn about yourself – When you are writing about yourself, your feelings and what you did that day, you get a better idea of how you react and respond to situations. You’ll quickly figure out if you need to work on certain areas og your life to help you have a better life. What do you do over and over that could help you figure out what needs to change? Eye opening moments can appear when you are journaling.
- Journaling for your children – What a great way to pass down family memories to your children. Maybe they don’t remember what they did when they were crawling around as a toddler, but you did and you wrote it down. Precious memories, and maybe some not-so-precious memories, are available for them to read.
- Journaling is good for your memory – When you take the time to write what happened at the end of the day, reflecting on your day keeps everything fresh in your mind. It really is a great brain activity!
- Journaling organizes your feelings – Sometimes when you write down what is bothering you and you’re halfway through, you sort of realize, it’s not that bad. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started writing down something that was seriously bothering me. After writing about the issue and then reading it, I would see that it wasn’t worth me spending the time worrying about and dwelling on the matter. It’s a great way to organize your thoughts and help you get through and perhaps solve whatever was upsetting you.
- Journaling is visual – Seeing is believing. That’s what I always say! Seeing your written words and feelings is sometimes better than keeping them all bottled up in your head. Get them out, write them down and see what it is that is holding you back, slowing you down or moving you forward. Seeing is believing!
- You’ll be among famous visionaries who kept a journal – Did you know that Mark Twain, Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison all kept journals? That’s right! Be a visionary too!
I am hoping one of my 10 reasons to start a journal has resonated with you. I’m not sure if I convinced you or not, but I am hoping that my reasons give you enough of a push to start putting a pen or pencil to paper (or a computer if that’s more convenient for you). There are so many reasons to journal, why not start today? Try journaling for one month and then see how it’s working for you. I’d like to help you get started so I’m including my journal guide tips here:
- Record your life’s memories, organize your thoughts, be a better you!
- Choose your medium – journal notebook or laptop. Find a nice quiet place to start your journal.
- Try to write at the end of the day to reflect on the day’s events.
- Try not to skip any days, keep your entries short and to the point.
- Have fun!
I’d love to hear in the comments below if you will take up the one-month journal challenge with me. You’re going to love it – I promise!
