Did you know there are countless benefits of journaling? Especially when you consider all the different themes you could journal about. For example travel, gratitude, prayer, dream, events, goals, and more. I had diaries and journals from the time I could read and write! Okay, can something as simple as recording the day’s events can be therapeutic.
Maybe you have memories of pouring your emotions in a diary after school as a kid or teen. Just jotting down those highs and lows between boyfriends, girlfriends, and grades was such a relief! Well if it can benefit you as a kid it can certainly benefit you as an adult. Journaling is therapeutic in so many different ways, heals your body, and your mind. Learn more about these 25 benefits of keeping a journal to motivate you to start one too!
1. Journaling Organizes Thoughts
Journaling helps you organize your thoughts and make them approachable. When you record your daily thoughts and actions it makes life less chaotic. And if you’re anything like me that helps me keep track of my own plans and train of thought. Furthermore, you can go back and look at things from the recent past if you need to remember something.
2. Writing skills improve
Improved writing skills are one of the benefits of journaling. The last time I regularly put pen or pencil on paper was when I was in school. And school was 10 years ago for me! While I regularly type on my phone and computer it’s just not the same as writing. Journaling is the best thing for practicing your writing skills. The great thing about it is that all you have to do is keep going.
3. Stress relief
Did you know that when you write your emotions down it actually makes you feel better? Your brain can literally dump our feelings of stress and anxiety and help you let them go. Especially when you write down how you feel and why you feel that way. For example:
Dear journal,
Today I feel stressed out about work and housework. Something I’m working on for work is taking longer than I anticipated and the outcome is unsure. On top of that, I feel guilty about how messy my house is! The dishes are dirty and I’m behind in the laundry. My plan is to spend 45 minutes cleaning the kitchen than the rest of the night at work!
4. Journaling Boost Your Memory
It’s scientifically proven that when you wrote down information you’re way more likely to remember it. That’s why students take notes and then study them for tests. Your brain makes stronger connections to the information you have learned after you write it down. That’s why journaling helps boost your memory.
5. Accomplish your goals
Writing down your goals, aspirations, and ambitions in a journal helps you reinforce them. You can also monitor your progress by returning to that page in your journal and updating it. Making comparisons and seeing your growth helps motivate you to keep going too! For example:
July 17, 2021,
Today I completed a project for my business and I’m really proud of how it turned out! When I started I was worried I wouldn’t be able to finish it properly but I did! Now I’m just so excited to keep going. One thing I tried didn’t work out but I am still glad I tried it because I learned a lot about what to do differently next time. I’ve learned that all I can do is try, learn, and keep going!
6. Recording your ideas so you don’t forget
If you’re like me you are always thinking of ideas about work, home, your kids, friends, etc. But I don’t always remember exactly what my idea was if I don’t write it down. Or I’ll have a lot of ideas and they get jumbled up in my mind and I get frustrated. When you record your thoughts and ideas you can always remember them and expand on them when you’re ready. For example, I make a lot of recipes and I make videos and post them on blogs. Sometimes I’ll buy some ingredients with the purpose of making a specific recipe and then I’ll forget. By the time I remember the ingredient goes bad and I have to buy more! I hate wasting food too! So now I make journal entries like this one:
July 13th, 2021
I had the idea to make smoked vegan mushroom tacos with black beans. I bought 3 containers of mushrooms and put them in the back of the refrigerator! Don’t forget to make the tacos before the mushrooms go bad in about 5-7 days!
7. Inspire New Ideas Through Journaling
Journaling is a great way to inspire creativity and new ideas you didn’t have before! Sometimes once you get started writing down your ideas the juices start really flowing. You can start by writing down the idea for vegan tacos and come up with a new idea to also make vegan chocolate cake! Maybe you then get inspired to start a recipe YouTube channel too. Or maybe that’s not your thing, maybe you have an idea to redecorate your living room, and you record colors and decorative pillow ideas. Write down anything that comes to your mind. Let your imagination run wild and record it along the way.
8. Non-biased self-reflection
When you write down your emotions and resentments it’s easier for you to see when you are in the wrong and change or apologize. While this may not feel great at the moment, it’s the best thing for growth and maturity. Journaling is an amazing way to help us pause, take a step back, and self-reflect. You can do a daily reflection before bed and take an honest evaluation of your day. Were you on top of your game at work? Did you act selfish or dishonest in any way throughout your day with your loved ones? Self-reflection is the best way to be your best self.
9. Stronger immune system
Another one of the benefits of journaling is strengthening your immune system. According to intensive research psychologists James Pennebaker, Ph.D., of the University of Texas at Austin, and Joshua Smyth, Ph.D., of Syracuse University journaling strengthens your immune system and helps you heal better. That’s right, they studied patients battling terminal or life-threatening diseases such as HIV/AIDS, asthma, and arthritis. The study suggests that writing about emotions and stress can boost immune functioning in those types of patients. The purpose of writings’ healing power is to process, understand, and learn from our emotions.
Furthermore, a Psychologist by the name of James Pennebaker stated that journaling actually strengthens our immune cells (T-lymphocytes). Especially when we journal about stress and learn to accept these types of events.
When we reduce stressors we reduce their impact on our physical health.
So pick up pen and paper today and start experiencing the benefits of journaling in your life!
