INSIDE: Journaling daily is a fantastic tool to release stress and better understand our experiences. It helps us explore the nooks and crannies of our identity while boosting our emotional well-being.

 

Journaling is the art of putting all of our thoughts and feelings on paper without judging them. Besides helping us reduce stress and sorting out our difficulties, it enhances our emotional and mental well-being.

This activity has a myriad of benefits that can positively change your life for the better.

Let's explore the fantastic effects of journaling daily and some tips to make it part of your everyday life. 

Why Will Journaling Daily Change Your Life?

Journaling every day has short- and long-term benefits that impact our personal, social, and spiritual experiences.

Here are five of the main benefits of journaling daily...

Reduce Stress

Our hectic modern lifestyle makes us face daily stressors and challenges that take a toll on our emotional, mental, and physical health. Journaling every day helps us keep anxiety at bay and manage stress to reduce its impact on our lives.

Research has found that journaling reduces our blood pressure and improves liver functionality as it helps us reframe our stressful experiences. Instead of lashing out at others or engaging in harmful habits, we can manage our life and connections in a healthier way.

Boost Immunity

Journaling daily might even boost immune function and prevent illness. A study showed that people who engaged in creative writing regularly had stronger immune cells and fewer symptoms of asthma, arthritis, and other conditions. It also might improve lung and liver function and help wounds heal faster. 

Improve Memory

Journaling daily keeps our memory sharp and boosts brain function, allowing us to retain more information, improve comprehension, and enhance cognitive processing.

Be More Positive

Creative writing boosts our mood and helps us take a more optimistic approach to life. Journaling daily can inspire us to be more grateful and focused on the positive things instead of the negative ones.

Strengthen Emotional Processes

Journaling daily becomes a habit with long-term benefits, such as becoming more in tune with our emotional needs and desires. This activity fosters the same effects as mindfulness because it helps us remain present and realize that our thoughts are not reality. 

It’s also a healthy way to release our pent-up emotions, which is why many people use it for emotional catharsis. As a result, we feel more confident and able to manage our personal challenges with a positive mindset.

Research shows that journaling daily helps us develop more adaptive and structured thoughts about our identities, relationships, and the world in general.

Make it a Habit: Tips for Journaling Every day

All habits are difficult to implement at first, but the following practical tips can help you make journaling a part of your daily life...

Set a Clear Goal

Each person journals for a specific reason. Some do it for fun, others for self-improvement, or to better examine their decisions. You can turn journaling into a daily habit by focusing on a clear goal. Think about the main reason you want to journal, and you’ll be able to keep it up.

Remember, There's No Right Way to Journal

Some people spend a lot of time perfecting and beautifying their journals, but that doesn’t mean you have to do the same. Making your journal as neat as possible can discourage some people from journaling daily.

The important part of journaling is to record any number of your ideas, feelings, and thoughts on a daily basis. The “how you do it” part is up to you.

Keep it Real

You are journaling for yourself, not to impress anyone. Don’t worry about sounding polite, intelligent, or profound. This is your safe haven, a place where you can display your authentic self without worrying about other people’s opinions.

Start Small and Simple

Like any other habit, starting small is important to avoid becoming overwhelmed. If you force yourself to write 500 words a day, journaling will feel more like a chore than a pleasant activity.

Don’t put that pressure on yourself. Just focus on “writing.” Period. Write for three, five, or ten minutes about whatever pops into your mind. Keep going if you feel inspired; stop if you don't. 

Write as Much (or Little) as You Want

Long entries are fine too! Many people feel like some of their longer entries are the most therapeutic and rich. Others feel a complete change of perspective after writing only a couple of sentences. It’s up to you. There’s nothing written in stone.

Keep Your Journal Accessible

Once you get the hang of journaling, you may get inspired to write in the middle of the day during unusual places and times. That's why having your journal accessible throughout the day can come in handy.

You don’t want to miss a great reflection or idea when it comes to mind. You can try using a journaling app for these occasions.

Don’t Use it Strictly for Writing

Your journal can have more than just words. You can doodle, draw, glue photos in it, or anything you want! Keep it creative and free-form, and make it personalized. Some people like to use diagrams or charts to illustrate their thoughts.

When we incorporate things into our journals that impart our personality into it, that's what really makes it more enjoyable. Then, it's much easier to turn it into a habit.

Keep it Confidential

Avoid showing your journal to other people. There’s nothing wrong with it if you really want to, but it’s best to keep it to yourself. This will ensure that you are being 100% authentic, without keeping up appearances.

If you want to show someone a passage, take a pic instead of handing them the whole journal.

Don’t turn it into an Agenda

Journaling daily is a soul-searching activity. Don’t turn your journal into a to-do list with work, homework, and other similar stuff. Journaling is meant to be a moment for yourself, a break from everything else, so don’t clutter it with the "yucky" stuff (unless, of course, you LOVE to do lists).

Use the Platform of Your Preference

Some people use apps, others their laptops, and others stick to old-fashioned handwritten journaling. Physical journals are a great option if you don’t want to stare at your screen before going to bed.

If you are new to journaling, experiment with your options. Try a note-taking app on your phone, a google doc on your laptop, or a small notebook in your purse. Stick to whatever works best for you. 

Final Thoughts

Journaling daily is one of the best habits you can bring into your life. It has countless benefits for your memory, brain, and overall physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as your spiritual well-being.

Habits are not easy to implement at first. After all, it requires us to step out of our comfort zone before we finally get used to them. But when you make journaling a pleasant and simple activity, you'll be inspired to make it part of your daily life.