6 Reasons to Journal

I’ve been having conversations with people in different circles over the past few weeks and I am surprised at how often the topic of journaling has come up. There are many benefits to journaling, which I’ll share with you in just a minute, but first I wanted to talk to those of you who may be overwhelmed at the idea of journaling.

The beautiful thing about keeping a journal is that there are no rules for doing so. You don’t have to spell well or know grammar. You don’t have to write in complete sentences. You don’t even have to record something every day. You can type it, print it, draw it, or write in cursive, and make it about whatever you want to.

So let’s let go of the “have tos” about keeping a journal. There are no rules! Yay!

Okay, with that out of the way, here are some of the surprising benefits researchers are finding in people who keep a journal. (I took these ideas from Kaiser and Forbes and added my own thoughts.)

1. People who journal achieve their goals. When you write things down, they solidify in your mind. This makes the goals more real and therefore easier to achieve. Journaling helps you stay accountable to what you want for yourself.
2. People who journal grow emotionally and mentally. Writing down your thoughts, feelings, activities, or ideas and then periodically reviewing them helps you track your progress and growth. People who keep spiritual journals grow in their faith because they have an account of how they are seeing God work in their life.
3. People who journal are less stressed. Writing out your fears and anxieties helps you deal with them. You can release your negative thoughts and emotions and find the clarity you need for making hard decisions.
4. People who journal have a better memory. Writing things down, especially long-hand, helps your brain better process your memories. Processing events better helps you remember them more clearly and for longer periods of time. Reviewing your journals will also stir those memories, solidifying them in your mind. 
5. People who journal exercise their creative side. Journaling, especially using a style of free writing or associative writing, allows your brain to be free to problem solve and innovate. This feeds creativity and helps you deal better with the world around you.
6. People who journal heal faster. Whether you are dealing with a disease or a heartache, journaling allows you to explore your emotions and reactions, process your ailments, and deal better with creating a future that is proactive rather than reactive.

I’m a big fan of journaling. I love it because it helps me see what God is doing in my life, and it helps me remember how far I’ve come. It also helps me process what is going on in my life and helps me get in touch with my own thoughts, feelings, and reactions. Journaling was an especially great tool for me when I was looking to create a more intentional life earlier last year. I focused my journaling on self-reflection questions that helped me build on to what I loved and to let go of what wasn’t working for my anymore. 

It's one of the keys to the growth I've had in the last year. If you want to grow, too, it may be a good tool for you to start with!

GET A FREE REFLECTION JOURNAL HERE and start journaling now! It’s a super easy way to start a habit of journaling with prompts already written out so you don’t have to wonder what to write about. I’m eager to hear how it works for you. Feel free to email me any time to let me know.

• Use it to start a journaling practice.
• Use it to have your own time of reflection and introspection.
• Use it with a friend or as a quiet practice for yourself.

Happy journaling!

Alane