Benefits of Writing a Journal

If you think that writing a journal is a childish practice, think again. There are benefits to writing your thoughts down on paper. You don't have to be witty and scandalous like Bridget Jones. In fact, you don't even have to write in full sentences, as long as you honestly document your experiences, feelings and thoughts. I know, I know. You are busy. You are running to and from work, making dinner for your family, taking care of your elderly parents, finishing up that term paper. There is simply no time for personal reflection. Well, I offer you these three reasons to reconsider.

Journaling keeps you honest. Documenting your daily experiences as they are still fresh in your mind helps you avoid fabricating emotions and feelings after you had time to reconsider them. In order to learn and grow from your experiences, it is critical that you develop self-awareness about your actions and reactions in specific situations. Writing down your thoughts in an uncensored manner will help you learn more about yourself; you will learn about what triggers you to get angry, what makes you happy, what saddens you, what motivates or challenges you, etc. You can re-read your previous journal entries in order to recall specific events or to learn how to handle situations, both personal and professional, in a different, more effective way going forward.

Journaling relieves stress. We've all had those days when we wanted to reach out to a friend, spouse or a family member, and simply vent about the day's events. But often times we refrain from doing so; we don't want to burden other people with our problems, or cause additional stress in the lives of our loved ones (certainly, they could have had a difficult day as well). Journaling provides a way for you to get any negative thoughts out of your system, therefore releasing any stress and frustration you may feel.

Journaling helps you track your goals. Writing down progress on an important commitment you made to yourself or to someone else is an excellent way to stay on track and assure your success. This is especially helpful for those trying to break addictive behavior, such as smoking, or trying to change current lifestyle, such as start a new exercise program. Journaling will allow you to make correlations between your experiences and emotions, and your goal's progress - ultimately making you more accountable and more successful.

Now that you know the benefits of journaling, grab a notebook and enjoy some much-needed you time.