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Perhaps you've always wanted to keep a journal, but never found time. Perhaps you're interested in journaling, but aren’t sure what to write about. Or maybe you scoff at the idea, passing it off as a useless pastime.
Journaling, or the process of recording one’s innermost thoughts, hopes, fears, and desires, is a form of self-expression that leads to all-around better understanding.
Here are 5 reasons why you should start journaling daily:
1. Journaling enhances self-expression and it releases the writer in you.
It gives you an opportunity to explore your creativity, ultimately leading to self-growth.
2. Keeping a journal can help you better understand and make sense of issues that trouble you.
Are you having trouble making sense of a problem? Journaling can help you decide what to do next and gives you perspective that you may have missed had you not written out your thoughts.
3. Journaling can help you track your progress toward a particular goal.
Do you have a specific goal in mind, or would you like to improve a particular quality of yourself? Start journaling, create a plan, and record your progress.
4. Writing out your thoughts can help improve your relationships.
By writing down your thoughts about people in your life, you can better understand them and their perspective. Perhaps you had reacted harshly with a loved one or you had taken a loved one for granted.
Writing down your thoughts and shifting to the perspective of your loved one allows you to feel a deeper connection that you may have otherwise missed. This allows you to be better in tune with your feelings about them and it increases your gratitude for your relationships.
5. Journaling can help you reduce stress.
It allows you to get in touch with your feelings and just…let go. Writing about your feelings can help to reduce the intensity of the built-up emotions within you.
Journaling daily allows you to be present in the moment. If you prefer to type your thoughts rather than write them in a journal, that works, too. Just write. When you begin journaling, simply jot down whatever first comes to mind and allow yourself the opportunity to explore this new avenue for self-expression. Make it a habit to journal daily, and you may find yourself better off than you were before.