Having a diary and writing down your hopes and dreams seems a little childish to some people. But…whether you believe it or not, writing down your goals, task reminders, grocery lists, and self reflections can all be very beneficial. 

Journaling can be used to improve your mood, memory, and even boost your self esteem.

But what exactly is journaling, and how can you start to reap the benefits?

There are many methods and personal styles to choose from; however, journaling is essentially pressing the pause button on life  just for a few minutes in your day to think about life and writing down whatever comes to mind.

This does not have to have to be done in your neatest handwriting in your fanciest notebook. This can be done on a napkin you found in your car or the notes app on your phone- anything will do.

The true beauty of journaling is how subjective it is and how you’re able to tailor it to your exact needs and schedule.

The content of your journal will be personal so allow yourself to write freely with the knowledge that no one ever needs to read your journals.

Maintain your mental health-

While journaling can benefit everyone, it is especially beneficial for those who suffer from anxiety, depression, or stress.

By writing down your current thoughts, good or bad, you are able to fully look at any problems you may be facing at the time and either come to the conclusion that the problem is not as serious as you may have thought, or you can fully come to terms with it and work on a solution. 

Writing down your thoughts can be used as a great crutch for mental health issues, but it should be mentioned that it is not a cure. 

Practicing gratitude-

It’s human nature to focus on all the bad in our lives and forget about all the good we have. Practicing writing down some things you’re thankful for can result in a sense of gratitude which can lead to better relationships and improved physical and mental wellbeing.

The more you start to write these things down, the more couscous you become of all of the positive things happening throughout your day.

“I try and write down a couple of my thoughts feelings when I first wake up in the morning. I built this little ritual into a routine that I really do think helps my mood,” said junior Brianna Davis. 

Remembering the Good Times-

The more consistent you are with your journaling, the more you have to look back on and read. Your journal can capture so many amazing moments and memories which you will be able to relive forever.

While going through rough spots in life it can be easy to forget a time where you weren’t so sad, mad, or stressed out about things. Being able to look back and relive your joy and happiness can really help you remember their is light at the end of the tunnel.

You will also begin to notice themes in your life and document patterns.  If you go back into your journals and see that for the past seven months you have been stressed out about your grades, working harder and focusing more on your studies would be the clear solution. If you go back and see that every time you hung out with a specific person you had an awful day and subconsciously your mood was ruined, it would be a good idea to distance yourself from said person.

Improve Your Writing Skills-

Like everything in life, practice makes perfect.

Whether it’s intentional or not, writing consistently is bound to improve your writing skills.  You will notice your punctuation and vocabulary begin to improve. Journaling stimulates creativity and will lead you becoming familiar with your personal writing style.

Writing about conflicting and difficult feelings will have you craving the perfect words to use and will make you want to keep adding more and more detail to your work.