What is journaling?  The simple answer is - Journaling is writing down your thoughts & feelings to understand them more clearly.  But why would you do this?  There are SO many benefits to journaling – personal growth, mental well-being & self reflection.  All of these benefits can also be triggers at first.  So take breaks if it gets to be too much in a journaling session. 

Let’s deep dive into the benefits of journaling so you can know what journaling has to offer you!

1.      Emotional expression: You know all that stuff going on around in your head?  Stuff that maybe you don’t want to talk to someone about?  Or stuff you’re trying to make sense of?  Journaling provides a safe and private space to express your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It allows you to explore and process your experiences, helping you gain clarity and understanding of your own emotions.

2.      Stress reduction: In today’s world, stress seems prevalent.  And handling stress has become a daily task for most of us.  Writing in a journal can serve as a form of stress relief. It helps you unload your worries, anxieties, and frustrations onto the pages, which can alleviate emotional tension and promote a sense of calmness. Try pairing stress reduction journaling with a restorative yoga flow to counteract stress even more. Here's a great one to try

3.      Self-reflection and self-discovery:  Looking to find out more about you?  Who you truly are?  Your hopes & dreams?  Journaling encourages self-reflection by prompting you to contemplate your experiences, values, goals, and beliefs. Regular journaling can deepen your self-awareness and enhance your understanding of who you are, leading to personal growth and self-discovery

4.      Problem-solving and decision-making: Got a problem you just can’t figure out a solution to?  Writing down your thoughts and challenges in a journal can assist you in problem-solving and decision-making. By gaining a different perspective and organizing your ideas on paper, you can often find creative solutions and make more informed choices.

5.      Memory improvement: It’s not just me is it that can’t remember jack at times? Those little things you want to remember so badly but they just slip away?  Keeping a journal helps you capture and record significant events, experiences, and lessons learned. It serves as a personal history log that you can refer back to, enhancing your memory and preserving important details that might otherwise fade with time.

6.      Goal setting and achievement: Once you figure out your goals how do you make them a reality?  Journaling can support your goal-setting process. By writing down your goals, aspirations, and action plans, you solidify your commitment to them. Regularly reviewing and updating your journal can help you track progress and celebrate achievements along the way.

7.      Personal growth and self-accountability: We all want to grow & become better people (or I’m assuming most of us do).  Journaling facilitates personal growth by providing a space for self-reflection, learning from past experiences, and setting intentions for the future. It holds you accountable to yourself, helping you stay focused on your goals and values.

8.      Creativity and self-expression: Contrary to what you may believe, you are creative!  Remember when you were a kid?  That creativity is still inside you waiting to be let out!  Journaling encourages creativity and self-expression. You can explore different writing styles, experiment with ideas, and engage in free-flowing writing exercises that unlock your creative potential.

9.      Improved mental health: Mental health is a top priority, especially since Covid.  The isolation, worries & fears during that time & the time sense, has wrecked havoc on mental health for so many.  Combine COVID with all the other stuff going on around us & your mental health can really take a hit if you don’t know how to release those emotions.  Research suggests that journaling can have positive effects on mental health. It can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve mood, and promote overall well-being. Writing about your emotions and experiences can bring a sense of relief and help you process challenging situations.

 10.   Enhanced problem-solving skills: Feel stuck sometimes when you’re trying to solve problems?  Me too!  Regular journaling can enhance your problem-solving skills by allowing you to analyze situations, identify patterns, and develop new perspectives. It strengthens your critical thinking abilities and helps you approach problems with a more objective and creative mindset.

Next up… how do you journal?  We’ll tackle that one on another day!

I love having my journal close to my mat as things come up during my practice.  Another place I love journaling is outside, away from everyone & everything.  How about you?  Where’s your favorite place to journal?

May you always stay true in your intentions, true to your hearts desire & speak loving truth to those around you.

Love ya!