Dear Diary,
Today I passed my math test! I was so worried! But I passed and am so happy!
Then, in the second period, Jimmy smiled at me and asked me what I had for my lunch today. He is so cute!
I saw Jenny after gym class and she got her permed! She looked like a poodle but I told her she looked cute.
For many of us, this is where our habit and love of daily journaling started. It was a safe place to let out our fears, our anger or anything that we were feeling but didn’t really recognize.
As we get older, we realize the benefits of such a confidant. For those who journal or those considering doing so, there are many benefits.
There is something clarifying about seeing our thoughts on paper. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits.
Joys of Daily Journaling
When we don’t feel like we can share our thoughts with a loved one, or even if we do, writing them down is freeing them. Whether you find the benefits of a private journal or in the form of a blog, it’s a great outlet.
Reduces Stress
We all get bogged down with anger, fear and the injustice we feel. Writing it down can help you get it out of your system. It also saves you from blasting your boss or co-workers.
Once you see it written down, it will take the sting out. You might even realize how silly it was to be angry over such a small matter. It doesn’t feel like a small matter, however, until you write it down.
Clarify Goals
When you journal daily, you can see your progress. You can also see where you need to improve. There will be a definite pattern forming and you can actually chart it.
This is the best way to see areas that need work and where you are succeeding. We often lose sight of what is going on when we are in the thick of it. You will start to see your priorities, and be able to act on them.
Helps You Focus
Once you get into the habit of writing every day, you will see patterns. There will be things you fret about or are angry or fear. This helps you identify them and start working on changing them.
When you see the same aggravation every day, you can start to take steps to eliminate them. Whether it’s life or work goals, overcoming fears or anxiety or just trying get out from under the noise of your life.
Allows for Honesty
We don’t talk about our jealousy, our fears or our insecurities honestly. Facing them in a journal is very freeing. When you allow yourself to express feelings you wouldn’t say out loud, you are able to let go of them.
You can do this guilt-free. no one needs to know how you feel and once you address them and write them down, they lose their power over you. We all feel things we are taught we shouldn’t.
A journal is a way to put them down where you can see them and they don’t seem to be as bad. We are human, with human emotions that can get the better of us. Keeping it all in isn’t healthy.
Build Your Self-Confidence
Documenting your feelings every day helps you see them clearer. You can feel better about yourself, and start finding more positive things to say about you and your surroundings.
This also allows you to see your potential. It’s hard for many people to ask for things, and if you see your writings every day about the things you want, you will start to try for them.
Realise Your True Self
All part of the pattern, the writings will show you how you are actually feeling, even if you don’t realize it. There will be honesty, insight and you can start to create results from the areas you want to change.
You can start sifting through the negative writings to see where you need to go to help yourself. You may be writing about the same issue over and over again, but scared to make a change.
Heal The Past
We can’t change our past but we can come to terms with it. Writing about our past pain is a great way to overcome it. We often don’t allow ourselves to be outside of the past, but a journal will.
Seeing it written down can actually take the sting out of it. It allows us to realize it isn’t our fault and it is just a part of our lives and what shapes us to be the person we are today.
Revisiting the past is the best way to make sense of it and then put it where it belongs; behind us.
Creativity
When you write every day, you will get better at it. Find your hidden storyteller, humorist and open up the creative juices. You can explore your dreams, wishes, fantasies, and give them life.
Expressing ourselves the way we want to and need to is a healthy way to cope, and move forward. You never know what you will discover about yourself, your family or your ability.
Write On
Get started with writing and soon you will be writing every day. Daily journaling has so many benefits for mental health. We need a place to be honest and express ourselves, free of judgment or fear or consequences.
It’s easy to do and you can do it anywhere. Once you find a routine, you may want to write more often than once a day. Carry a notebook and pen with you, you be able t jot down ideas and feelings when they are fresh.
Getting yourself on a positive track can be easy and fun. Once you get used to it, it will become a habit. make it part of your daily routine. For more positive quotes, keep reading here.