Why You Should be Keeping a Journal

By Bryan Kittman | April 5, 2019

You’ve probably heard that many of the most successful and celebrated people in history have kept a journal. It is something that is often noted among those who have lived accomplished lives. In knowing this, keeping a journal has some serious benefits that can make a highly beneficial impact in your life. Here’s why you should be keeping a journal.

Increases our creativity

There’s a reason why many of the most creative minds on the planet keep a daily journal. One of the benefits of daily writing is that it essentially works your creative muscles, allowing to improve at developing complex sentence structure and overall communication. It can also help you become better at memorization and being able to better brainstorm new ideas. By jotting down your daily experiences and thoughts, it allows you to connect everything into useful bits of information that can be used to better get in tune with your creative side.

Improves your mental health

Writing can be a great release for the daily stresses of your life. By keeping a journal, it can give you a cathartic release that can be excellent for having an internal discussion with whatever mental and physical experiences you may have. When writing, you have the opportunity to process and relive events emotions in a safe environment without any harmful distractions. Studies have shown that keeping a daily journal can help people better cope with traumatic and stressful events. It has also been shown to be an effective method in maintaining a positive outlook on life in those who suffer from chronic illnesses.

It can be a great tool for self-improvement

By keeping a journal, it can be a great way to keep your emotions and experiences readily accessible, making it a fantastic way to assess and monitor your goals. Writing is a great way to make it easy to notice behavioral patterns, negative influences, or things to be avoided in your life. By taking count of these, it provides unique insight into your life, which can be used to make help you become a better version of yourself.

Helps clear your mind

If you find yourself struggling to keep everything organized in your mind, or if you feel your thoughts are constantly cluttered, keeping a journal can be a good way to help clear your mind. When we write, it can help us make sense of our thoughts, by chunking them into coherent blocks of information that can be used to better process your mental state. By getting rid of mental clutter, it can help us better focus on the more important things in life.

Record your history

One of the most unique aspects of keeping a journal is it allows you to record a detailed history of your life. If kept for a long period of time, a journal provides a detailed glimpse into the different times in your life. If you have ever read the personal journals of historical figures, it can be striking to get a first-hand account of that person’s experiences in life. However, you don’t have to be a historical figure to benefit from keeping a long term journal. Journals can be passed down from generations, giving your family a unique opportunity to read about your life.