When I was 8 I had a fuzzy journal with a little lock that I kept in a super (not so) secret hiding place. This was the place I would spill my heart, dish on my crush, and dream of the future. There was a something magical about those empty pages. It felt like anything was possible.
20 years later and my journal isn’t fuzzy or locked, but the inspiration that comes with empty pages hasn’t changed a bit. Filling in the crisp, fresh paper with the perfect pen is so satisfying.
Whether it’s a travel journal, prayer journal, gratitude journal, reading journal, to-do list, or just a brain dump, pouring your thoughts onto paper is an immense stress and anxiety relief. It’s as if your racing thoughts now have a cozy home on the page, and you can finally relax.
8 Benefits of Journaling and How it Can Change Your Life
Journaling helps you to build a relationship with your mind. Writing in a journal allows you to relieve anxiety, track goal progress, spark creativity, and come to know yourself on a deeper level. Keep reading for just a few of the many journaling benefits!
If you’re in need of a new notebook or journal to put these practices into place, you can find some handy journals here.
1. Reduces Anxiety and Clears Your Mind
Get a grip on your worries to by taking a few minutes to write down everything that’s on your mind. You don’t have to write in complete sentences or make it a masterpiece. Simply list some bullet points of all the thoughts that are consuming your conscious. Let those internal battles happen paper rather than in your head. You’ll hopefully feel the weight on your shoulders lessen, and the worries in your mind won’t feel as heavy as they did before.
2. You Know Yourself Better
“There’s simply no better way to learn about your thought processes than to write them down.” – Barbara Markway. As you regularly dive into your journal, you’ll find writing is a powerful way to help you explore your sense of self. In order to be able to tackle any problems or stressors we have in our lives, we first have to know what they are. If you’re gearing up for tough conversation, writing out what you want to say can help you discover how you actually feel and how you want to say it.
3. Lower Your Stress Level
Putting pen to paper helps to release any negative energy that may be brewing inside. A writing notebook lets you release tension and examine exactly what is stressing you out. Once you can visually see your thoughts in writing, you’ll then be able to discover a different perspective. Sometimes a mindset shift is exactly what we need to lower our stress. Stress tends to take a toll on our immune system, so finding easy ways to relieve this tension will help boost your immune system!
4. Spark Creativity
Creative people tend to jot down a ton of notes and lots of lists. Our minds process about 60,000 thoughts per day, and 1,000 words per minute. Journaling allows you to slow down and capture some of those thoughts on paper. Maybe you’re writing music, poems, inventions, business ideas, or drafting up some sketches. Don’t let those genius ideas slip away! Lock them down with this Ridiculously Amazing Ideas journal. :)
5. Better Make Decisions
Dig to the root of a choice or dilemma by digging in and making a list of the pros and cons when you’re trying to sort through something. Maybe it’s something like deciding whether or not to take a trip, which school to go to, if you should change jobs, or what house to buy. Journaling all of your thoughts around each potential path to take will better help you see the overall picture.
6. Set and Accomplish Goals
Goals can be set any day at any time. There’s no need to wait until the year changes on the calendar! Keeping all of your goals in a journal or notebook is a great way to track progress and look back at what you’ve accomplished. Your trusty journal makes a great companion and road map leading to where you want to go.
7. Increase Positive Vibes
Keep an attitude of gratitude by writing down at least one thing you’re grateful for each day. Journaling what you’re grateful for with a gratitude journal will help keep a positive perspective, resulting in less stress and more happiness. Studies have also shown that cultivating gratitude can help you sleep better!
8. Exercise Your Brain
Writing in a journal can have such a positive impact on your mental health and well-being. The process activates both the analytical and creative hemispheres of our brains. Journaling is a great strategy to invite both sides of the brain to work together to come up with fresh ideas, perspectives, and improve memory.
If you’re sold on the idea of journaling and ready to hit the ground running (or writing), you can find a variety of journals and notebooks to fit your mindset and style in our shop!
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