Whether used as a creative outlet or an emotional release, journaling is a powerful self-improvement tool that anyone can harness. Many influential people throughout time detailed their lives in journals – the struggles, the joys, the steps taken to reach their dreams. In the end, journals can tell life stories, help us understand breakthrough moments in the creative process, change habitual patterns, and track goals.
Journaling is not to be confused with writing in a diary. Diary writing is often a record of your everyday life as it happens, while journal writing is a method to explore and shape ideas. Using a journal can involve more than writing and it doesn’t have to be a linear process – the pages don’t even have to be dated!
Writing in a journal, also known as journal therapy, has many benefits. These include:
- Reduced stress
- Reduced anxiety
- Improved mental clarity
- Increased understanding of self
- Improved problem-solving skills
Journaling can be used in a variety of ways, depending on your goals. Using a journal is helpful whether you are an artist brainstorming your next project or a busy schoolteacher who needs to let off some steam!
The purpose of journal therapy is to focus on internal experiences rather than to repress or ignore them.
Writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal allows you to process stress from work, relationships, or other pressures you may be experiencing
