The Benefits of Journaling Regularly [+ How to Actually Keep Up With It!]

THE BENEFITS OF JOURNALING REGULARLY

START OR END YOUR DAY WITH A POSITIVE MINDSET

Your day starts to get shaped with the immediate thoughts you have as soon as you wake up every morning. Journaling allows you to take control of the thoughts you want to focus on so you can have more gratitude + focus on the positive blessings around you every day instead of all that goes wrong.

There are always examples of positive + negative situations, people, + thoughts throughout the day. Journaling allows you to shift your mindset as soon as you wake up + becomes a ripple effect throughout the day. Remember: your day becomes what your thoughts are. It’s also a great idea to end the day with journaling to help you sleep if you have an anxious mind!

SET INTENTIONS FOR THE DAY AHEAD

Every day I write in my journal differently based on how I feel. But, I usually have a little blurb where I include intentions I want to set for the day or week ahead. I have found that when I journal about my intentions I am more mindful of the small choices I make all day long.

What I mean by intentions is writing down exactly:

how I want to feel
how I want others to feel
what I want to do
what I want to create
goals I want to reach
even how I DON’T want to feel
things I DON’T want to do.

Intention setting with what you both want + don’t want are highly valuable exercises.

Related: MINDFULNESS FOR BEGINNERS: 10 SIMPLE WAYS TO BE MINDFUL EVERY DAY

RELEASE ANXIOUS + STRESSFUL THOUGHTS

This has to become of my favorite exercises when it comes to journaling! It’s one of the reasons I began journaling after many years of believing it wouldn’t be something for me. There’s something about putting your anxious + stressful thoughts + memories down on paper. It’s as if you’re venting to someone. But, better.

When you vent to someone, many times they add fuel to the fire + just make it burn bigger + brighter. But, journaling negative thoughts has helped the thoughts quiet + shift into more positive ones. It’s as if putting them down on paper allows them to escape from my mind + takes their power away.

ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS + TASKS FOR THE DAY

I find that Mondays I love to use my morning journaling routine for productivity purposes. I will write a short to-do list of tasks I break down further in my agenda. Or, I just write 1-2 mini goals down for different areas of my life [business, housework, family, etc].

Journaling about my tasks gets my mindset in the right mode. It inspires me + fuels me with motivation, purpose, + drive! Also, it definitely contributes to the fact that I love Mondays. I think they’re a fresh start + a new change for us to recharge, re-engage, + re-inspire ourselves to up-level our lives!

REMIND YOURSELF OF YOUR PURPOSE + GOALS

Journaling about your purpose in life [YOUR “WHYS”] + your goals to get you to your dreams takes you out of the routine mundane life we can fall into. Routines that keep us mediocre + stagnant in our progress in life.

No matter who you are, your job, your relationships, your personality, or your circumstances… we all dream of a higher self. We have goals to become a better version of ourselves for both us + the ones we love the most! Journaling helps remind you of all you look to create in life so you can continue to move the needle with high-level tasks + intentions.

Related: 10 STEP PROCESS TO SETTING & ACCOMPLISHING MAJOR GOALS IN LIFE

BUILD MORE CONFIDENCE + SELF-ESTEEM

Overall, journaling is a tool you can use any day or time in your life in order to remove yourself from the moment, regroup, + have a mini fresh start. Overall, I have found that after almost every journaling session (1 sentence or 3 pages) I feel more confident.

Confidence is built while journaling because it helps you work through problems, validates your feelings, clarifies situations, improves your mindset, + it is a meaningful reminder that you can take on any situation you’re given!

HOW TO ACTUALLY KEEP UP WITH IT

BUY A JOURNAL THAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE

Take the time to shop around + pick a notebook or journal to write in that reflects your personality! Think about it. If you want to make a habit of writing in it every day you should be inspired when you look at it.

I found mine at Marshall’s + felt drawn to it because it had an inspirational quote on it about having more gratitude in your life every day. That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to begin writing in a journal! I felt like the universe placed it there for me to discover + purchase.

SLOWLY MAKE IT PART OF YOUR ROUTINE

Take the time to slowly begin to integrate journaling into your day. By slow I mean even just once or twice a week (or month!). The key to making any habit at all in your life stick is to approach it with a reasonable timeframe so it doesn’t overwhelm you.

I recommend choosing the same time to journal each day you pick it up so it becomes something as routine as getting dressed or brushing your teeth. But, at the same time, feel free to use it spur of the moment when you either feel inspired, want to get organized, or need to get some emotions down on paper!

Related: MORNING ROUTINE: WHY YOU NEED ONE + HOW TO MAKE IT A HABIT

HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO RULES FOR LENGTH, CONTENT, OR STRUCTURE

I heard about journaling years ago + always felt like I wouldn’t be able to keep up with it. Reflecting, I now realize it’s because I thought that all of these rules had to be attached to journaling. But, once I let go of that notion I was actually able to WANT to do it every day!

When I write, some days I: