If you know all about the purpose of journaling and what journaling is, then skip this section and go straight to the benefits of journaling.
But if you’re a beginner and haven’t done much or any journaling before, I just want to give you a quick run-down of what journaling is all about.
Disclaimer: Some of the links here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.
What Is Journaling
Writing in a journal is like a relief to your brain (the benefits from journaling are numerous, see below).
You basically journal your thoughts, everything that comes to your mind and that bothers you in your life right now (a bit like your typical teenage diary).
Keeping a journal is private, it’s time you take to yourself, and IMO a form of therapy.
You can write in your journal daily or weekly and there are different types of journals you can keep (or put everything into one – your choice).
And if you have no idea where to start and what to write about, there are journal prompts to help you kick off your personal growth journey (more on that below).
Why Is Journaling Important
What makes a journal special (and different from a diary) is that it helps you work through negative thoughts and find ways to improve your life.
Yes, it can get quite emotional, but it’s not a place to just feel sorry for yourself and stick your head in a hole.
Journaling and its effects on your personal development make you move on – from problems, people, trauma, etc.
You get to know yourself better than ever and you appreciate yourself for who you are.
The benefits of writing in a journal are so tremendous because they can turn your whole life around as you realize along the way what’s truly important to you.
Related: 365 Daily Journal Prompts For A Full Year of Self-Discovery
What Are The Benefits of Journaling
The health benefits of journaling as well as other journaling benefits are immense and should make you want to start a journal straight away.
10 Surprising Benefits of Journaling
- Lower blood pressure
- Less chronic pain, less headaches
- Strengthen your immune system
- Better mood (+ less mood swings)
- Solution finding
- Turn negative emotions into positive feelings
- Improve your critical thinking ability
- Reduces stress
- Improve your expressive writing skills
- Build self-confidence
That’s a lot of physical health benefits that are hard to ignore, right?
Why Journaling Is Good For You
Journaling has a positive effect on the following areas:
- Mental health
- Anxiety
- Self-Care
- Personal Development
- Growth Mindset
- Emotional Intelligence
- Healing process
- Mindfulness (check out this mindfulness journal)
- Creativity
- Self-Awareness
- Organizing your life
- Gratitude
- Clarity
- Goal setting
Overall, the above benefits to keeping a journal make for a balanced and happy lifestyle.
Journaling regularly makes you take time to yourself so nothing falls down the drain that you should have realized and worked on earlier.
Benefits of Journaling for Mental Health
As life gets more and more complex, let’s look at the journaling for mental health benefits.
Journaling improves your mental state and you become stronger and more resilient.
At the same time, you start to set boundaries, feel more grateful, and know what you need to be happy.
My view on life has gotten so much better since I started journaling. I think way more positively and I know that I attract whatever energy I send out into the world.
If I:
- Am kind to myself as well as others
- Smile at strangers and say hello to them
- Help without being asked to
… I make the world a better place and attract other good things.
I try to not use the word ‘problem’ anymore. Everything is just a challenge that I need to overcome.
I can do anything I set my mind to and so can you. It’s all about what you think about and tell yourself (your thoughts become your reality).
Don’t underestimate the power of your subconscious mind.
Benefits of Journaling for Anxiety
I’m so very grateful for the benefits of daily journaling and the impact they had on my anxiety levels.
I realized a lot during my journaling practice:
- The opinion of others is also just an opinion
- It isn’t important what others think of me
- If others mistreat me, they’re not happy with themselves
- Saying ‘NO’ to others isn’t a bad thing, it’s liberating & necessary
- I attract what I think about the most (good and bad)
- Looking after my health is a long-term investment
- Everything will fall into place eventually
- Some things are just not important
- I’m grateful for what I have
I use my gratitude journal every day and it helps me get back on track when my thoughts try to slip away.
Now that I feel at ease with who I am, I also feel less angry. Do you need to work on your anger management as well? Try out these anger journal prompts.
Why Is Journaling Better Than Thinking?
Thoughts can take up a lot of space in your mind. There’s so much stuff we take in every day, information we see and hear, people we talk to, etc.
Writing in a journal gives you clarity and time to process your thoughts and feelings.
You forget so many things too and by journaling you can remind yourself of what you have achieved and how far you’ve come over time.
How To Start Journaling
Have I convinced you about the great benefits of journaling everyday yet?
Want to start journaling now but have no idea where to begin? Initially, you just stare at the blank paper and don’t have a clue what to write.
Get some help with these journaling ideas for beginners. Once you start writing, you can’t stop anymore – I promise you!
Here are some more journaling prompts for different areas of your life:
- 50+ Healing self love journal prompts
- 101 Self-Compassion journaling prompts
- 117 Monthly reflection questions
- 113 Birthday journal prompts
- 123 Journal prompts for positive thinking
- 105 Self-Growth journal prompts
- 105 Mom journaling prompts
Other tips for the beginning:
- Make it a daily habit (add it to your morning routine or evening routine)
- Only journal for max. 10 minutes (to not overload your mind)
- Be honest with yourself (you’re not here to impress anyone)
- Get yourself a journal you like
The Benefits of Journaling Before Bed
I usually like to journal before I go to sleep. Why?
- I have a clear mind and feel relaxed
- I can write everything down before I forget about it
- Makes me stay away from the blue light of my phone and other devices
- I can set intentions for the next day (and attract that energy while I sleep)
All these things help me fall asleep faster and have a better night’s sleep without waking up too often during the night.
Different Types of Journals
There are different types of journals you can choose from (depending on what aspect of your life you need it for):
It can be hard to fill blank pages of a journal. Check out these 12 simple mood tracker ideas for your bullet journal.
Benefits of Journaling Infographic
If you’re a visual person, here you can see the benefits to journaling in an infographic.
The health benefits of journaling are enormous and I like to look at my health this way: if I don’t take the time for my health NOW, I will be spending a lot of time with my sickness LATER.
So, think about the daily journaling benefits when you’re feeling stressed and restless and take a moment to sit down and write down what’s going on inside of you.
About The Author of Benefits of Journaling
Saskia is a mom, blogger, and freelance writer. She loves sharing tips on how to live a more positive and simple life through self-care, personal growth, and journaling.
Find out more about her here or connect with her on Instagram to get more inspiration.
