6 Reasons Why Journaling Is Essential

Clearly, I enjoy writing (I do run a blog with many more words than pictures, after all). My writing began not long after I learned to read, but mostly consisted of short stories that were meant to be novels and a highly emotional diary in the sixth grade written in milky pens (remember those!?!?) which I ultimately threw sacrificially into a fire after realizing that my crush would never return my undying love #struggles.

On January 1, 2008, when I was in the eighth grade, I began a journal and wrote everyday until my junior year of high school when applying for colleges took over my life. I returned to journaling on my first day of college, stopped when I decided to dedicate time to my blog, and I’ve recently resumed. Since starting up again I have realized how essential journaling is to me and my intentionality.

Here are six reasons why everyone should journal and why I’m recommitting myself to it.

1. It’s fabulous to have a record of your life. Sure with social media you can look back at any given day and see what you were up to, but can you recall your feelings and fears and struggles? No. Through a journal you can revisit your euphoric moments and your times of utter despair (like me and my sixth grade crush. Why wouldn’t he sit next to me at lunch, oh why!). 
2. It will be helpful when they make the movie version of your life. I don’t know who ‘they’ are but they are going to make a movie about me and it seems only right for me to give them something to work with. I’m just thoughtful that way.
3. It’s nice to actually write something by hand. It is a rare day when I hand write rather than type, but it makes a nice change. I also enjoy choosing my journal and seeing later how it was a reflection of my taste and style at that time.
4. It forces you to think. Writing helps me to work through everything that has happened in the day, figure out what I need to do to address it, and helps me to live intentionally. Taking the time to process is so important to allow you to have a clear idea of how you want to proceed with anything you’re dealing with.   
5. It gives you closure. Once you’ve written about something that’s bothering you, you can let it leave your head. Putting your troubles down on paper enables you to focus on other things. The benefit of this can’t be overstated!
6. Your journal is your constant friend. You can pull out your journal anywhere at anytime, you can always have ‘someone’ to talk to, and you can reminisce. Treating your journal like your best and wisest friend means that you are never alone. 

Do you journal? Are you considering starting?