Some people might shy away from the idea of keeping a journal – how can the activity most associated with heartbroken teenagers really benefit someone in their adult, everyday life? Well, you’d be surprised and whilst not all of us believe we have anything worth writing about, journaling can benefit nearly everyone.
You don’t have to be a closet novelist or have a life story worthy of an autobiography – the fact is we all have pressures, emotions and situations that can take some mental unravelling and keeping a journal can help us do just that.
Here are just a few of the reasons why I think journaling is invaluable.
It forces you to take time out
Committing to writing in a journal each day forces you to sit down and reflect. Whilst some people will always be more comfortable writing at a computer, I really favour traditional pen and paper. We spend so much time in front of our computers or televisions, with or around other people that there’s always something going on to distract us, so by resolving to spend half an hour each day to write in a journal we are purposefully taking ourselves away from all the noise that comes with life. If you really don’t like the idea of using a pen and paper find somewhere quiet and disconnect from the internet. Journaling is most beneficial when it is just you and your journal.