My Top 3 Reasons To Start Journaling Today

Most likely you’ve heard of journaling.

Maybe a few friends practice it. Or your colleague in the office loves journaling.

Chances are you’ve tried your hand at it, but never stuck to it.

You’ve wondered whether journaling even works.

So while you’re tempted to try it, you’re not sure how it will benefit you.

I’ve engaged in journaling since my teenage years.

I was never a shy kid. I made friends with ease. I spoke to strangers without effort.

Yet I loved being in my own space.

A space where I could be in solitude and my world.

I loved to take out my journal and write about everything going on in my head. I wrote about what I loved, things that bothered me and the kind of life I would’ve loved to create.

Over time journaling become a regular practice. It was something I enjoyed.

I used my journal to pen ideas, thoughts, emotions and feelings that I could not convey to others. I was unsure whether people would get what I wanted to say. I feared being reprimanded or ridiculed.

My journal was a safe place where I could write down how I felt without being judged or misunderstood.

As I continued to journal, I realised its benefits went beyond helping me express my feelings.

A single episode of an Oprah show on journaling influenced me to strengthen my practice.

Oprah spoke about her own experience with journaling as a teenager. She raved about the therapeutic benefits of journaling. It felt like she’d experienced certain magic with journaling. And I was longing to experience that magic myself.

Over the years journaling became my go-to bouncing board, a shoulder to cry on and my canvas to create new things.

Journaling, a practice I started by chance has become significant in helping me shape my life.

When I graduated from business school I started working in advertising. My journaling practice became more robust, regular and deep.

Journaling allows me to access wisdom and intelligence that I can’t access otherwise.

It brings insights and guidance far richer than strategies the best minds can conceive.

The benefits of journaling were extraordinary and the process soon became effortless.

And I’d say in the last decade, journaling has become magical.

I’m delighted to share some of that magic with you. And here are my top 3 reasons to journal. 

1. Brings Incredible Clarity & Perspective

I follow a simple free writing style of journaling.

As I begin my day, I find a comfortable place where I’m undisturbed. A place where I can be in solitude.

I don’t enjoy writing on my computer or any digital device. I prefer writing pen to paper (or even pencil to paper).

That way I’m able to connect better. I'm also able to access my intuition and pick up messages or guidance with ease.

Being a typical INFJ personality who lives in her head, I do have a lot to write in my journal every single day.

The first phase of journaling works as a fantastic brain dump. I pour in all my worries, thoughts, ideas and emotions. I allow myself to express myself fully.

I write as much as I want to and for as long as I want to - after all no one’s watching! It’s all freewheeling, so no censoring.

There’s no specific plan about what to write. I write exactly what comes to me at the moment.

I could write about things that have happen the previous day. I may write about something that’s bothering me like a disagreement with my sister. Or a sticky situation with a co-worker.

I may write about how happy I felt about completing an assignment. Or the gratitude I experience for the grace in my life. Or pen my plans for my next holiday.

Or I could journal about topics for my next blog post and how to create fabulous new content.

"In the journal, I do not just express myself more openly than I could to any person; I create myself. ~ Susan Sontag

As I keep writing, the pen takes over. After some time into the writing, the content begins to flow without much thought. That’s when I begin to get the biggest breakthroughs and clarity.

The journal is a place that allows me to be incredibly honest. It’s just me and my journal. No one’s judging or evaluating me.

Journaling allows me to candidly express how I am feeling. Journaling takes away the sting of situations charged with emotions. It helps me see situations from a calm and balanced place.

With journaling, I get a better perspective. I’m able to see how I may have overlooked something or over-reacted.

I’m able to see with clarity if I was short-changed in a situation or if I failed to draw healthy boundaries. So, I’m able to take responsibility for my part in a situation.

Journaling allows me to make decisions from a peaceful and objective place. And I’m less likely to regret those decisions.

That way, journaling provides outstanding and even out-of-the-box solutions to problems. These solutions rarely match the ones I've got by talking to a good friend or even an expert.

A personal journal is an ideal environment in which to “become”. It is a perfect place for you to think, feel, discover, expand, remember, and dream. ~ Brad Wilcox

When I complete journaling, an extraordinary sense of calm and quiet confidence emerges.

I feel clear, energised and positive to take on the day.

2. Terrific Time Management & Goal Setting Tool 

Each time I feel overwhelmed with my schedule, I first reach out to my journal.

I write down how I’m feeling due to the flood of tasks at hand, the deadlines and overwhelm.

I make a list of every single task at hand - absolutely every task.

I then look at the list and ask myself which of those tasks can be eliminated. There are always a few unimportant tasks that creep into my list.

With the reduced task list, I then figure out which of the tasks need to be done now i.e today or this week. Often there are at least a few tasks I can do later in the month.

With the remaining tasks, I figure out which ones I can do myself. And the one’s I can do with some help, delegate or automate.

This simple process takes not more than 10-15 min. It brings incredible peace, purpose and productivity.

Not only for overwhelming situations, but I also use journaling to plan my schedule. I journal my schedule for the year, month, week and day.

I use freewriting to plan long term goals and dreams.

I write down my deeply cherished dreams and goals, in much detail.

Some of my major goals such as buying a house and creating my business have come from years of journaling.

I even journal before I sit down to create a vision board. It allows me to access my deepest dreams and adds a certain richness to designing the vision board.

“Journal writing gives us insights into who we are, who we were, and who we can become.” ― Sandra Marinella

3. Fantastic Idea Generator 

I love journaling out my content creation process.

Content ideas generated through journaling are unique, immensely engaging and authentic.

There’s an extraordinary flow of rich ideas and thoughts when I put pen to paper. I can never match the quality of ideas that come from journaling, with any other process.

Often I have a whole bunch of ideas for blog posts, running in my head.

I write down all these ideas in my journal. I write how I’m feeling about each idea.

The idea that I’m feeling most charged about is the first one I blog about. In this way, I’m able to choose a powerful new topic for blogging.

I then begin outlining the blog post in my journal and give it shape.

When I practice pen-to-paper journaling to flesh out a blog post, I’m more likely to get insightful content. This rarely happens when I’m typing a blog post on my computer.

Not only blog posts, but I've also found journaling useful to generate ideas for social media content. And even for creating my content calendar.

Goes without saying that ideas for designing coaching programmes, website & email copy - all get created with journaling.

Isn’t journaling terrific?

Wondering how you could taste the magic of journaling? Here’s a simple process to get you started.

HOW YOU CAN BEGIN JOURNALING TODAY

To get started, all you need is a pen (or pencil) and paper.

Choose a time of the day you can journal every day.

While there’s no ideal time to journal, I’ve found that setting aside 15-20 min every morning ensures that I land up journaling before the day takes over.

Journaling at the start of the day preps me up for the day ahead. I start my day with confidence, clarity and enthusiasm.

Choose a time of the day that works for you. Mark it out in your calendar.

You can choose to journal with a few prompts. Here’s Your 30 Awesome Journaling Prompts Cheatsheet. It’s free to access.

Or you can pen down your thoughts, emotions and happenings from the previous day. You can write about what you’re grateful for, what you’d like to achieve today or anything else that comes up for you.

You may feel like writing about a situation that’s bothering you or something that’s inspired you or made you happy. Allow the writing to flow.

I prefer to free write and then allow the pen to take over the writing.

You don’t need to be a professional writer to practice journaling. You don’t need to be a skilful communicator – all you need to do is write.

Don't worry about grammar, spelling, or even logical coherency.

The process is more important than the written product.

After completing the writing for the day tear or burn your journal pages, so you can let go of the emotions in your writing. That way you’re also assured that your writing is confidential and private. Don’t skip this.

Knowing that your writing is for your eyes only, gives you the courage to be bold and candid in your journaling. That makes your journaling more effective.

Are you all set to experience the magic of journaling?

Go right ahead. Grab your journal and pen. Get started with the powerful practice of journaling, today. 

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