7 wonderful benefits of keeping a journal
Tags: Diary, Journaling, Writing, Journal, Diary Writing

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I can shake off everything if I write; my sorrows disappear. My courage is reborn. -Anne Frank

Her family was a World War 2 holocaust victim. With the political conflicts and war-air around them, young Anne took to writing. She poured her heart out on a diary. It became her confiding partner. Her experiences and insightful quotes, the words formed a life of their own. The same checkered journal got a jacket of its own. ‘The diary of Anne Frank’ remains favorite among millions of readers to date.

Okay… You would think in the times of wire-free life, who holds a diary? Sit down and scribble about your day, isn’t that a yesteryear thing? A hashtag is enough to let the world know what I am up to. Exotic vacation or a bad score in the GRE test, emoticons say it all. Who needs journaling? Does it exist?

Turns out, it does and is very much here to stay and flourish. Think a little. In today’s demanding and judgemental times, we are forgetting to listen to own self. We are ok to over-consume everything. Agony, anxiety and frustration, we cleverly brush it under the carpet. The positive, happy mask which we often put is simply to appear praiseworthy. We are not ready to go mask-less and showcase the real self. Happy, wounded or Zen, our mind remains inside the closet, all the time.

This is the era of self-help gurus and ted talks. Everyone is preaching about “finding that inner peace”. A five min video of self-healing may leave you charged up for a day or two. Time passes and again you are back with the baggage of stack full of everything. How do you march towards progression? And release the tight knots of unspoken desires and aspirations one at a time?

Turn to Journals. It’s a voyage to the interior.

A few blank pages and ink of your choice is all you need to let that inner voice find its release. You needn’t necessarily be a creative writer or out of the box thinker to keep a journal. Anybody at any stage can turn to this humble, self-exploration journey.

Read on to find the surprising benefits of keeping a journal. From stretching your creative muscles to learning to get a grip over yourself, it does it all:

1. Go for goals

We all have those. Short term or long miles, we always have that ‘goal antenna’ above our head, all the time. Be it securing good grades or finding a shelter above the head five years down the line, goals keep you going.

Want to achieve everything under the sun but don’t know where to start? Penning down the goals in a journal can give you that push. It can motivate you to achieve the unspoken dreams and ambitions. There is a fascinating co-relation between hands and brain. The moment you write something on the paper, the brain gets into the “active zone”. Start crafting those goals on paper. Add ideas, anecdotes and just about anything that can flourish your dreams. Who knows, that untold idea of opening a pet shop may soon become a reality for you. You just need to push it on the paper first!

2. Boost the intelligence

Ever wondered why the greatest philosophers, writers, and scientists are always known for their high IQs? Well, the answer is simple. They believed in the power of writing.

The moment you put that first word on the paper, your “expression muscles” gets a boost. Keeping a daily journal can make you express better with words and emotions. A simple sentence like ‘today taking the tube home was hectic and tiring’ will have a more refined way of expression next time you mention it. You might scribble it with something like; tube ride tires me, every single time!

Journaling lets you play and explore with new words. It leaves you with a polished vocabulary! And intelligence, it shines as you go!

3. Raise the EQ bar

Failures, heartbreaks, and emotional turmoil, it affects us all. Emotional intelligence can be portrayed by how effectively one can manage these emotions. Written words hold the power of releasing those hurtful and happy emotions out of your system.

Try scribbling a situation or story that moved you and made you aware of the life around you in a journal. Chances are that you will learn to grow emotionally strong. The empathy factor towards the others will make you take a step ahead to connect and react more. From mute to expressive, journaling speaks and how.

4. Self-discipline comes kicking in

Ask any fitness junkie or a singer how they achieve that adrenaline rush? The answer is simple, with self-discipline and dedication. If you are someone lacking that devotion, help yourself with “self words”. Start journaling. It can polish the self-mastery.

keeping a daily journal is a wordy disciple. It’s progressive and practical. Morning or late night, suit your time. Mention the things that need improvement and crafting. Physical, mental or financial it could be anything. As time progresses, you will seek that “write time” every day to mention everything that needs to be penned down.

Want to return to the diary only on weekends? Go ahead and reunite with the ink on a balmy Sunday. Weekend diary often has a “so much to say” tag attached.

5. Journaling heals

Be it a sparkly lifestyle or enviable success we want it all. We won’t mind popping that pill for a backbone to get the work done at ungodly hours. All for a fat pay, swanky car or a penthouse in a skyscraper, right? Success greets and stays with you. And often it comes with an unasked companion called ‘stress’. Hasn’t it become our second nature?

Realize what’s bothering you and say it via words. Craft it in your language. Is it boredom, lack of interest or unfair criticism, record it. Keeping a journal to mention those boo’s or Nah will help you heal better and faster. Make a stress list. Writing about the same is a half battle won. Combat it and Come back to check it off, with a victory mark!

6. Let the creative juices flow

Who said only writers, painters or philosophers have a creative bone in them? A creative soul traps his or her artistic expertise with a belief in the word “try”. The creative, mystic wheel is funny, it always rolls towards progression.

Unleash the inner artist in you with journaling. A money man by the day can turn into a jazz sensation by the evening. Find more about it and record it in a journal. A poem, Para or doodle, the idea is to keep it creative. Half a page or sometimes entire diary, creative journaling is addictive. Try it!

7. Gratitude is good

Blessed to have a supporting spouse or thankful to the rain for not showing up today, mention it on the paper. Agreed, the verbal gratitude is humble but those written with a date on the side stays forever.

If keeping a daily journal, write a short anecdote or a quick mark expressing your gratitude. Why happy or who made your day? Mention the reason for your thankfulness in a journal. Felt gracious after a humble meal or a hug from a pet, go all humbly.

Encouraged already to start journaling? Pick up a pen and start writing. Want to keep a solid journal in that satchel or backpack of yours? Trust Jotjoy journals. From cooking, a milestone to travel journal, we have journals for every soul.

Written by Trupti Palav

Team Jotjoy