Journalling
Journaling is essentially the teenage habit of keeping a diary but for adults. The differentiation comes from the intention of the writing. While a journal can mean different things to different people; most use journaling as a way to foster continual self improvement. One component of journaling is self-reflection while another is progressive steps to the achievement of goals. The main point of journaling is that the act of writing thoughts and emotions brings clarity and direction. Journaling can help you see patterns and assist with self evaluation. Or journaling can act as a repository; safekeeping your inner dialogue which can be especially important if you are going through a tough time. Many people start journaling when they are going through separation, divorce or employment troubles.
The healing power of writing has long been documented. In fact, the process of journaling dates back to 10th century Japan. While there are apps available, the key success to journaling lies in hand writing. Seeing your goals or thoughts in your own writing can have a profound effect on the brain.
Benefits of Journaling
Greater chance of achieving goals - writing your goals signals to your brain that they're important. Your reticular activating system (a diffuse network of nerves in the brainstem and responsible for consciousness) responds in kind and filters opportunities in support of your goals that you might otherwise overlook.
Increased mindfulness - the act of writing brings your wandering mind into a state of attention on a regular basis this helps past frustrations and future anxieties lose their edge.
Better memory - the relationship between body and brain is complex and strong. The formation of letters on the page causes the mind to phrase and re-phrase ideas. This strengthens recall and assists with cognitive recall
Greater emotional intelligence - journaling is an outlet for processing emotions and acts to increase self-awareness. Internal familiarity becomes a conduit for empathy and understanding.
Increased IQ - writing (and language learning in general) has a positive correlation with intelligence. Journaling stimulates the natural urge to search for new words and, therefore, increase your vocabulary in order to express complex thoughts and feelings in a meaningful way
Strengthen your self discipline - setting aside time every day to write is an act of self-discipline in itself. Journaling exercises the ability to stick to a habit and makes it easier to commit to other habits on a regular basis
Improved communication skills - subvocalisation of thoughts through writing has a connection to the ability to actually vocalise them as well. Ergo, writing makes it easier to talk. The deliberate act of tidying up thoughts in writing has a profound effect on verbal communication
Faster healing - expressive writing aids emotional, physical and psychological healing. Writing can act as an emotional release by converting an experience into something tangible thereby lowering anxiety, stress and inducing better sleep.
Increased creativity - journaling in the morning has been proven to increase creativity for the rest of the day. Free writing allows passage for a stream of consciousness that acts to overcome writers block and lets the creative juices flow
Boost self confidence - writing is considered a positive experience for your brain, releasing endorphins which act to boost your mood and dopamine to improve self-confidence,
Reduced stress - writing about anger and sadness helps relieve the intensity of the feelings. Journaling helps to heal the past and dignifies all life's events by bringing balance and harmony to your emotions and providing direction and intent to your daily actions.
Improved problem solving - writing unlocks the creative right side of the brain therefore assisting analysis which is usually controlled by the left side of the brain and giving rise to other possibilities for resolution
Disagreement resolution - writing about, rather than stewing over, disagreements can help you see the situation from another's perspective which often leads naturally to a potential resolution
Stimulates gratitude - even if you start writing in a bad mood, the act of writing tends to bring a shift in mindset towards thankfulness. Showing gratitude has been proven to make you happier, healthier and optimistic. Gratitude reduces materialism and self-centredness.
There’s evidence to suggest that the writing materials (book and pen) you use for journaling have an effect on the quality of the words you write. That the act of writing in a book and with a pen that brings you joy influences not only what you write but how you write. Akin to nice underwear making you feel sexy, a journal that is pretty (and you get to choose what that means to you: leather, pink fabric, soft or hard cover, lined or blank pages) is said to create consistency and act as a motivator to get you writing and maintain the habit. So hunt around until you find a notebook or a purpose-built journal that you love. And feel free to choose whatever book and pen YOU like. Journaling is a very personal task. It’s important that you find the paper and ink that suits you.
Some ideas to get you started
Journaling is easy for some people and more difficult for others. If you’re in the latter camp but still want to give it a try, here are some topics or approaches that you might like to try.
Gratitude (more on this in the next chapter) - a focus on what you are thankful for. The aim here is to look for positives. This can be especially effective for people that are going through a hard time, are affected by depression or want to change their thought patterns to a more positive vein. List five/ten/whatever number you want things you are thankful for every day
Reflective - a retrospective look at your day. Usually this style of journaling involves free writing and an exploration into emotion
Motivational - the focus here is on growth. Include quotes or anecdotes that inspire you
Visionary - goals oriented, this type of journal is aiming to provide you with guidance in a particular direction
Dreams - written in the morning; this type of journal tracks what you dreamed about
Diet/exercise - for those focused on weight loss or lifestyle change; this type of journaling can include what you are, exercise habits and can be used to track progress with weights and personal best times
Travel - designed to keep a specific record of your adventures detailing the places you visited, the people you met, the things you learned
Reading - for the bookworm, this is a record of what you’ve read and what you thought of it. You could include your favourite quotes
