As a young girl and well into my teens I always kept diaries, most of them were cute and pink and so aesthetically pleasing. I still have most of them and they contain just about everything that I had ever been through. My diary was always my safe haven, my confidant and my peace; a friend that would and could not divulge any of my secrets, thoughts and feelings and that brought me so much joy. Somewhere along the line I stopped keeping diaries, I ‘grew out’ of spilling my tears and pouring my soul into the pages of my diary until I started therapy just over a year ago.
My psychologist loves dishing out homework and part of that homework encompasses journaling, lots of journaling which is why I fell in love with it all over again. I have gained so much from journaling and sharing those benefits has been my hearts song of late, so here goes my 5 Reasons Why I Journal:
1. Journaling is Therapeutic
There’s this thing in therapy called catharsis which is a form of emotional release and this is the most beneficial aspect of journaling. Every night before bed or whenever something that sparks a sea of emotions within me happens, I take to my journal and write it down. I write in a free flow method, uncensored and of course I am able to vent in a judgement free zone.
2. Journaling Allows for Introspection
When I journal, I reflect on the day, spend time with myself and engage in self-reflection. I’m able to become more self-aware because journaling allows for observation and reflection. This means that I’m better able to notice destructive patterns of behaviour and thought patterns and possibly use the content to aid my personal growth.
3. Journaling Facilitates Healing
My mind can get so busy at times and journaling just helps me to untangle the knots of thoughts and the mental busyness. This allows me to clear my mind and organise my thoughts as well as make sense of my emotions and thoughts.
4. Journaling Ignites Creativity
As a writer, I often experience this annoying phenomena called ‘writers block’ and somehow journaling helps me surpass these creative blocks. Journaling has allowed me to write in a free-flow style whereby I just write whatever comes to mind and that style of writing is something that I am learning to apply in my creative writing as well.
5. Journaling is a Form of Self-Care
Self-care is about doing things that make us feel good, happy, relaxed and is a reflection of self-love. When I journal I am investing time and energy into myself and as far as I’m concerned dedicating uninterrupted time and energy to myself is the greatest form of self-care.