Keeping a daily journal has been proven in different studies to have both mental and physical health benefits. One study found participants who kept a journal healed quicker from a medical procedure than those who did not.
Another study found keeping a journal lowered blood pressure and was found to be therapeutic for mental health issues.
Aside from these benefits, keeping a daily journal can help you organize your thoughts and feelings, keeping them from swirling around in your head all day, creating stress. It can also improve your memory skills, and help you create and keep track of your goals.
In this article, you will discover how to keep a daily journal of your journey.
How to Keep a Daily Journal
Keeping a daily journal is as simple as sitting down for a few minutes per day and writing. Know what to write about may be difficult at first, but the more you practice the easier it will become.
Once you begin journaling you may notice you become more mindful of your own needs, as well as the needs of others. Keeping a daily journal helps you focus and improves comprehension. You may notice you are communicating better and feeling more creatively inspired.
You can get to know yourself better. The more you know about yourself and your issues, the better chance you have of resolving those issues. This will lead to improved confidence.
To receive the benefits of keeping a daily journal, there are guidelines you can follow. These guidelines are listed below.
Discover the Theme of Your Journal
You can write whatever you want in your journal. It is yours, after all. When you begin journaling, it is important to get into the habit of writing daily. Some people do this by choosing a specific theme for their journal.
It can be hard to decide what to write. Developing a theme for your journal can help. For example, if you struggle with depression, you may want to make the theme of your journal focusing on your mental health issues and the progress you make in improving those issues.
You can also choose to have a more generalized theme, such as writing about the activities throughout the day. Other themes include dreams, food, travel, pregnancy, side business ideas, and weight management. Choose a theme based on your goals and lifestyle.
Choose Your Journaling Format
In the past, keeping a daily journal of your journey meant writing in a notebook with pen or pencil. Not anymore. Today, there are many options.
You can choose a journaling APP on your smartphone, your laptop, desktop or any other technology that can download apps.
Journaling apps come with advantages, like reminder messages to let you know it is time to journal. You can also add photos to your journal posts, local weather and information, and you can sync the app across all your devices.
You can also speak to your journal, using voice command apps on your smart phone.
Using pen and paper for keeping a daily journal of your journey is still popular. Many people prefer this method. It is like your own special diary that only you can access, where you can safely say anything.
Choosing a format can lead to choosing a journaling style.
Choose a Journaling Style
Your daily journal of your journey should be written in a style that represents you and fits your lifestyle. Some people like to write pages each day, some like to write for five minutes maximum, hitting the highlights of their day.
Each way is fine, if it works for you. Other styles of journaling include bullet journaling, artistic expressions, voice recordings, free journaling, one line a day writing, or responding to pre-set questions. You may even want to correspond with a friend, each of you interviewing the other.
Keep Your Journal Close
You are on a journey of some kind, and this journey is happening all day, every day. You never know when an event will take place, or when you may have a feeling of anxiety, or when something fantastic happens. You do not want to wait until the end of the day to write about it. You may forget something important.
For instance, if you get a promotion at work at 9am, take time to record everything about that moment, from how you feel, the environment, your emotions and even the reactions of yourself and others.
It is these small details that can help you reflect and compare the progression you have experienced during your journey.
Be Honest
You are the only person who will see your journal writings, unless you share it, so why not be honest in what you write. Life is not always perfect, and it is okay to write that. You make mistakes, it is okay to admit them and write about them.
Open up in your daily journal of your journey and write about your true thoughts, feelings and actions.
Through this type of honesty, you will learn a lot about yourself. When you are writing honestly, you can measure your actual growth over time.
Listen to Yourself
Reading what you write in your daily journal of your journey can give you great insight into physical and mental health. If you are writing about something repeatedly, this can be a sign you need additional help in this area.
If many of your journal entries include information about you feeling depressed, having crying spells, and feeling like you will never succeed, it is time to get help from a professional who can help you work through these feelings.
Mental health professionals are trained to help you with any mental health issues you may be having.
If your journal contains multiple posts about the pain you have in your back, it is time to see a medical doctor. Journaling can help you become much more mindful.
Conclusion
In conclusion, keeping a daily journal of your journey can give you a personal timeline on how you have improved. It can help you figure out what you need to do to break bad habits and create new ones. It can help you feel proud of the person you have become.
Everyone is on a journey. Many have written about their journey of recovery, or discovery, or for freedom. Your personal journey is just as important and deserves to be recorded in some way. Start keeping your daily journal of your journey today.