5 Benefits of Keeping a Journal

I have loved writing in journals (or diaries) for as long as I can remember. I still remember the one I had when I was a young girl. It was one of those small 5 year diaries that came with a lock and key. It was pink with pictures of flowers on the front.

While I have not kept a journal consistently, I have filled my fair share of them. Writing about the events of my life, writing out my prayers, and writing about what I’ve learned from reading the Bible are all ways I’ve used a journal.

In the last few weeks, I’ve been watching YouTube videos by Ali Brown. She is an incredible artist and has an amazing testimony of how God has worked in her and her husband’s lives.

I began watching her videos because of my love of Chic Sparrow notebooks. I was looking for new ideas on how to set mine up and use them.

Ali has some great videos on how she journals. I love her journals because not only do they hold all her thoughts and ideas, but she uses different art techniques to make them come alive.

While I want to create some journals that are artsy and fun, I’ve been inspired by Ali to just journal all my thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Basically just whatever is on my mind.

So, today I got a new notebook insert from Chic Sparrow that I bought to be my first journal with an artistic flair. I love this insert because the paper is such high quality that inks and paints do not bleed through.

I spent a few minutes using distress inks from Tim Holtz and applying some washi tape to decorate a couple of pages. Then I promptly proceeded to spill my guts for 2 1/2 pages.

I can’t tell you what a relief it was just to write out things that have been on my mind for a long time. They weren’t necessarily bad or negative things, in fact, I just had a lot of ideas and thoughts I needed to get out of my head and onto paper.

As I was writing in my journal, I began to think of all the ways the journaling process can be beneficial. After all, if I felt that good after just one entry, I know there are other benefits that can come from keeping a journal.

Here are just a few I discovered:

1. Gets things out of your head.

As I mentioned above, just getting all my thoughts, feelings, and ideas out of my head was a huge relief. Having a place where I can spill out the contents of my brain leaves me feeling refreshed and renewed.

2. Helps you to process your feelings.

Sometimes life comes at you hard and fast, and there is hardly any time to think through the feelings that come up. Writing in a journal is a safe place to process how you feel about certain situations. It gives you a chance to ask questions and think through things.

3. Gives you a place to vent.

Ok, I am not an angry person a majority of the time, however there will be situations that come up that will upset me. I can write all of my frustrations in my journal and use it as a place to cool off. While I’ve not done this yet, I’m sure there will be times I need to do this. Once those angry feelings are written down, they usually dissipate so you can see the situation more clearly. Often, writing out our angry feelings can keep us from reacting too quickly and can help us avoid a situation we may regret later.

4. Clarifies what you’re thinking.

Today when I wrote, I realized I had a lot of different thoughts about the same subject. So, when I go back to write again, I can take some time and really think through what I’m trying to accomplish. I can write things out in a logical way that will present the subject to me in a sensible way.

5. Lets you be creative.

As I mentioned above, I want this journal to show more of my creativity. However, it doesn’t mean I’m just going to be creative in how I design the pages. Writing in a journal is a casual form of writing. I don’t have to worry about grammar, punctuation, or format like I do when I’m writing for the public. It really is a freeing experience that allows me to be more creative.

While I most likely will not be writing every day, I plan to make it a habit to where I’m writing at least 2-3 times a week. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished journal and how my life is changed because of it.

Do you keep a journal? If so, leave a comment below and tell me about it.