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I’ve been dabbling with journaling on and off for the past three years, but it wasn’t until the last three months that I committed to making it a daily habit. Since then, I’ve realized that writing on a personal level, in a way that no one else sees, can completely supercharge every aspect of your life. In this blog, we’re going to explore how and why journaling has changed my life. I’ll be sharing insights, practical tools, and evidence-based strategies that I use to journal effectively.

Let’s start with how journaling helped me. Numerous studies, research papers, and books highlight the importance of journaling, but for me, it boils down to three areas where it made a noticeable difference in my life.

Journaling Benefit #1: Problem Solving

I see journaling as a powerful tool for solving problems on three levels:

1. Everyday Problems: These are immediate, relatively small-scale issues that affect your day-to-day life. For instance, you might feel anxious about an upcoming presentation or be preoccupied with an argument you had with your partner. Writing these feelings down helps you make sense of them. Maybe you realize your anxiety about the presentation stems from feeling unprepared, or you see that a calm conversation with your partner could resolve the argument. By writing down your thoughts, you can detach from them, understand what’s bothering you, and manage daily stress more effectively.
2. Big Picture Problem Solving: This is where you map out your larger, strategic decisions. For example, if you’re aiming for a promotion but doubt your ability to hire and manage a team, journaling can help you identify this bottleneck. You might then seek resources or people to help you, like reading “The Culture Code” by Daniel Coyle to understand better hiring practices. For me, journaling helped clarify my YouTube channel’s direction when I felt stuck discussing the same topics repeatedly.
3. Life Problem Solving: This level involves asking yourself difficult, life-changing questions. Questions like “What would I want to experience if time and money were not an issue?” and “How do I want to be remembered?” can fundamentally shift your perspective. For me, these questions led to starting my YouTube channel and rethinking my beliefs about social media and work. Addressing these deep questions can change the direction of your life.

Journaling Benefit #2: Mental Clarity and Mindset

Journaling has also improved my mental clarity and overall mindset. One technique I recommend is the “morning pages” exercise from Julia Cameron’s book, “The Artist’s Way.” Every morning, you write three pages of stream-of-consciousness thoughts. Don’t worry about grammar or quality; just let your thoughts flow onto paper. This routine acts as a mental cleanse, helping you offload worries and focus better on other tasks. Research by James Pennebaker supports this, showing that repeatedly writing about a concern can reduce negative emotions and increase objectivity.

Journaling Benefit #3: Insights and Memories

My first journal dates back to when I was 14. I used it to record daily events and funny moments, many of which I would have forgotten without writing them down. Nowadays, I use the Day One app, which allows me to add voice notes, photos, and locations. There are also physical options like a five-year journal, where you write one sentence each day and reflect on past entries. Journaling preserves these memories and provides valuable insights over time.

Top Tips for Effective Journaling

1. Embrace Simplicity: You’re not writing a novel. Just write without pressure. It’s for you, and no one else will read it.
2. Have Prompts: On days when you’re unsure what to write, use prompts like “How am I feeling about work today?” or “What’s bothering me?” Asking “why” repeatedly can help you delve deeper into your thoughts.
3. Set a Reminder: Journal for just five minutes in the morning, perhaps while having coffee or during your commute. Integrate it into your existing routine so it doesn’t feel like a chore.
4. Let Yourself Get Deep: Don’t shy away from difficult questions. This is your safe space, so be honest and vulnerable. If privacy concerns you, consider using a secure app or website like Squibbler, which deletes your writing if you don’t save it.

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If you start journaling after watching this blog, I’d love to hear how it works for you. Check out my blog on the different prompts I use from the Law of Attraction planner. Thank you.

Blog Credit: Nischa