Benefits+of+Journaling

=Journaling is something everyone can do. It doesn't have to be a huge, lengthy process-it can be just a few lines a day! Here are 10 benefits of journaling:=


 * =You can let your ideas and feelings flow freely, and follow them wherever they lead you. =
 * Because there is no editing, revising, or structure to journaling, it is easier to put your inner critic on hold and get to the heart of what you are thinking and feeling.
 * =People write what they need to know. =
 * You will gain surprising and valuable insights into yourself as you journal, and again when you revisit past writings
 * =Journaling over time gives you a borader and more accurate perspective on yourself and your journey. =
 * It is easy to not realize how long you've been sterssed with a particular issue. Re-reading journals from previous months and years will give you a time perspective and allow you to see repeating issues.
 * =There are many different ways to journal. =
 * Experiment with journaling longhand, on a keyboard, at different times of the day, in different locations ,and for varying lengths of time. Many people find that doing "morning pages" upon first rising, and "evening reflections" at the end of the day are very effective and give very different results.
 * =Journaling is a safe way to express negative feeligns and half-formed thoughts until you are ready to communicate them to others in a healthy and constructive way, =
 * =Journals can be burned =
 * If you are uncomfortable committing your innermost thoughts to paper, write your thoughts and burn them. Although you will not get the long term benefits of re-reading past writings, the journaling process itself is still extremely valuable, and the ritual of burning the pages can be very freeing and releasing.
 * =You get to decide who you want to be, and you can change your mind at any time. =
 * Until you can figure it out in real life, use journaling to try on different ways of being and expressing yourself. Write as though you are already the fearless person you want to be. Remember, journaling is risk free and private. No one but you is affected by what you write. Your journal will not pressure you to be who it thinks you should be!
 * =Journaling can help with the goals you've set. =
 * When you set goals, its important to keep track of your progress. What better way than journaling about what you did to help reach your goal or what made it difficult? Journaling helps you see your progress better.
 * =Regular journaling can make the rest of your day better. =
 * <span style="color: #4c3088; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Ritualized practices, like journaling every morning or eveneing, bring a rhythm to your life, and become a time for calming, centering, and reflection. Taking this time to think and be with yourself helps you be with others in a positive way.
 * =<span style="color: #4c3088; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Intentional journaling can be a gift to others =
 * <span style="color: #4c3088; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">While most journaling is private, another form of journaling is done for an intended audience. Keep a notebook or tape recorder handy and record the thoughts you want to share with your friends or family-stories of the funny and special things they say and do while they are still fresh in your mind, important family stories you want to share, and even those of your personal thoughts and feelings that will be meaningful to them later on in their lives.

Back to EMOTIONAL WELLNESS RESOURCES