In a time when self-care is all about face masks and shopping sprees, finding effective and cost-free ways to take care of oneself can be hard. One way of doing so is through journaling. It doesn’t have to be a complicated activity; simply put pen to paper and let thoughts flow.
In a study done in 2013 by the Journal Psychosomatic Medicine, healthy adults aged 64-97 were asked to journal for 20 minutes a day. Half of them wrote about superficial topics such as time management, and the other half wrote about topics that upset them, making sure to honestly describe their thoughts and feelings.
Two weeks later, the participants had a small biopsy done on their arm, which created a small wound. Eleven days after the biopsy was performed, 76% of the participants who had written about uncomfortable topics had their wounds healed, compared to only 42% of the participants who simply wrote about time management. This shows how effective honest journaling can be on one’s body, both mentally and physically.
In addition to better physical health, journaling has a significant effect on mental health. The process of organizing one’s experiences and emotions makes it easier for the brain to process and think critically about the world. Especially during hard times, writing out emotions can help discover what causes internal conflicts and how to cope with external conflicts.
I see these benefits in my writing. As an active and daily journaler, I find the greatest improvement writing has had on my life is the ability to stay present. By recounting my day-to-day experiences, I am forced to take a step back and learn from my experiences and understand how each day of my life shapes me as a person. This is very valuable for personal growth, as well as accountability and self-awareness.
Journaling is an amazing tool for overall health, and it comes with a variety of other advantages. One advantage is a boost in recollection, as writing is a proven method to commit ideas to memory. I enjoy looking back through my past entries and recalling all the experiences I’ve had that would have been lost to memory if they hadn’t been recorded in my journal.
Along with better memory, journaling can also improve writing skills. By being a consistent writer, it will, over time, feel easier to put thoughts on paper, as well as aid in vocabulary skills. This can not only help academically, but also help with more effective communication with others. Additionally, even just knowing how to express emotions in a way that is coherent and structured is beneficial.
Journaling can feel intimidating at first, but often the hardest part is just getting started. Be sure to take it slow. Set aside just fifteen minutes in the day to journal and find a quiet spot to feel at ease. Then, let thoughts flow freely. There are no rules about what to write—just make sure it is something.
If tired, write that down. If stress is overwhelming, jot down what’s causing it. Don’t worry if it doesn’t make perfect sense. What matters most is being honest. The most beneficial form of journaling for me is daily journaling, where I summarize everything that happened to me on a particular day.
But, daily journaling isn’t the only kind of journaling out there. For something quicker, a gratitude or dream recall journal might be a better fit. For the arts and crafts enthusiast, bullet journaling is a great way to get creative and express oneself.
Journaling is one of the most accessible ways to better oneself. Taking time to actively reflect upon life creates more meaning in every experience. Whether through daily entries or jotted-down thoughts, journaling can be a transformative habit that enhances overall well-being and brings a greater sense of purpose to life.
