Is Journaling Good for You?

Yes. Journaling is good for you. Journaling is good for stress relief, processing, making changes and reaching goals, and appreciating your life more. Let’s look at why journaling is healthy, and how you can get started journaling today.

Transformational Journaling

The benefits of journaling are so numerous that many books have been written about it. One of the most basic benefits to a person’s life is that it has been proven that people who write down what they eat (the food journal) lose twice as much weight. For many of us, that is reason enough to journal. In addition by jotting down how you may be feeling at the times that you eat, or if you have any cravings, etc., it also becomes a powerful tool to help you overcome the various aspects of emotional eating (one of the most overwhelming reasons for overeating).

Journaling is a wonderful form of stress relief and as we actually write down our problems, many times as we look at our written words, the answers to our problems become more readily apparent. An additional benefit of the stress relief that journaling provides is that it strengthens the immune system thereby preventing many illnesses.

How to Get Started

All you need to journal is paper and pen or pencil. This can be as simple as a scratch pad and pen or as fancy as a beautiful leather journal and fountain pen. All that matters is that you write down your thoughts. Don’t be all or nothing. It’s ok to journal faithfully for 2 months, to be followed with nothing for 2 weeks or even months. The key is to pick it up again and start writing. It’s time to begin reaping the benefits of this simple practice.

Something else I like to do is to pick up the journals of famous people or the loved ones of famous people in the library. I’m currently reading the diaries of Sofia Tolstoy. If you’ve ever read Anna Karenina or War and Peace you will be astounded by the journal entries of Tolstoy’s wife who wrote and edited every word of his extremely long and detailed manuscripts. One of the couples major ways of communicating in their early years was by reading each other journals. That’s a thought, isn’t it?

The Power of the Gratitude Journal

Gratitude journals are becoming more and more popular as people realize that when they regularly write down the things that they are grateful for, they BECOME grateful. Grateful people are happier, more joyful people.

Moreover, it has been proven that the practice of gratitude can change your life. Studies have shown that writing down just 3 things that you are thankful for daily can increase your happiness quotient significantly. Gratitude makes you see life in a whole new light. It opens you up to the abundant life. There is an ancient spiritual law that the more you are grateful for the things you have, the more you will receive.

Gratitude is very important to living successfully in the here and now…in this present moment. Gratitude brings health to your mind and to your body. Cultivate the habit of writing in your daily gratitude journal. This one act can make an enormous difference in your life. Do you have enough to eat? A home to live in? Friends, family, good health? Look for the small things that make your life abundant. When we start teaching ourselves to be grateful for even the smallest moments in our life, we become more appreciative of our life as a whole.

Start Your Gratitude Journal

Select a journal and start your own Gratitude Journal. Each day, faithfully write down at least 3 things that you are grateful for. As you begin writing, you will be amazed at the abundance of blessings in your life. Meditate on or say a prayer of thanksgiving for the things that you have, and you will slowly see yourself changing to a more satisfied and fulfilled individual.

Final Thoughts on Is Journaling Good for You

In yoga we set goals, then let them go, releasing them to God or the universe. Make it your goal to journal, and then try to be patient with yourself as you work on developing the habit. As we journal, it is amazing to look back on our journals and see how these goals have come to fruition on our journey.

There are so many reasons to journal and many books have been written on this subject. I guess in conclusion my question is: “Why would anybody NOT journal?”