Why Journalling Works

Chances are we’ve all started a journal at one point in our lives. And some of us have even been able to continue with it. If you’re thinking about starting a journal for the first time, or want to get back into it, here are four reasons why journaling works.

Freedom on Paper

With journaling you have the whole page to write on. Instead of typing lines on a computer, with a journal you can write or draw however you want. Lists, words, even images, can all be arranged in a fluid motion. This freedom can help with your ideas as it allows you to organize your thoughts however best works for you.

Midnight Ideas

It’s no secret that some of the best ideas happen in the middle of the night. And woe to the person who doesn’t have a pen and paper next to the bed to document these precious insights. A journal is the perfect instrument to have next to you at night. That way, all your ideas can be stored in one easy to find place. Just be sure to write somewhat legible as there’s nothing worse than not being able to read your writing in the morning.

Writing as a routine

Journaling should be a routine, but not in a negative way. Journaling is often done before sleep, but it can just as easily be done in the morning. If you take public transportation or carpool to work, this can be a productive time to journal. Whenever works best for you, make sure you stick to it. Journaling can start out hard at first and you may have to force yourself to work at it. Try to set goals – either time increments or page numbers. Hopefully you’ll find that it becomes habit to pick up your journal each day.

Keep going

You might be going really strong at journaling, and then life might step in the way. A late-night party or a bout of the flu could leave you forgoing your daily ritual. One day might turn into multiple days which can easily become a week. If you find that you’ve fallen off the journaling wagon, take heart and get back on. It’s never too late to start journaling again. And if you’re not sure where to start, try a few words or sentences to get back into it. Hopefully you’ll find the joy in journaling once again.

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