What I Learned From Journaling Daily That Improved My Life

Written by Michelle Ong | June 9, 2024 | Growth, Wellness

“Journal writing is a voyage to the interior.”
Chris Baldwin

Research shows that journaling can significantly reduce anxiety and stress by creating order from chaos. However, like many good habits, it’s not always easy to start or maintain. Despite knowing the benefits, I struggled to form a consistent journaling habit. I would write diligently for a while but then stop when life got busy and distracting. It wasn’t until recent years, when I embraced self-care, that I started taking journaling seriously and made it a daily routine.

One of the main reasons I resisted daily journaling was my belief that it required long, detailed entries, which seemed time-consuming. But I discovered that there are many journaling techniques, like writing one line a day, using bullet points, jotting down a few lines of gratitude, or setting intentions. There’s no fixed format—you can decide what works best for you. I now use a mix of these techniques and created a personal journaling style that suits me.

Initially, before journaling became a habit, I had to exercise self-discipline to keep my commitment. I gave myself the freedom to decide how much to write each day—sometimes just a few words, other times longer essays. I made journaling simple and didn’t treat it as a chore. By being consistent, I’ve maintained this habit for over a year now.

To celebrate my achievement and encourage others, I’ve decided to share my top learnings from daily journaling in this post, hoping it inspires more people to start too.

A Safe Space

“Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.”
Natalie Goldberg

One of the top benefits I feel is that a journal offers a safe space for a brain dump, to express thoughts and feelings unreservedly, and eliminate “mind trash”. It’s a private sanctuary to explore dreams and desires without fear of judgment. This routine provides alone time to reflect on the day’s events and have an honest conversation with ourselves.

The act of writing down the day’s events, thoughts and feelings, allows us to take on an observer’s perspective. You can write how we feel, vent frustrations, analyze your actions and behaviors and those of others, reflect on and process your emotions, and explore various perspectives and possible responses or solutions to problems.

Journaling offers the opportunity to chat with the different voices within us, ordering our thoughts and making sense of the chaos. It’s almost like role-playing, where we take on various roles depending on the topic, exploring different perspectives and debating with ourselves. This process not only brings clarity but also promotes growth and self-awareness.

Understand Oneself

Journaling allows us to reflect on what’s working and what’s not, and better understand our actions and inactions. It heightens self-awareness and mindfulness, and contributes to holistic understanding. Through this activity, we can clarify our life goals, needs and wants, be more aware of subconscious bad habits, and recognize shadow behaviors like habits of self-sabotage, self-doubt, and fears. Thus, improving decision-making skills on what to do next and what to avoid in the future.

It enables us to process our emotions and categorize them. Find solutions for things within our control and do our best to minimize the negative impact of things beyond our control and let nature take its course. This reduces overthinking, anxiety, and stress.

For instance, I have learned to filter out unconstructive opinions from others and know when to stand my ground and stick to my beliefs. This heightened self-awareness has also helped me develop self-discipline. It’s given me the drive and energy to commit to journaling daily and to form other good habits like exercising regularly.

Moreover, journaling helps me break bad habits, such as binge-watching shows, by allowing me to track my progress and adjust my plans and strategies as needed. It’s been a powerful tool in helping me shape a more mindful, disciplined, and fulfilling life.

Alternative Perspectives

“Journaling is like whispering to oneself and listening at the same time.”
Mina Murray

Journaling serves as a way of recording your life. It creates a healthy distance from your thoughts, gives you the chance to review your entries later through a third-person lens. When you reread these entries, you gain fresh perspectives on old problems, often leading to new insights and angles you hadn’t considered before.

Reading your past entries can also serve as reminders of important lessons, helping you to be mindful and avoid repeating the same mistakes. It stimulates rethinking and can inspire you to come up with new solutions to challenges. By revisiting your thoughts and experiences, you can see how much you’ve grown and use this newfound understanding to navigate your future more effectively.

Pause And Take A Step Back

A key lesson I’ve learned from journaling daily is the importance of being less reactive and impulsive. It’s easy to rush and form judgments based on flawed assumptions, and even worse, to act on those premature conclusions. Journaling has taught me to take my time when analyzing situations, understanding that I might not see all facets or have all the information. This awareness encourages me to give others the benefit of the doubt and consider alternative perspectives.

This practice is critical in avoiding regrets from acting on incomplete information. By deliberating carefully before taking action, we become more prudent and responsible. We are accountable for our actions, both good and bad, so taking the time to think things through can go a long way in preventing mistakes and minimizing regrets.

On the flip side, it’s equally important not sitting on things for too long. Delaying decisions and actions can be just as harmful as being impulsive. Passivity and procrastination are pitfalls to avoid. So, be mindful of striking a balance—being thoughtful and deliberate when necessary, but also decisive and proactive when the situation calls for it.

Cultivate Gratitude

I’ve discovered that being more mindful and appreciative of the good things in my life, as well as the kind gestures from others, has been incredibly helpful in fostering positive self-talk and maintaining an optimistic outlook. This practice of gratitude has shifted my focus away from negativity, self-doubt, and feelings of injustice or unfairness. It has also helped me let go of grudges.

Since I began daily gratitude journaling, I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my mood. I spend less time dwelling on frustrations and worries that are beyond my control, and I’m more focused on the things that truly matter. This constant reminder of the good in my life has been invaluable. Before adopting this habit, I was prone to anxiety cramps and heartburn due to excessive worrying and self-inflicted stress. But cultivating gratitude has reduced my anxiety and stress levels, leading to more frequent periods of calm and inner peace.

I am immensely grateful for my choice to commit to this habit. It has been a transformative journey, teaching me so much about myself and how to navigate my interactions with others and the world more effectively. Developing a habit of gratitude has not only improved my mental and physical health but also enhanced my overall quality of life.

Check out the Pinterest pins below for daily inspiration.

How To Start

For those considering journaling, my advice is simple: just start. Don’t overthink it or follow any strict rules. You don’t need fancy tools or a perfect setting. Just write whatever comes to mind, how you feel, what you’re thinking about. The only guideline is to write for yourself. Make journaling an act of inspiration, not an obligation. Don’t create unnecessary pressure by forcing yourself to journal every single day if that doesn’t fit your lifestyle. Find a frequency that works for you and fits into your routine.

Journaling Techniques

a) Techniques I Use

You can explore various journaling techniques to find what works best for you. Personally, I’m a big fan of bullet journaling. It fits well with my busy schedule and helps me capture important thoughts and ideas, so I don’t forget them and can revisit them later. I also practice ‘brain dump’ or ‘stream of consciousness’ journaling to declutter my mind, and reflection journaling to analyze my experiences, emotions, and thought patterns. These practices have helped me develop self-awareness and gain better insight into myself.

In my daily routine, I include techniques like intention-setting and one-liner journaling. With intention-setting, I jot down brief sentences about what I intend to accomplish each day. The sentences don’t have to be perfect, as long as I understand them. This practice helps me track my tasks and goals, stay motivated, and hold myself accountable. One-liner journaling involves writing short, concise notes, which makes it less daunting and more manageable, especially on busy days.

Gratitude journaling is another daily habit of mine. I use both bullet points and more detailed descriptions to record events and moments that spark gratitude. This has helped me focus on the positives and maintain a sense of appreciation in my life. I also keep a sleep journal to track my sleeping patterns to improve sleep quality.

b) Other Techniques

There are other journaling techniques, like future self-journaling and dream journaling, which I don’t use as frequently. Future self-journaling involves visualizing your aspirations and goals for the future, but it’s essential to keep your vision realistic. The idea is to create a mental image that motivates you to work towards your goals. Dream journaling, on the other hand, is about capturing your dreams as soon as you wake up, while they’re still fresh in your mind. By writing them down, you can identify patterns and gain insights into your subconscious thoughts and emotions, which might inspire you and help you solve problems.

Remember, you don’t need to stick to a rigid format or schedule. The key is to find a journaling style and frequency that suits your life. Don’t feel pressured to journal every day; just write when you feel inspired, and make it a fun activity that enhances your life rather than becoming another chore.

Journaling Prompts

Sometimes, ideas flow effortlessly, and you can write pages without even realizing it. Other times, though, you might feel stuck, with thoughts swirling in your mind but struggling to put them into words on paper. That’s when journaling prompts can be super helpful.

I’ve developed my own journaling entry format, with different sections for different purposes. For my daily entries, I include sections for tracking my routines, setting intentions, recording my sleep, listing what I’m grateful for, and noting things I need to follow up on. I like to switch up the format from time to time to match my current mental state and growth.

When I first started journaling, prompts were really useful for me. They helped guide my thoughts and gave me direction when I was trying to process my chaotic thoughts or make decisions. Some prompts that I found helpful include asking myself about the emotions I might be avoiding, reflecting on feedback or criticism I’ve received, and considering what advice I’d give to someone else in the same situation.

There are lots of journaling prompts out there, so you can do your own research and explore what works best for you. You can modify or come up with new prompts as you go along and your needs change. The key is to find prompts that resonate with you and help you delve deeper into your thoughts and feelings.

Check out the Pinterest pins below for more self-improvement ideas.

Start Journaling Today

“Keeping a journal will change your life in ways that you’d never imagine.”
Oprah Winfrey

Daily journaling is like taking a journey into the depths of your own mind. It’s a chance to make sense of your life, reflect on your experiences, and untangle the web of thoughts and emotions swirling inside you.

Think of it as embarking on an adventure, delving deep into the inner workings of your mind like a brave explorer searching for hidden treasures. Each entry is like digging for gold in the mines of your soul, uncovering valuable insights and understanding more about yourself with each stroke of the pen.

But here’s the thing: journaling isn’t a one-size-fits-all practice. It’s your journey, so make it your own! Personalize it to suit your style and preferences. Get creative, experiment with different formats and techniques, and most importantly, have fun exploring and growing along the way.

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