5 reasons to start journaling

Beloved,

It's a firm belief of mine that if I didn't keep a (somewhat) daily journal, I'd have forgotten how to write all together. Still, besides making sure I never forget how words work let alone how to hold a pen in general, there are many worthwhile reasons why you should consider making journaling a regular habit.

1. There are a great personal keepsake.

Let's face it, the human brain is unreliable for a great deal a many things. And even when you try your hardest, it can prove difficult to try and remember the finer details of your life -both important and mundane. Writing about your day, stores memories that would have otherwise been forgotten over the years.

2. Helps track your personal growth.

While taking trips down memory is cool on its own, it can also be a good way to do some self-reflection. If you're like me and keep track of your years on paper, it is very easy to recognise your patterns and the ways you've replicated or evolved from them. Even though it's a guaranteed cringe fest, reading how the younger you navigated through life and comparing that to the now can be very enlightening.

3. Helps track of your goals.

Outside using my journals to document the cringe-comedy that is my life, I also use it for boring functional adult stuff - like writing down my personal goals. Every single year, I write down my goals at the end of my journal and work towards achieving them: From little things like "learning to bake bread" to big things like "buy a car." It serves as a reminder and helps me keep track of my intentions and what I intend to do throughout the year.

4. Provides mental clarity.

Usually when people say something along the lines of "writing is thinking," it's in reference to the fact that good writing is a product of good thinking (and that's why it's a hard skill, ladies and gentlemen.) The better you are at thinking usually corresponds with the quality of your writing. However, sometimes it can also be the vice versa. Often times I'm able to make better decisions when I've written down my thoughts. So really, in some ways clarity in thought can be a product of writing too.

5. Great source of inspiration.

Whether it's a conversation you wrote down or an unusual event or just an ordinary day in an ordinary life, as a writer (or artist of any kind) old journal entries can be a great place to find raw material for your next big (or little) project. Lord knows how many true life incidents I've written into my work after rediscovering them in my journal.

Are you considering starting your journaling journey but haven't a clue where to begin? Well, no sweat, check out my Beginners Guide to Journaling for easy tips on how to start and maintain a journaling habit.