By now, you've probably heard about some of the ways keeping a journal can benefit you. From maintaining your calendar to writing mental health reminders, journaling can massively improve your quality of life.
However, if you're still not convinced, take a look at these compelling reasons to start keeping a journal in the new year. Make 2023 your best year yet with the help of a pen and paper.
If you have a hard time making decisions and sticking to them, try using a journal to keep lists of pros and cons. Writing down the choices you have—and the benefits and drawbacks of each one—makes for a handy visual aid.
Writing with a pen and paper forces you to slow down and reflect on the entries you're writing. If your life stresses cause you physical symptoms like headaches and restless sleep, incorporate 15 minutes of journaling into the end of your day. You'll be amazed to see how the stress melts away as you keep your new habit.
Join Gratitude Expert, D'angelo Thompson, on how to create a practice of gratitude through journaling!
Journaling benefits your mental health in a wide array of ways, including the encouragement to write down your goals. The pages of a blank journal are a perfectly safe space for you to write out New Year's resolutions and goals you may not want to share on social media. Writing down your goals helps to externalize them and make them more real.
How many times have you been given a task or an appointment and neglected to write it down? When you put pressure on yourself to keep calendars and to-do lists in your head, you may find your thoughts cluttered and difficult to organize. Your journal doesn't have to be solely for feelings; use it as a planner or appointment book as well.
When you get into the habit of writing down your thoughts and feelings every day, you'll naturally become a better writer. Clear communication skills are an asset to everyone, no matter your personality type or line of work. Writing every day helps you hone those skills and become better at communicating your wants and needs.
Make 2023 the year you start keeping a journal in earnest—let these reasons convince you to pick up a pen and paper every day! Keeping a journal helps you become a more alert, goal-oriented, and well-rounded person.
