"And never forget that writing is as close as we get to keeping a hold on the thousand and one things—childhood, certainties, cities, doubts, dreams, instants, phrases, parents, loves—that go on slipping, like sand, through our fingers."
—Salman Rushdie, Novelist
'Journaling' has been around for centuries. From Anne Frank to Henry David Thoreau to Sylvia Plath, people have used it as a "weapon for spiritual combat." Simply put, journaling is a written record of our thoughts and feelings, and there's no right or wrong way of doing it.
Whether you use journaling as a way to brainstorm ideas or to dump your thoughts in one place, sitting down every day with your journal can be immensely beneficial and therapeutic.
Here are more reasons why you should start journaling right away.
Helps you practice gratitude
Most of us are not hard-wired to be grateful, and it's easy for us to complain. We tend to dwell on parts of our life where we might be experiencing pain or unpleasant emotions such as sadness, anger or frustration. We also usually tend to compare our lives to others.
Alisha Mishra, a lifestyle and wellness content creator who keeps a journal, believes that it allows her to acknowledge all the good things and moments in her life and express appreciation for them.
"Journaling helps you count your blessings and focus on what's working for you vs what is not," she said.
Studies conducted at the University of California, Berkeley, also verify that keeping a journal helps one express gratitude and lead a thankful life.
Helps you visualise your life
We all want to live a good life, but what does a good life mean to us? It's very subjective and very personal. For someone, living their best life can be about having a lot of money in the bank; for another, it could mean living a happy life with freedom; for someone else, it can be about living without any illnesses.
"If you want to attract the good things in life, you naturally have to work towards it as visualisation only works when you put in the effort," says Mishra.
What journaling does is that it helps you get clear about what you want and sift through all the thoughts to uncover what "you" want from your life. It's then up to you to work towards achieving it.
Makes you introspect
Most of the time, we are in scenarios where we can't speak our minds to the ones around us without the fear of judgement or vulnerability and might leave things unsaid or censored.
"In such situations, decompressing into a journal (whether physically or digitally) is freeing. Your journal is a safe, non-judgemental space where you allow yourself to fully express your thoughts and process your emotions without any inhibitions," says Mishra.
When you journal, you get to write your mind and get it all out on paper. This way, you unburden your thoughts and confront your fears, challenges or emotions. It also lets you shape your thoughts naturally and feel more in control of your emotional well-being.
Builds positivity and creativity
Research by the University of Texas says that writing removes mental blocks and allows people to use all of their brainpower to think creatively and understand the world around them in a better way.
"Brain dumping" in your journal makes you slow down, reflect, inspire and create new energies and keeps your head free for new ideas and bursts of creativity.
Mishra also adds, "Journaling helps you stay optimistic, regulates your emotions, improves your mental health, enables you to sleep well, stay alert, decreases your stress levels and cope better during challenging times."
Drives personal growth
Journaling brings back clarity and self-awareness into your life. It creates a distance between you and the situation you're dealing with, helps you see things from a fresh perspective and draws an emotional boundary between you and your feelings.
Journaling after you wake up can help you plan out your day or clear out your head first thing in the morning. Writing down your thoughts in the evenings, on the other hand, is a great way to reflect on your day.
Keeping your mind focused, being less distracted, and seeing things without emotions can significantly contribute to self-growth and feeling whole.
(Sanjana Chawla is a freelance journalist who writes about women, society, culture, lifestyle and entertainment.)
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