Writers know all about the beauty of the blank page. It can be a gift and a curse to encounter it. A gift if you know what you want to say, and a curse if you do not. A lot of writers journal to get the creative juices flowing, but the significance of journaling does not pertain to just writers. Anyone can and should journal because there are a great many benefits that come from it. There is significance in journaling.

What Is the Purpose of Journaling?

Journaling evokes mindfulness and helps writers remain present while keeping perspective. For those with ailments such as anxiety, stress, and depression; it can be a release or a relaxing event. The purpose is different for everyone.

The Benefits of Journaling

Putting pen to paper can lead to a healing experience. It can help you track your progress and growth in areas such as goal achievement and weight loss. Journaling can make you more self aware and help you to gain self-confidence. You can improve your writing and communication skills as well as stockpile ideas for future events. Journaling puts life experiences into perspective. In it, you can find inspiration.

According to Positive Psychology, journaling can improve your quality of life and shift a negative mindset into a more positive one. Especially about ourselves. It can reduce symptoms of depression before an important event like an exam; and, it can reduce avoidance symptoms post-trauma.

Journaling Keeps the Brain in Tip Top Shape By:

• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Improving Immune Function
• Keeping Memory Sharp
• Boosting Mood
• Strengthening Emotional Functions

Journaling Can Help Manage your Stress By:

• Decreasing symptoms of various health conditions
• Examining your thoughts and shifting your perspective
• Planning our options and considering multiple outcomes of a situation
• Improving cognitive function
• Reducing rumination and promoting action

Writing with Gratitude

When you pick up that blank piece of paper and you pour your heart out with a list of things that you are grateful for, you:

• Boost your long term wellbeing
• Encourage exercise
• Reduce physical pain and symptoms
• Increase both the length and the quality of your sleep
• Create a growing happiness and health within yourself
• Become optimistic
• Reduce any symptoms of depression
• Become friendlier, more open, and more likely to engage in prosocial behaviors.

The Benefits of Journaling Every Day

• Propels you toward your goals
• Helps you identify things that would otherwise go unnoticed
• Facilitates learning by creating a record of the lessons and key ideas you have to be grateful for.
• Makes you a better writer and helps you to find your voice.
• Promotes and enhances creativity in a way that once-in-a-while journaling can not.
• Boosts your overall sense of gratitude and your sensitivity to all that you have to be grateful for.

How to Start a Journal

• Find your technique
  • Pen and paper
  • Computer generated
  • Audio recordings
• Let go of any judgements
• Create a writing routine
• Carry your journal with you so that you can write what comes to mind
• Use prompts, if needed
• Get creative

Some Prompts to see the significance in journaling:

• Describe your experiences.
• Write Affirmations
• List gratitude
• Where are you at in life at this moment?
• Stream of Consciousness
• Log successes

Conclusion to The Significance of Journaling

According to Vanilla Papers, Journaling is a habit. I quite agree. It is not a hobby that is only preformed when you are feeling great and have all the time in the world to write at your leisure. A journal is there for the good and the bad times. It will record your deepest desires, and your greatest pains. It is to reflect you to yourself so that you can either make changes, or accept and love what is. Journaling is beneficial, it is hard work, and it is very significant to life.