In a world screaming for your attention, taking five minutes to listen to your own thoughts can give your brain the breathing room it has been begging for.
Journaling is one of the oldest practices for brain dumping. Famous authors, directors, entrepreneurs, actors, scientists and other well-known names all journal, and there’s a good reason for it.
Journaling is described as the practice of recording your thoughts, feelings, goals and other daily experiences through writing with pen and paper, typing or other visual forms. It’s meant to be used as a tool for self-reflection, emotional processing and stress relief.
This practice isn’t just for celebrities and academics, it’s for anyone and everyone. No matter your age, reading level or experience in journaling, this practice is made to be flexible for all of its users.
When living a busy life, many people tend to feel as if all of their time is already eaten up by plans, work, family, friends and other obligations. This leaves no time for ourselves, and may sometimes cause feelings to be bottled up. Overtime, those feelings will explode into something that you may not have the time for either.
Journaling is something that those people can turn to. It may come across as something that should be complex, where your handwriting needs to be that of a calligrapher and your vocabulary as extensive as possible. Although some may find this way of journaling to be best for them, there isn’t a right or wrong way to journal. You don’t need a 10 page entry everyday because a short paragraph or a few sentences can also work.
There are plenty of journaling prompts all over the internet, and there are journals sold with prompts listed on every page, one being the Dig Deeper Journal. You can really use any kind of empty journal to write inside of, making this practice even better for tight budgets.
All it takes is five short minutes to sort through your thoughts and feelings. Journaling can be a quick way to relieve some of the everyday stress you may have, but that isn’t the only thing this practice can provide.
Journaling can also serve as a way to organize and brighten your life. It isn’t strictly for processing feelings, and it can also be something a little less intimidating than confronting yourself.
People across the internet use multiple journals as a catch-all for lists, diary keeping, scrapbooking and art making, labeling all of these activities as journaling as well.
It’s important to understand the purpose of journaling as you experiment with different styles and trends in order to receive the best of the benefits.
In such a digital world, journaling becoming such a popular practice isn’t shocking. Constant exposure to quick dopamine, bright lights and fast-paced content can create too much noise in the mind. It’s easy to become overwhelmed just by being on social media for a few minutes too long.
According to an encyclopedia entry from the University of Rochester Medicine, journaling, when put into practice along with other mental health management tools such as meditation, daily movement and plenty of sleep, can improve the quality of life for people who may be feeling suffocated by the world around them.
Remember, in a world that’s screaming for your attention, don’t forget to give a little to yourself.