Have you ever been told that journaling can help you sort through your emotions? If you’re anything like me, you probably thought that was a bit silly. After all, writing down how I felt didn’t sound particularly appealing, and, quite frankly, I didn’t believe that it would help me to clear my head.
Although I’ve always loved to write (whether it is an essay or short story, I am a willing participant), I just didn’t think journaling sounded all that interesting. Little did I know that journaling would actually be an incredibly cathartic experience and allow me to clear my head.
Whether I’m writing about the last book I’ve read or simply about my daily life, I find it enjoyable to have those moments forever engraved somewhere.
Despite my roommate’s numerous attempts to get me into journaling (she claimed it would be good for me and that I would have fun with it), my journaling habit actually all started when I got an assignment for a class. Basically, the assignment was to journal; it was as simple as that. We could write about anything we wanted as long as we wrote at least five days a week.
At first, I was very skeptical; I didn’t believe I would enjoy it whatsoever. Truthfully, the first couple of times I sat down to write, I dreaded it. However, around the fourth or fifth time, I started to see why some people enjoyed it. I even started to look forward to writing entries.
By putting my thoughts down on paper, I realized the importance of not sweating the small stuff. For the majority of my life, I’ve been an extremely stressed person, especially when it came to school and my grades. I strove for perfection, and anything less than that made me feel stressed.
Through journaling, though, I’m reminded that nothing lasts forever. I can look back on days I wrote about that were particularly nerve-wracking and remind myself that I made it through and that the world didn’t end.
Journaling also helped me to remember all the exciting and fun parts of my life. As I said before, I sometimes got too caught up in the stress of everyday life (as everyone does at times) and being able to tangibly see all of the joyful things about my life helped to put things into perspective.
Additionally, it’s really easy to start journaling. All you need is a piece of paper and some pens or pencils (I recommend the tried and true Pilot G2 pens), and you’re already set.
It definitely feels a bit awkward at first; it can feel like something straight out of a cheesy Disney Channel movie. However, the more you do it, the more used to it you get. Instead of feeling as though it’s a chore, you may start to get into it and turn it into a hobby. If you’re at all interested in journaling, I would definitely recommend starting. There’s nothing you can lose, and so much that can be gained.