The practice of journaling began for me on July 31st as a way to center myself from too much time spent on social media. As someone who finds social media to be overly stimulating and a trigger for anxiety and comparison to others, I reached out to a friend and asked her about journaling and her journey.
I then found the Five Minute Journal which instructs you to list three things you are thankful for first thing in the morning, three things that would make your day great and one affirmation. You can then repeat the process at night. I’ve now been journaling for a month and I can 100 percent say that it has limited my time on social media and has allowed me to relieve stress by letting out my worries and allowing me to just vent daily.
Here are five reasons to start journaling for the school year:
- It’s the quiet time you need after a long day
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After long days of studying or just days where being a student is getting you down, being able to vent in a journal can be a stress reliever. I suggest journaling first thing in the morning, even before you touch your phone, as a way to set the tone for your day. It’s hard to get started if you haven’t journaled before, but start small by listing three things you are thankful for or three positive aspects of your life. You’ll eventually find that the more you do this every day, the more it will become a habit and you’ll look forward to writing in your journal as a form of quiet time.
- It keeps you focused
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I was excessively on social media before I started journaling. I would wake up and the first thing I would take out was my laptop. However, the more I started journaling, the more it became a habit for me to think about writing down positive thoughts before doing anything else. It keeps me focused on what I want to improve in my life and less on social media and what is going on in everyone else’s lives.
- It makes you self-aware
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Journaling daily allows you to stay present and realize the blessings that you have in your life. When we are busy with school, work and other daily issues, it can be hard to really see the good that is in our lives. However, seeing it on paper can reveal the good we’ve overlooked or the areas of our lives that we want to work on.
- It allows you to create good habits
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Just like how bad habits can form over time, good habits can become a lifestyle if we allow them to be. Journaling every day for a month has taught me how to be intentional with how I use my time. Seeing my daily progress has benefited my mental health as well. Just as with journaling, you might find that you will form better habits in school and extracurricular activities by focusing on the important things in your life and minimizing distractions.
- It transforms you as a person
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I started journaling as an escape from the noise of everyday life. I just wanted a short escape from anxiety, worrying and criticism of myself. Yet, I’ve realized I became more grateful because I am intentional about being positive and seeing what is going right in my life. I also find that I have more confidence because I’ve been more present and self-aware.
Consistently journaling every day isn’t always going to be easy. We all get busy and some days you might feel too tired from work, school or daily activities to journal. However, missing one or two days is fine as long as you have the intention to dedicate yourself to some form of self-care or to journal when you get a chance to. It is the quiet time you need to recharge for the days ahead of you and you’ll appreciate that you took some time for yourself when you see the improvements in your life. Start the school year off right and begin journaling. You’re worth it.