The Benefits of Journaling by Wendy H. Jones Over the past several years journaling has become increasingly popular; even more so in the past year as many people have used journaling to deal with what is happening around them. Whilst no-one can control the virus or the situation in which they currently find themselves, they can control how they act and how they deal with what life throws at them. Journaling can help with this. What exactly is journaling? At it’s very simplest it is a way of writing without pressure on a regular basis. It is essentially a way of getting your thoughts down on paper and recording them in a manner which can help you make sense of them not only at the time, but later. As teenagers many of us kept journals or as we called them then, diaries. As teenagers we were trying to deal with numerous changes, make sense of a world that often felt like it had tipped on its axis. Everything that happens in a teenager’s life is of monumental importance, often seeming much larger than it actually is. Keeping a diary can help a teen to analyse and dissect what they are feeling and to help clear their thoughts. I think a similar thing is happening today. The health benefits of journaling are widely reported and include:
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Encourages greater focus.
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Boosts the immune system, an area where we currently need all the help we can get.
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It opens up the brain to new ideas. The more you journal the more you will take in around you and the more you will not only learn but want to learn. You become more observant, and your brain will process things more deeply and more quickly.
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It has a calming effect as it allows you to process and clarify your thoughts.
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Assists you to gain new perspective on what is going on around you.
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Can help you to start the day or to wind down at the end of the day.
Reduced stress. •
Increased mindfulness.
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Improved mood.
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Improved brain power.
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Improvement in memory function
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More stable sleep patterns.
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Increased IQ.
These are just some of the benefits of journaling and many more have been documented. Journaling is so much more than putting words down on paper
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