Journaling is possibly one of the most simple but profound tools out there for enhancing your well-being on every level (mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual).
When it comes to self-growth and spiritual maturation, journaling is one of the top three practices I recommend to everyone, no matter how good that person is at writing or not.
Thankfully, you donโt have to be particularly good at writing to benefit from journaling. (In fact, you can be flat-out terrible!)
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Not only that, but you donโt even have to worry about things like grammar or spelling โ none of those fussy details matter at all.
What does matter is the attitude and intention you bring to journaling.
Are you interested in growing and learning more about yourself? Great! The desire to learn is the entire point of journaling.
Therefore, as long as youโre sincere about discovering more about yourself, youโve already triumphed as a journaler!
When it comes to journaling, thereโs nothing to master but your own ability to be self-aware.
But understandably, journaling doesnโt come naturally to everyone. So if youโre struggling to get motivated, Iโll share with you some of my best advice in this article.
Table of contents
What is Journaling?
Journaling is the practice of writing down your thoughts and feelings for the purposes of self-discovery, self-understanding, and self-reflection.
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As one of the oldest forms of self-help in the world, journaling is about exploring oneโs own thoughts, feelings, memories, and hidden desires through the written word.
From Leonardo da Vinci and Marcus Aurelius to Marie Curie and Albert Einstein, journaling has been around for centuries. It is an age-old tried-and-tested method that has been used among thinkers, poets, philosophers, scientists, innovators, and artists โ and still is.
In fact, journaling is so powerful that it’s often one of the first prescribed self-help methods by therapists, counselors, and even scientists.
So how can we summarize journaling in a nutshell?
Journaling is primarily about self-exploration: exploring who you are, what you think, how you feel, and the way in which you process lifeโs daily events.
As a byproduct of journaling, you’ll gain more clarity and insight about your mind and emotions, leading to heightened self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-love, and self-compassion.
The more self-aware a person is, the more well-adjusted, grounded and balanced they will feel, despite what is going on around them.
Therefore, journaling helps us to find inner stability and gives us the ability to untangle ourselves from self-destructive forms of behavior and negative thought patterns.
18 Benefits of Journaling
I donโt journal to โbe productive.โ I donโt do it to find great ideas or to put down prose I can later publish. The pages arenโt intended for anyone but me. Itโs the most cost-effective therapy Iโve ever found.
โ Tim Ferriss
That is what journaling is about. Itโs a break from the world. A framework for the day ahead. A coping mechanism for troubles of the hours just past. A revving up of your creative juices, for relaxing and clearing.
โ Ryan Holiday
For something so simple, there are an amazing number of benefits linked to journaling. These benefits are both subjective (personally felt) and objective (scientifically proven).
Hereโs are some of the many benefits:
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- Strengthens your immune system and leads to better physical health (source)
- Improves emotional intelligence (the ability to perceive and understand emotions)
- Soothes anxiety and increases feelings of calmness (source)
- Promotes individuation (the maturing of the self/identity)
- Enhances mental health (source)
- Helps you to deal better with depression (source)
- Encourages spiritual growth and integration
- Reduces symptoms related to panic, PTSD, and addiction
- Increased self-awareness, self-understanding, and self-compassion
- Improves your ability to communicate with others (source)
- Increases happiness (source)
- Promotes mental clarity and problem-solving skills
- Helps you to deal with stress and intrusive thoughts more effectively (source)
- Increases creativity
- Improves your work efficiency (source)
- Can help to improve your IQ (source)
- Speeds up emotional recovery after romantic breakups (source)
- Promotes emotional, mental, and physical healing
โฆ and Iโm sure there are many other benefits I havenโt mentioned here.
For something so basic, this list shows a stunning array of benefits that virtually anyone can receive! All we need to do is learn how to make journaling a daily practice (we’ll explore that soon).
Journaling As a Form of Soul Retrieval
Journal writing is a voyage to the interior.
โ Christina Baldwin
As you’ve just seen, journaling has a mind-boggling number of benefits. But perhaps deepest of all, journaling helps us to reconnect with what many call the Soul or Divine spark within us.
In fact, for many people, journaling is a core spiritual practice because it provides a gateway to deeper spiritual healing, sudden awakenings, and the integration of lost parts of ourselves. That’s why we even recommend keeping specifically a spiritual journal.
Above all, journaling helps us to feel more whole โ something that seems so elusive in this day and age.
In other words, journaling is a powerful form of Soul Retrieval.
By quietening our thoughts and helping us to mindfully tune into our deeper selves, journaling reveals what’s hidden beneath the surface. We can retrieve access to our Souls by coming face to face with our demons, hidden gifts, buried dreams, and smothered desires.
For a more thorough look at journaling through a spiritual lens, see my article entitled “How to Journal: 19 Beginner Tips For Modern Mystics.”
My Experience With Journaling
Writing eases my suffering. Writing is my way of reaffirming my own existence.
โ Gao Xingjian
My love affair with journaling started over twenty years ago. I think the first ever journal entry I wrote was about my goldfish who had died and how sad I was.
Being a sensitive introvert, recording my thoughts just seemed to come naturally to me as it allowed me to process what I was going through.
Journaling was also a private space to open my heart and share what I was too shy to tell others. In my teenage years, I journaled each and every day without fail, and it was a lifesaver.
Journaling was probably the number one thing that got me through all of the depression, fear, insecurity, and confusion of growing up โ particularly during my process of spiritual awakening and the turmoil of separation from my family.
As Iโve matured, I now feel much more comfortable sharing my thoughts and feelings publically (through this website), but I do still record private thoughts and feelings nearly every day.
To me, journaling has been one of the most powerful instruments for mental, emotional, and spiritual growth I have ever used. Without this daily practice, I donโt think I would have ever learned half of what I know now.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Journaling
But journaling is not all sunshine and roses: it can be misused.
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For example, when approached in the wrong way, journaling can lead to excessive self-absorption and wallowing in self-pity.
Itโs important to take a structured and solution-oriented approach to recording your thoughts, otherwise, you could be doing more harm than good.
I have made the mistake of using journaling as a vehicle for blame and self-justification before, so be careful of using journaling solely for the purpose of ranting and raving without true self-analysis.
When approached in a healthy way, journaling can lead to decreased emotional reactivity, more mindfulness, tolerance, understanding, and ultimately improved relationships both with yourself and other people.
In this way, journaling helps you to let go of emotional and mental suffering and feel more inner peace. The direct and indirect benefits of journaling ripple into your life endlessly.
11 Ways to Start Journaling (General Advice For Everyone!)
If you want to start journaling โ or have tried in the past but never made a habit out of it โ here are some of my best tips:
1. Donโt worry about the medium
Many people wonder whether paper diaries or digital diaries are better. My response is that none of them are superior: it all depends on the person.
If you like to chew over your thoughts and go slowly, writing in a traditional paper diary might be the best for you.
However, if you prefer the convenience of typing and if you like to move quickly with your thoughts, you might like to try online diary or note-taking apps such as Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, Penzu or another password secure website.
Try exploring both and see what you like better. (You can also keep both!)
2. Keep your journal private
Your journal should be for your eyes only โย it isnโt to be shared on your Facebook page, Instagram account, Youtube channel, or other social media platform.
It shouldnโt even be shared with your friends, partner or family members.
Why?
The answer is that when we share thoughts and feelings with others, we tend to screen them for acceptability.
Your journal should be a place where you can write freely without the fear of judgment or scrutiny โย this is why itโs better to keep it private.
No one is saying that you canโt share some of your private reflections verbally with others, but just try to keep what you have written to yourself.
You might also like to find a way of keeping your journal secure. You could use a password-protected website like Evernote or, if you are using a physical journal, get a lock and key (or hide it really well)!
The more confident you are that your thoughts will stay private, the easier it will be for you to write without inhibition.
3. Donโt bother with spelling, grammar, and punctuation
As a perfectionist, it took me many years to stop editing my journal entries for spelling errors and grammatical mistakes.
Yes, I know that might sound silly, but for us precisionists, it can be hard to just let go and write โwithout abandon.โ
Eventually, I realized that editing my journal entries actually stopped my flow of thoughts and feelings because I was too busy trying to โplay by the rules.โ
Try to avoid being anal-retentive about writing: just let it all out โย it feels so much better!
I donโt even play by the capitalization or sentence structure rules anymore when it comes to writing in my journal. Just blurt it all out and to hell with neatness!
4. Forget about being a โgood writerโ
The purpose of reflective journaling isnโt to write a literary masterpiece, it is to self-reflect and record the thoughts and feelings youโve been having for self-growth.
Simply write whatever comes to mind and donโt worry about whether it sounds poetic or eloquent.
5. Set a regular time of day
Making journaling into a habit requires you to set aside time every day. I like to personally write at the end of the day, but you might be different.
Pick one period of the day and try to stick to it. For example, you might like to write first thing in the morning, after morning tea, after lunchtime, or last thing at night.
If you feel inspired to write at a time of the day youโre not accustomed to writing, just flow with it. There are no set-in-stone rules here.
6. Write your deepest thoughts and feelings
Putting pen to paper is a mystical way to access your most profound truths.
โ Marie Forleo
Journaling is an intuitive activity because it requires you to tune into your feelings and let that all flow out onto the paper.
For me, and many others, journaling is the most effective when it is a space where our deepest thoughts and feelings can be shared and mulled over.
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For instance, I love exploring my latest emotional insights, problems, and existential epiphanies in my journal.
Sometimes I will write for a minute, and at other times I will write for up to an hour: it all depends on how I am feeling.
So donโt be afraid to delve deeply into your mind and heart.
7. Thereโs no need for time restrictions
Try to avoid setting rigid time limits: itโs best to just allow your writing to flow.
Of course, in an ideal world, weโd all have plenty of time to journal, but thatโs often not possible. So sometimes time restrictions are necessary (i.e., if you have a dozen to-do items scheduled for the day).
But if you have a bit of spare time, take as much time as you need! Enjoy the feeling of letting your inner self materialize on paper.
Thereโs no need to โset aside ten minutes a dayโ as many people recommend โ I find that time restrictions tend to make journaling into a chore rather than an enjoyable self-growth activity.
But, as I said, if you have limited time available, or struggle to get into the habit of journaling, time restrictions can come in handy.
8. If youโre struggling, ask these questions โฆ
Sometimes we just donโt feel โin the flowโ of writing, and sharing our thoughts doesnโt come naturally.
As an author and blogger, I get this frequently: itโs just part of the natural ebb and flow of life.
If you ever feel this way, here are some useful questions you can ask yourself which will stimulate thought:
- How am I feeling today?
- What is an issue Iโm facing?
- What can I do about my most recent problem?
- What spiritual lesson is hidden in a difficult situation Iโm facing?
- What thoughts are triggering my current feelings?
- Why do I keep having these thoughts?
- What was the message hidden in last nightโs dream?
- What do I feel the need to change or improve about myself? (And why?)
- Am I being self-compassionate?
- Am I seeing the entire picture?
- How am I being dishonest with myself or others?
- In what ways can I be more mindful?
- What mistaken beliefs am I buying into right now?
- What is my plan of action to achieve my goals?
- What setbacks and obstacles am I facing?
These are only a few of the many potential questions you can ask yourself.
I personally prefer to just allow my thoughts and feelings to โvomitโ out onto the page (it’s part of my shadow work practice) โ but other people prefer a more structured approach.
So if youโre one of those structured people, you might like to keep a list of questions like the one above, close by. You can also check out my article listing 30+ free mindfulness journaling prompts.
9. Donโt be afraid to explore traumatic experiences
Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.
โ Natalie Goldberg
Journaling is about growth, and growth often includes digesting past painful experiences.
At times, the experiences we went through in the past were disturbing, traumatic, or upsetting. Donโt be afraid to explore these experiences โ they were a part of your story. But just be careful not to wallow in heavy emotions or trigger a trauma response. Be gentle and go slowly.
If at any point you feel overwhelmed, stop immediately. Also, if anything emerges during your journaling that you’re struggling to process, seek out a professional (like a psychotherapist or counselor) who can support you.
Sometimes, people benefit from pre-formatted or guided journals when it comes to processing past trauma. If you’d like more support in unpacking your painful emotions, you might find our Self-Love, Inner Child Work and Shadow Work Journals helpful.
10. Reflect on what youโve written
Writing distills, crystallizes, and clarifies thought and helps break the whole into parts.
โ Stephen Covey
After youโve finished your journal entry, you might like to read back over what youโve written with the intention of gaining clarity.
Reflection is what allows you to integrate your thoughts/feelings into self-awareness, understanding, action, and inner transformation.
As I mentioned previously, try not to nitpick your writing โย spelling and all the rules of writing are irrelevant here. What matters is that you gain a big-picture perspective on how you think and feel.
If any thoughts, feelings, or realizations stand out to you, try highlighting them. You might like to create a table of contents at the end of your journal (if it is physical) and write down the page numbers that correspond to your mental breakthroughs.
If youโre using a digital diary, try to tag your entry with something like โepiphaniesโ or โimportant realizationsโ so that you can easily access these thoughts later.
Personally, setting time aside for reflection always plays a crucial role in my journaling process. It helps me to emotionally and mentally metabolize the most difficult experiences in my life.
11. Write for the joy of it!
Donโt journal out of duty or obligation, do it because you enjoy doing it!
Also, journaling isnโt for everyone, so if you donโt resonate with it, thatโs okay. Thereโs probably something else out there that will help you.
But if you do enjoy and benefit from this practice, keep at it! Sometimes you’ll feel flat and uninspired, and that’s normal. We all go through these experiences. But you’ll quickly learn through journaling that everything within you ebbs and flows.
Through time, you’ll learn so much about yourself and your inner workings that journaling will become second nature to you. It will be just as valuable as drinking water or getting a good night’s sleep!
There are so many epiphanies, sparks of inspiration, and exciting discoveries to be revealed through journaling. Realize these amazing moments and hold them close to your heart: they’ll fuel your desire to keep journaling, not because it’s a “to-do” task, but because it’s a life-enriching passion!
I love how much inner clarity โ and spiritual illumination โ I have after journaling, and it is those feelings and discoveries that keep me going (and have done for 20+ years).
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If you would like more ways to start journaling, see our 100+ journaling ideas article.
Takeaway
Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.
โ Louis LโAmour
As a self-awareness and self-discovery tool, journaling is second to none โ it is the ultimate cornerstone habit we can establish each day.
When we explore our thoughts, weโre not living second-hand knowledge or seeing ourselves through the eyes of some other person โย instead, we’re actively seeking to understand, through direct experience, who we are and what we value the most at a core level.
So I encourage you to pick up a pen and start journaling. Even just a couple of minutes a day can provide you with tremendous emotional relief and mental relaxation. Why? Journaling helps you to read your own mind and make sense of all the mental clutter and emotional turbulence you feel inside.
I hope journaling can benefit you just as much as it has benefitted me.
As a final note; if you enjoy writing down your thoughts, you might also like to read my article on automatic writing. Automatic writing is an intuitive journaling technique that many use to access their unconscious mind’s wisdom.
What is your favorite form of journaling? I’d love to hear below in the comments.
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Great article, journaling helps me release all the thoughts that nobody else cares about and help me support myself…this was nice!
i do vent in my journals sometimes though
Yes, I’ve definitely vented in my journal before (who hasn’t?), and it can be therapeutic. It’s just that doing that, and only that form of journaling, can easily bog us down (the point I was making in the article). I’m so glad that journaling is a nourishing way to provide you with the self-care you need! โก
I have been journaling for. many years, and I always wonder “who am I writing to?” When I write I don’t think about this, but after I re-read, which is very rare, since I almost never go back to reflect. I feel sometimes like I’m writing to someone else, but don’t know whom or what. Thank you.
Hi Judy, that’s an interesting observation. Maybe it would be worth journaling about who you are journaling to, if anyone?
I struggle with feeling like I’m doing journalling “right” but that list of benefits, and the prompts, are reason enough to continue with this as part of my self-care routine. Thank you
I hear you. And I’ve dealt with the same concerns too โ but ultimately you’re the authority on whether you’re doing it right or not. That’s the beauty of journaling. ;) If it brings you benefits, then you must be doing something ‘correct’!
I love this and hopefully with this insight I can begin my journey to in depth self discovery โค
โก happy to hear that Amara, thank you for sharing
gifts of journals from many people. have tried for 30 years. read different ways to journal, routines etc and just find it frustrating. Then think I’m doing it “wrong” It has never been a beneficial practice. Is journaling not for everyone?
I think this will be very useful for me thank you for providing this information
Hi Toni. It’s hard for me to answer that question as I am, of course, biased. :)
Have you tried not thinking about it too much (as in, ignoring the “correct techniques” or “proper” way)? Stream of consciousness writing may help you out here. When I journal, I don’t usually have any formula. I use it as an emotional release valve.
Lovely article, what a new year to start to form journalling your day, I am confused Aletheia, I used to do journalling on mobile through an app, but now it’s kinda boring, should journalling be online(Penzu) or offline on a notebook or diary. I know it comes down to personal preference, but piling up diaries, in the long run, is it advisable? there sure is not going to be any privacy right? While online gives you the advantage to lock your diary and later print it out in a .pdf format for keepsakes. What’s your take on these two?
As you guessed it Kurian, it’s up to you and your personal needs. ;) I personally prefer writing pen-to-paper for my personal thoughts and feelings. But I know that others enjoy the practicality of online mediums. I have used both. I’m not sure what you mean by “kinda boring” but perhaps it would help to approach journaling in a different way, such as for emotional self-expression or some other purpose. You don’t need to force yourself to do this every day, just journal when you feel that it’s necessary and beneficial to do so.
Honestly I think this is one of the first articles you should have people read before they start any healing process, I never knew about all the benefits of journaling.
I read an article about gratitude and it had similar benefits. I have been practicing with different ways of trying to express my feelings and thoughts but seem to stop after a couple of weeks. Now reading your article I’m very excited to keep my schedule for just about anything I’m trying to improve or when I’m feeling like I’m not being heard completely, even if I have different journals for everything. (Too funny! I can see journals all over my apartment now) I am ADD and can already see this is gonna start out messy. But that’s ok. Thank you!! Thank you for not only this article but all your books and information, they all are helping me in ways I never expected. I love reading everything and opening up to new possibilities.
โก thank you Dannielle
I have gotten a lot from this post. A lot of my journalling of late has been expressing the distress and emotions without selection. This has been a clear post about how to use journalling as a tool to heal rather than harm. It has given me the next step I have been needing in a supportive way. Thank you
“When I embrace time alone, it makes me stronger.” Let that be our mantra for today ยฆ?If you find yourself alone, it can be painful, yes. It can bring up tremendously painful fears and wounds โ there’s no doubt about it. But it is also a gift in disguise if we let it be. It can be a gateway to going deeper, to meeting yourself on a more intimate and soulful level than ever before. What blessings have you found within the midst of solitude? Please share below and inspire others ?????
My first day of journaling was great it helped clear my mind and I got one of best nights sleep I have had in a long time. I have been journaling everyday and it helps a tremendous amount. Thank You!