Want a cheap, quick, and powerful form of self-care? Pick up a piece of paper and a pen. Or, go to a bookstore and treat yourself to a beautiful journal. There are many benefits of journaling, and they go beyond penmanship. Regular journaling can improve your mental and physical health and help you become the best person you can be. Seriously!

This page is all about the benefits of journaling (and the studies that prove it.) The best part about journaling is that you canstart today.You can start right now!

What Are the Benefits of Journaling?Self-Awareness: Learn Who You AreSelf-Efficacy: You Know You Can Do It!Ability to “Let Go”: Stop StewingImproved Health: Better Sleep, Better Everything!Creative Expression: Be the Main CharacterAccountability: You Are Your Own Accountabilibuddy!Inspiration: Go Forward As Your Best Self!Accessible, Personalized Healing and OrganizationQuick Journal Prompts - Start Enjoying the Benefits of Journaling!Quotes About Writing To Help You Start Journaling

What Are the Benefits of Journaling?

Self-Awareness: Learn Who You Are

Self-Efficacy: You Know You Can Do It!

Ability to “Let Go”: Stop Stewing

Improved Health: Better Sleep, Better Everything!

Creative Expression: Be the Main Character

Accountability: You Are Your Own Accountabilibuddy!

Inspiration: Go Forward As Your Best Self!

Accessible, Personalized Healing and Organization

Quick Journal Prompts - Start Enjoying the Benefits of Journaling!

Quotes About Writing To Help You Start Journaling

For some people, journaling is the best (or only) form of self-reflection that they experience each day. You have to reflect on your day to write about it! Taking the time for self-reflection goes a long way. Studies show that self-reflection leads to increased self-awareness and emotional intelligence (EQ), two skills that are immensely helpful in life. Over time, increasing your self-awareness and EQ will help you solve problems, regulate your emotions, and form deeper relationships. Journaling creates the most positive domino effect you will ever experience!

Self-efficacy refers to a person’s ability to believe in themselves as it pertains to goal achievement. Guess what?Journaling improves self-efficacy! The more you write about yourself and what you are capable of, the more you will internalize these beliefs and use them to achieve your goals. You have more potential than you realize. Unlock it for yourself with journaling.

Even if you do not pour your heart out onto the pages of your journal, you can still reap great benefits from journaling. Journaling offers a way to organize your thoughts, whether you are thinking about things you have to do in the future or events that took place in the past. For this reason, many CBT practitioners ask their patients to write in a journal. Writing about an event, even for just five minutes a day, encourages you to sit with and process emotions that come up regarding that event. As these emotions are released, you will find yourself feeling calmer as you face the memory of that event in the future. This strategy may not be effective for every type of traumatic event, but it is worth looking into if you see a mental health professional.

What type of journaling helps you fall asleep? The answer may surprise you. In2017, researchers compared the sleep of participants who journaled a to-do list vs. a list of tasks that had been completed earlier in the day. Which group fell asleep faster? The to-do list group!

The results of this study suggest that organizing the tasks that may be on your mind - be it your schedule for the next day, your thoughts on conflicts within your friend group, or doubts you have about yourself - can help you “put these tasks to bed” so you can sleep, too. If you find your mind racing throughout the night, try this type of journaling. Write down the list of tasks you have to do the next day. Take calm, deep breaths as you put these tasks on paper. Then, once you’re done, remind yourself that these tasks are fortomorrow.You’ll sleep peacefully in no time!

Sleep - how much we get of it, and how deeply we fall into it - has a significant effect on our mental and physical health. The longer you sleep, and the better you sleep, the better you will feel throughout the rest of your waking hours. Good sleep habits can evenreduce your riskof heart disease, obesity, and a long list of other health issues. Do you need any more reasons to start journaling?

Journaling doesn’t have to put you at the “center” of your story, but it can. There is a therapy approach callednarrative therapythat you can use as the inspiration for your journals. Essentially, narrative therapy prompts you to talk about challenges or issues in your life like a story. Who are the characters involved? What is the conflict? What factors or behaviors will lead everyone to a happily ever after? Consider journaling using this therapy technique. You may find that, after a few months of journaling, you’ve written down an epic tale ready to be published!

Whether you want to keep track of your days or keep track of your to-do list, journaling can inspire you to be your best self. One “prompt” for journaling is to write a letter to yourself in a year, or write a letter to the last-year version of yourself. How much have you accomplished? In what ways have you changed? How can you continue with the momentum you’ve been building, or change the direction from previous months and years? Let your imagination run wild and write to the best versions of yourself. You may find that you close your journal and feel inspired!

After a year, a few months, or even a day of journaling, you can use your new habit to inspire others! Check out thebulletjournalor the journaling subreddits for your own inspiration. Post photos of your journal or even your entries if you want to share! This habit can give you access to a community of people who intend to be in touch with their emotions and take time for healthy habits.

One of the benefits of journaling is that you can give it to yourself again and again. Journaling requires nothing but a pen and paper. You do not have to follow any specific prompt or journal for any set amount of time each day. Choose what works for you, even if that means trying a new type of journaling every day!

There is no better time to start caring for your physical and mental health. Pick up a journal, pick up a pen, and start writing.

Don’t know what to write about? Answer any of the following questions:

Related posts:Sleep Stages (Light, Deep, REM)Why Do We Dream? (6 Theories and Psychological Reasons)TherapyWhy Can’t You Wake Up A Sleepwalker? (Reasons + Myths)Insight Therapy (Definition + Examples)

Reference this article:Practical Psychology. (2022, December).Benefits of Journaling (Prompts + Examples).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/benefits-of-journaling/.Practical Psychology. (2022, December). Benefits of Journaling (Prompts + Examples). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/benefits-of-journaling/.Copy

Reference this article:

Practical Psychology. (2022, December).Benefits of Journaling (Prompts + Examples).Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/benefits-of-journaling/.Practical Psychology. (2022, December). Benefits of Journaling (Prompts + Examples). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/benefits-of-journaling/.Copy

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