My experience with keeping a journal has been useful for many different reasons. Also, there are so many studies showing that consistent expressive writing can play a major role to promote good mental health. A Journal is an intimate place where you can express yourself in an honest way about everything that’s going on in your life.
Some advantages I personally found were improving my memory, reducing emotional stress levels, as well as feelings of depression. Writing down anxious, stressful feelings helped me cut down restless and invasive thoughts. That means expressive writing does prevent from getting burned out and encourages a good functioning of the brain. The key, however, is to try to write something daily in your Journal. Even 5-10 minutes at the end of the day is helpful enough. That’s good news 
Here are 7 Benefits of Keeping a Journal:
J – Judgement Free
Write whatever is in your heart. This Journal is personal, private, and a safe space for you to express your thoughts and feelings.
O – Observation
Write down things that happened to you that day and spend some time just thinking about how you can interpret or clarify them.
U – Understanding
What you observe can help you reach an understanding of yourself. How you perceive what happens to you is more important than what actually happens to you. Observing how you think, can help you understand your own thought patterns. This can lead to effective management of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
R – Revelation
This process can often lead to revelations about yourself, your desires, your dreams, your goals, and your aspirations. Journaling can help you get in touch with your core values and what you really want in life.
N – Need for Assessment
Keeping a daily journal makes it easier to notice problems and potential solutions. The simple act of writing something down can make things seem clearer. On the other hand, suppressing your feelings can be extremely harmful. However, writing them down can sometimes be all that you need to release some pressure.
A – Awareness
Recording your experiences helps you take a wider perspective on your life. It reminds you of problem areas and things you have to be grateful for. Raising awareness of these areas is the first step towards making the necessary changes and appreciating all that you have.
L – Life
To recap, quality Journaling is known to be an effective way to de-stress and decrease anxiety. Just a few minutes a day can have a major impact on your life’s health and happiness.
Now that we went over the 7 Benefits of Keeping a Journal, I encourage you to start today. Get yourself a simple Notebook, an Inspirational Journal, or download a Journal App such as Day One.
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” -Proverb 4:23
II Timothy 3:1
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire” –Anonymous
Do you already journal? If so, what has been the primary benefit to you? Please leave a comment below.