Trying something you’re curious about can spark your Creative Energy, which just happens to be our focus this month. If you’ve been interested in journaling and how something so simple can have a big impact on your life, we encourage you to take this month and try it out.
Why Journaling?
Journaling gives you a private way to get your thoughts on paper, which can help you organize your mind after a stressful day, and even help you make plans to be the person you want to become over time. Scientific studies about the writing process confirm that those who write regularly have better physical health, more control over their emotions, and a better ability to improve the quality of their lives overall.
In addition, many experts advocate journaling as an instrument of insight and change because:
• It’s inexpensive, convenient and easy to get started
Journaling offers a low barrier of entry—you can start anywhere with a pen and piece of paper (or purchase a journal), and practice it as often as you wish, even if you travel.
• It doesn’t take a lot of time
Write as much or as little as you want, although it’s better to limit your journaling time so that you have something to write about the next day.
• It focuses your mind
After a crazy day when your mind is racing, a journal gives you a place to organize your thoughts, and make sense of the day’s events. This can help calm you and help you make plans for any daunting situations in the coming days.
• It increases awareness and helps you grow
Simply writing out your thoughts may help you discover things about yourself that you didn’t realize. When you have these insights, you will be better able to put a plan in place to make any changes to improve your life.
Get started today
Read our tips for starting a journaling practice, and try your first journal entry today. Grab your closest notebook, journal or pad of paper (as well as your favorite pen—we all have one!), and begin writing without a plan for 10 minutes. No one will read or see what you do, so let yourself have fun with it, even adding sketches or doodles if you’d like.
If you find you’re enjoying journaling and would like to learn more about how it can make long-term positive changes in your life, read our Journaling Series from Dr. John Weaver.
Part 1: Tips for Starting a Journaling Practice
Part 2: Overcoming Barriers
Part 3: Journaling for Growth
Part 4: We Get Good At What We Practice
Do you write in a journal regularly? If so, what benefits do you get from it?
I have always liked to journal, but wasn’t real consistant about it until recently (thank you Cerra!) I find it to be very good for making me realize all the good that happens in a day. It helps me get any frustrations out, and then focus on good outcomes. I am also able to go back and see how much I have grown over a period of time. I record happy moments because those are the important moments to hold onto. I have grown soooo much over the summer. I am in a very content place with myself right now, and I believe the growth has come because I have been journaling regularly. Intentions are great, especially when they become a habit!
That’s so great that you can already realize that you have grown just over the course of one summer, because of one simple habit! I agree, recording memories, good and bad are definitely an important part of journaling and life in general. I, too, have always loved to journal, but I haven’t done so in a couple of years. I can not remember why I stopped writing, but every time I have tried to start up again, I just felt blank- like all of my thoughts and feelings have just disappeared right when I open up my journal to write.
I also have found that working through the seven Intentions with Cerra has helped me grow, and it has slowly been pushing me in the right direction towards full on journaling again. When I was a teenager I had an online journal (DeadJournal, LiveJournal, GreatestJournal) where I would write almost every day, sometimes more than once a day. I had friends (people I knew and people I met online through the journaling sites) that would follow my journal entries and I theirs. I liked this because I could get feedback on things that were going on in my life and receive criticism, and praise on my writing. I also had the option of making some entries completely private, for my viewing only, when I wanted to write about things too personal for me to share with anyone else. Maybe this is why I like sharing on Cerra so much!
I have downloaded the journaling prompt bookmark, and I am going to use that along with reading the rest of the journaling articles on here. I hope all of these things will help inspire me to begin a regular journaling regimen again.
I actually keep several journals – my guided journal, a daily journal and my pagan journal. I vary when I add to them but I love to keep records of whats going on in my life. I also have my blogs online too, but I don;t keep as active with those as my private journals.