It gives you a chance to write without worry about spelling or syntax or cheesiness. You get to write whatever you want without having to think through what it's going to sound like to other people. It's just yours.
It helps you work through things. Sometimes you find yourself in a position where you want to talk about what's going on, but you really don't want anyone's advice other than your own. That's when a journal is a great thing to have.
You can write down why you're upset, who you're mad at, what you're excited about, how you screwed up, and not have to listen to any responses or suggestions.
It gives you something to look back on and see how you've grown. If you journal semi-regularly, you can flip back and see how you've grown and changed. How last year you reacted much differently to having your heart broken. How you used to use the word "impressive" in every other sentence. How what you journal about changes over the years.
There's no one better to tell you about how you've grown and changed than you.
It helps capture the little moments. I love instagram, because I can scroll through my feed and be reminded of all these memories. Journaling is like that, but with everything. You may not instagram how a stranger complimented you on your hair and it totally turned your day around, but you could write it down. You can't instagram the feeling of falling asleep on the couch next to the love of your life, but you can write about it.
Journaling helps you remember and savor the little moments that may not be deemed social media worthy, but are really the important things.
There are no rules. Want to journal once a day? Once a month? Whenever you feel like it? Awesome. Want to draw or scribble or write in terrible cursive? Great.
It's yours, so you can do whatever you feel like. It's not another stressful thing to add to your to-do list. It's just a creative outlet to track your memories. Do whatever you want to with it.
There are some seriously pretty journals. Like this one. And this one. Priorities, obviously.
Do you keep a journal?
'There are some seriously pretty journals' - that's more than reason enough to start journaling. Writing, drawing or whatever. I So love cute stationery :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I also think that journaling is a great way to work feelings through, especially for someone as introverted as me.
I agree. I don't journal every day but it definitely helps me work through things when I'm frustrated. Mine's not really the best one to go back through though because when you write in it primarily when you're frustrated about things... it takes on a negative tone. Eeeek.
ReplyDeleteI do keep a journal, and among my resolutions for 2015 is to write more often in there. Things that I can't blog about, I put in writing. :)
ReplyDeleteI love journaling! The only problem is it makes my hand start to hurt when I write too much!
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing like that physical feeling of getting it all out from pen to paper. Journaling keeps me sane lol ;)
ReplyDeleteI haven't kept a journal since college, but I still like reading them to reflect on the memories :)
ReplyDeleteAll such great tips! I need to start journaling more consistently.
ReplyDeleteI do! I just saw a similar article on Hello Giggles, maybe? I think it's super important and I love it!
ReplyDeleteI used to keep a journal and really loved it, but then life kinda got so hectic that I didn't ever seem to have time to write in it anymore. Now that things have slowed down a bit I really want to get back at it. Thanks for the reminder! :)
ReplyDeleteI think keeping a journal is so freeing! I use my blog almost like a journal (aka I spill way too much) but I always need a paper journal as well. I always need a place I can bare the depths of my soul (no matter how dramatic) and know no one is judging me but myself. I always kept diaries growing up and I really enjoy going and looking back on them now...it's like traveling back in time and peeking inside my brain!
ReplyDeleteI love using a journal. I had a doctor once recommend it as stress relief. It really is the most cathartic thing. I now am the girl who collects cute/unique journals. It's so nice to write just a stream of consciousness. I often use it for things I don't really want to write publicly or when I'm trying to wrap my mind around things. Plus as you said it's so interesting looking back on what your thoughts where during different moments.
ReplyDeleteI love journals!
ReplyDeleteI spwcially take care of Starbucks Planners/Journals for my kids to read when they grow up...
I read The Artist's Way a few years ago and started journalling every day. I remember it being really freeing and like my head was clearer because I was able to just sit and spill everything onto paper. These days I use my journal mainly for writing down ideas when they come to me and brainstorming, but I do believe there's a lot to gain from journalling regularly. Plus it's a great excuse to by another pretty journal!
ReplyDeleteI've kept a journal for years and looking back is always entertaining. Seeing how much has changed is an amazing thing.
ReplyDeleteI kept a journal all through college and I still giggle when I read through it. Ever since the blog, my journal has been pretty much just ideas for posts but recently I've wanted to start journaling for real again. Now to find a gorgeous journal!
ReplyDeleteI've been keeping a journal since I was 10 years old!! I have about 17 years worth on actual paper journals and have since switched to a private online journal. My entire life is documented!! It's definitely something I love to do.
ReplyDeleteI used to write in my journal pretty regularly, but now I haven't touched it in a very long time. I need to pick it up again.
ReplyDeleteI do keep a journal! I usually go for leather bound because they hold up better :] However, life seems to get in the way and I don't write as often as I want to. Sometimes I go a whole month without writing! Ah, and then its hard to get back into a routine :[
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the pretty journals you just took photos of and I wanna know where you got them!! Yes! Priorities ;) Haha. Journaling is definitely an amazing thing to do and you've just made me feel like journaling about how important journaling is and to start writing down little moments instead of moaning and groaning about everything and trying to work all my emotions out. I need a little positivity to look back to.
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The Life of Little Me
I kept a journal for the longest time. Pretty much my entire life I journaled and it was always very therapeutic for me, once I started blogging I kind of got away from it because I allowed my blog to be my journal and kept it private for the most part. Now that it's more public, I should get back to a personal journal. Thanks girl!
ReplyDeleteI do keep a journal, not as often as I used to because I blog about most things... but I'm trying to make more time for it in 2015. I find journaling very therapeutic and I find I've grown tremendously over the years through journaling. Loved this post :) I'm going to feature it (just link back to it) on Friday as one of my favourite posts of the week :) xo
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily journal but I keep a lot of notebooks of ideas for recipes, DIY project, and ideas. It helps to think them through and document them.
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ReplyDeleteI've kept a journal since I was seven-years-old! I write in it almost every day and I 100 per cent agree with all of our reasons to do so!
ReplyDeleteOne of my new year resolutions was to journal more! Writing helps me work through my thoughts... and like you said, the best part for me is that I don't need to worry about spelling, grammar, or run-on sentences, ha!
ReplyDeleteIt's been one of my New Years resolutions to get better about journaling! I'm starting to really like it!
ReplyDeleteI used to keep a journal, but haven't since I started my blog which was years ago now. I keep thinking of starting again, I used to love my journal.
ReplyDeleteI kept journals from elementary school up through college, back when my life was filled with little dramas that seemed oh so important. I kind of stopped when life got more calm but I really miss it. I should get back into it.
ReplyDeleteRawr! Love it! Thanks for the reminder to break out my journal again!
ReplyDeleteLove this post!!! I really need to get back into journaling. I was really good about it up until Thanksgiving and then dropped off. Now is a good time to pick it back up! :) Thanks for the reminder. And those journals are so cute, I like the Don't Quit Your Daydream one! :)
ReplyDeleteI love journals more than I love keeping a journal. They are so beautiful and I don't want to mess up the pages. So I buy them, and then I don't write in them. There's some sort of metaphor in there somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI've kept a journal since I was 8 years old. My religion strongly believes in journaling...as it is a step towards family history (which we are super into as well).
ReplyDeleteLove this! There's something to be sad about a good 'ol fashion journal :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely want to start journaling more!
ReplyDeleteI occasionally keep a journal and I agree that it's so nice to look back and see how far you've come. I find that my journals are usually me talking about the bad in my life so that I can get it off my chest and forget about it, so it's always funny to look back and realize how stupid my being upset was :P
ReplyDeleteI have kept one daily since 16 and now in my 50's. Interesting that I didn't get the whole story or now have had enough experience to realize or have the hindsight.... It is hard not to change what I wrote so many years ago! Things others tell me about how it happened and that isn't how I wrote about it at all... funny. I tape quotes and stories in mine also and going to start your art journal this year with the word prompts!!! So excited to see where this takes me with the word in color and picture :)
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