There are a lot of reasons why writing journals was a thing back then and still is for some people right now. We’re not talking about infamous blogs and vlogs on social media, we’re talking about journals written in diaries or personalized notebooks.

Writing down journals has so many unconscious benefits for people. It can empower and improve mentality which has been proven way back in history. This is why there have been renowned diarists like Samuel Pepys, Virginia Woolf, Anne Frank, and so much more.

Diaries have helped these people so much personally and I bet it would help you a lot too. So, take note as I run you down 7 of the many benefits journal writing can give you.

1. Improves Your Writing Skills

Language and time do not matter, what matters is the way you express yourself. As it is a writing activity, the only limit is your imagination. You have all the time to process the words and sentences to present what’s in your mind as there’s nobody to stop you from doing so as compared to other kinds of self-expression activities. The topic doesn’t matter as well. The purpose of journal writing is for you to put your thoughts into words and make sure that you encapsulate everything you want to say. And the more you write, the more you improve your writing skill without even knowing.

2. Keeps Your Thoughts Organized

Journal writing helps you figure out the important things from the less important ones. It makes your thoughts more comprehensible as you have the opportunity to sort each of them out one by one. On top of that, it helps you organize your schedule of activities like your next classes, next doctor appointments, schedule for hangouts, or even the foods you ate or craved for. As mentioned, there is no limit to what you can put in your diary.

3. Reduces Stress

Writing a journal helps you release and reduce all your stress. As it is a very personal self-expression activity, you have all the freedom to dump in everything that has been bothering you. And sometimes it can also help relieve or solve your problems as you can process all the possibilities and ideas you have in mind while writing about the things that are stressing you out.

4. Flexes Your Mental Health

Journaling is a way to deal with your overwhelming emotions as it is a healthy way to express your thoughts. Same with stress, journaling can help you cope up with depression and manage your anxiety. When writing, you can figure out the reasons or what are the things that cause you to feel anxious or melancholic. It can help you relax as you meditate on the words you are writing. However, as much as journaling can help you cope up with such mental issues, it’s always better to seek help from professionals if you have the opportunity to do so.

5. Boosts Your Memory

There’s a difference when you store memories just in your mind and put them into words. When writing a journal, you’re making a visual representation of your thoughts which makes it easier for you to recall things. It also gives you a stronger connection to that memory or thought when they’re processed.

6. Keeps Track Of Your Experiences And Memories

Writing a journal is sort of like writing your personal novel—you keep track of your memories, you record your emotions, and you put down everything you’ve learned from them. Aside from making a scrapbook, diaries are also great memory keepers and it might be better in some cases, for instance, situations wherein you forgot to bring with you a camera or something. Besides, pictures just give you a glimpse, words can make you experience everything all over again.

7. Best Way To Set Your Goals

As journaling helps you organize your thoughts, it also helps you visualize the bigger picture. In journaling, you can be as ambitious as you want as there will be no one to judge you for it. It’s also a great way to inspire yourself especially when you’re feeling like you’ve lost the will to pursue. You can always look back on your journal and revisit the reasons why you’re working hard in the first place.

As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words but journaling keeps those pictures alive a thousand times.