The Benefits of Journaling

I have attempted to start my journaling journey but have failed to do it consistently. Recently, I read a chapter in a book (Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday) that reminded me of the benefits of journaling. The book lists the people that benefitted from journaling ,and it made me think. The list includes Anne Frank, Oscar Wilde, Susan Sontag, Marcus Aurelius, Queen Victoria, John Quincy Adams, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Virginia Woolf, Joan Didion, Franz Kafka, Ben Franklin, Seneca, among others.

As the book argues, journaling can provides “a few minutes of reflection that both demands and creates stillness. It’s a break from the world. A framework for the day ahead. A coping mechanism for troubles of the hours just past. A revving up of your creative juices, for relaxing and clearing.” (page 57).

According to other sources [1, 2], journaling has other benefits, such as:

• Improving communication and clarity
• Reducing stress
• Helping with self-discovery
• Processing emotions
• Finding inspiration
• Tracking progress and growth