Whether you recognize it or not, journal writing provides you
with an anchor in your daily life. In the journal, you are free
to write what you want without restrictions, to truly address
the issues in your life without fear of criticism. Put another
way, one of the benefits of journal writing is it acts as a
self-help psychiatrist, but for MUCH cheaper!
As you write in your journal over time, you’ll also start to
ascertain a second benefit to doing so. This benefit is one
of self-criticism. Inevitably, you’ll read through past entries
and review your life. Doing so will lead you to self-reflection
as well as thoughts on how you might act differently should
certain situations rise again.
Of equal importance, journal writing has health benefits. Before
you click away from this article, consider a time in your life
when you were extremely frustrated. Hopefully, you spoke to
a friend to “get things off your chest.” Didn’t you feel a lot
better afterwards? Getting things off your chest helps relieve
stress, one of the biggest killers in our modern society. Journal
writing acts in much the same way since you are able to write
your thoughts without fear of criticism.
There are other benefits to journal writing, but all boil down
to one simple fact. Writing in a journal allows you to express
yourself without being judged. With the lack of privacy in our
modern, digital world, that is hardly a small benefit.
